I have a fun exercise for you today. It is International Day of Happiness and this year’s theme is Happier Together. Let’s take the Action for Happiness pledge:
“I will try to create more happiness in the world around me”
To implement that pledge, let’s check our own happiness score, shall we? The considerate folks at Oxford University have developed a handy questionnaire with 29 questions to help us do just that. I think the questions are a nice nudge to work on those areas so we can be happier together, while making a world a happier place. What do you think?
Use the questionnaire to rate yourself on a scale of 1 to 6 as follows:
1 = strongly disagree
2 = moderately disagree
3 = slightly disagree
4 = slightly agree
5 = moderately agree
6 = strongly agree
Don’t linger too long with each question. There are no right and wrong answers. Just go by the answer that first pops into your head when you read the question. Stuck for an answer? Just go by what is true in your case most of the time.
The Questionnaire
- I don’t feel particularly pleased with the way I am. (R) _____
- I am intensely interested in other people. _____
- I feel that life is very rewarding. _____
- I have very warm feelings towards almost everyone. _____
- I rarely wake up feeling rested. (R) _____
- I am not particularly optimistic about the future. (R) _____
- I find most things amusing. _____
- I am always committed and involved. _____
- Life is good. _____
- I do not think that the world is a good place. (R) _____
- I laugh a lot. _____
- I am well satisfied about everything in my life. _____
- I don’t think I look attractive. (R) _____
- There is a gap between what I would like to do and what I have done. (R) _____
- I am very happy. _____
- I find beauty in some things. _____
- I always have a cheerful effect on others. _____
- I can fit in (find time for) everything I want to. _____
- I feel that I am not especially in control of my life. (R) _____
- I feel able to take anything on. _____
- I feel fully mentally alert. _____
- I often experience joy and elation. _____
- I don’t find it easy to make decisions. (R) _____
- I don’t have a particular sense of meaning and purpose in my life. (R) _____
- I feel I have a great deal of energy. _____
- I usually have a good influence on events. _____
- I don’t have fun with other people. (R) _____
- I don’t feel particularly healthy. (R) _____
- I don’t have particularly happy memories of the past. (R) _____
Calculate your score
- With some questions, you’ll see an (R) These should be scored in reverse. So, if you gave yourself a 1, change it to 6. 2 should be 5; 3 is 4; 4 is 3; 5 is 2 and 6 is 1.
- Now add the numbers for the 29 questions.
- Divide the total by 29. This is your happiness score.
Make a note of the date and your score, so if you check again another day you can compare your scores, which I hope, will rise. Apparently the average score is between 4 and 6.
What’s your happiness score today?
Happy International Day of Happiness!
Wednesday Wisdom is a series with short bursts of easy-to-consume wisdom in the form of stories, quotes, anecdotes, reflections and humor.
4 comments
My score is 4.2.
This was a fun quiz, Vidya! It was good to learn where I need to work and where I am doing well.
🙂
Shilpa Gupte recently posted…Where do you find happiness? Quotes by Thich Nhat Hanh.
Hugs! I think you are amazing! I found some of the questions uncomfortable because I never even stop to think of them!
I scored 4.8 which I think is pretty good.
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Vidya, interesting point to quantify happiness. Makes me realise I am happier than I initially thought I was 🙂