The Blue Zones of Happiness: Lessons from the World's Happiest People

by Dan Buettner, Ed Diener (Foreword by)

Overview

New York Times best-selling author Dan Buettner reveals the surprising secrets of the world's happiest places—and shows how we can all apply the lessons of true happiness to our lives.

In this inspiring book, Buettner offers game-changing tools for setting up your life to be the happiest it can be. In these illuminating pages, you'll:
 • Meet the world's Happiness All-Stars—inspiring individuals whose ways of boosting well-being can influence your home and community as well.
 • Discover the three strands of happiness—pleasure, purpose, and pride—that weave together in different ways in the world's happiest places.
 • Use the Blue Zones Happiness Test to pinpoint areas in your life where change could bring more happiness—and then find practical steps to make those changes.
 • Learn what researchers on happiness consider the top ways to create personal and nationwide happiness, as revealed by a blue-ribbon panel of world experts convened for this book.
 • Boost your own happiness with the Happiness Power 9—Buettner’s final assessment of the most important lessons to be learned from the world’s happiest people and places.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781426218484
Publisher:	Disney Publishing Group
Publication date:	10/03/2017
Series:	The Blue Zones
Pages:	288
Sales rank:	625,229
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

DAN BUETTNER is the founder of Blue Zones, an organization that helps Americans live longer, healthier lives. His groundbreaking work on longevity led to his 2005 National Geographic cover story "Secrets of Living Longer" and two national bestsellers, The Blue Zones and Thrive. He lives in Minneapolis, MN. Visit him on Facebook and Twitter, and at his website bluezones.com.

Table of Contents

Foreword Ed Diener, Ph.D. 9

Part 1 Blueprint for a Happier Life 13

1 What Is Happiness? 19

2 What We Now Know About Happiness 33

Part 2 The World's Happiest Places 45

3 Happiness in Costa Rica 49

4 Happiness in Denmark 65

5 Happiness in Singapore 83

6 Lessons for Leaders 97

Part 3 Happier by Design 109

7 Designing Happy Communities 113

8 Designing the Workplace 153

9 Designing Your Social Network 171

10 Designing Your Home 187

11 Designing Financial Well-Being 201

12 Designing Your Inner Life 213

Conclusion: The Power 9 of Happiness 243

Appendix: The Blue Zones Happiness Consensus Project 253

Expert Profiles and Recommendations 255

Acknowledgments 273

Selected Sources 275

Index 279

Editorial Reviews

08/07/2017
Buettner (The Blue Zones Solution) brings substantive research and an emphasis on health to the by-now-familiar happiness trend in self-health literature. Focusing on “designing your life to make it happier,” his book offers “simple, evidence-based steps” based on scientific research. In previous books, Buettner identified five areas around the globe where people live the longest, which he calls “blue zones.” Applying the same concept to happiness, he pinpoints the regions where people report the highest levels of satisfaction and fulfillment. Using case studies and examples, he tells the stories of these communities, along with advice on how to apply their philosophies. He also explores personal happiness and the influences that can shape a sense of contentment, such as one’s community, home, and workplace. Listing the “three Ps of happiness”—pleasure, purpose, and pride—Buettner discusses how these elements feature in the lives of the world’s happiest people and provides a “Blue Zones Happiness Test” designed to help readers evaluate their own situations. The book’s appendix lists an international panel of experts and their personal recommendations. Filled with realistic, constructive information, this book is a useful manual for individuals and communities to take the initiative toward happier, healthier lives. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

"Filled with realistic, constructive information, this book is a useful manual for individuals and communities to take the initiative toward happier, healthier lives."
-Publishers Weekly

"Author Dan Buettner reveals the world’s happiest places and explains environmental and lifestyle factors that contribute to the overall happiness in these geographic regions." –The Washington Post

“Start taking some tips from New York Times best-selling author Dan Buettner, who has spent the last 15 years studying the people around the world who are living the healthiest and happiest lives, and discovering what the rest of us can learn from them.” –Huffington Post

“Few people bring the unique perspective…like Dan Buettner…he travels the world in search of the healthiest people and distills their lessons…translating existential philosophy into practical information for limited-attention-span U.S. readers.” –The Atlantic

“National Geographic worked with Gallup and author Dan Buettner, whose career has focused on exploring parts of the world where people live long, happy lives, to identify and rank these cities.”
–Travel & Leisure

"National Geographic, Gallup and New York Times best-selling author Dan Buettner have announced the ranking of the 25 happiest cities in the United States." –Forbes

“[Buettner’s] latest work looks at some of the world’s happiest places, including Costa Rica and Singapore, and helps glean some insight from people who hail from those happy locales.”
 –Parade 

"I am compelled to make changes in my own life and I am grateful to have this tool to help guide me to creating goals that will facilitate positive growth in the world I see."
—goodkarmakate
 
“…a great book…many eye opening moments…” –Kimleonia  
 
“I blew through this book, highlighting a LOT along the way. It left me pumped to start assessing the areas in my life where I can start implementing these practices and fired up to get more involved in my local community!” –mrsknitfit
 
“The book was insightful and caused me to rethink some of my choices. (In a good way.) 
Dan’s look at various cultures’ road to happiness has broadened my thinking and allowed me to explore the world from my comfy seat on the couch.” –theminickadventures
 
“In Malcolm Gladwell fashion, Buettner takes a stab at deconstructing a broad social concept, in this case, happiness, backing it up with tangible research, evidence, your own self-assessment and implementable strategies for exactly that: finding a greater happy.” –Good and Grateful 
 
“It’s a scientific approach to the subject, with concrete numbers and straight forward advice on how to nudge yourself into living a lifestyle that will ultimately make you happier.”
–Thistle & Fig 
 
“Dan has literally traveled the globe in the pursuit of happiness. He’s talked to lots of happy folks. And he’s discovered a thing or two about what all these deliciously joyful people have in common...We are living in what may very well be one of the most dissatisfied periods in American history. But there is hope for happiness out there, and Dan shows us where to find it with intelligence, candor and lots of compassion.” –Jathan & Heather
 
“Such an awesome read! You know those books that you buy and read within the span of a few days because it is just that good?!??! Well that was the case with The Blue Zones of Happiness by Dan Buettner” —anxietycoachleigha

From the Publisher