Creating a Happy Life

1. Creating a Happy Life

2. No need to feel guilty! • The pursuit of happiness is a natural, genetic, evolutionary trait. • It helps us to avoid being complacent. • It motivates us to live through adversity. • It is the light at the end of the tunnel Life is about the pursuit of happiness Humans are wired to seek happiness • To avoid danger, and find pleasure.

3. Happiness? • However, our genetic evolution is no longer serving us so well ! • We are so far removed from the 99.9% of our evolutionary environment in the wild… …hunting + gathering supplies …staying safe + healthy • Our modern world is motivated by wanting rather than by needing. • Wanting nicer cars, country homes, travel, art, fine wine, iPhones, and so on. • More material goods do not increase happiness, but we fail to appreciate this. • We want more, and are willing to work hard for it, but we are not good at anticipating the emotional pay-offs of this hard work.

4. The World Values Survey • The World Values Survey is directed by University of Michigan political scientist Ronald Inglehart and administered from Stockholm • It has compiled data from 350,000 people in 97 countries since 1981 • It aims to measure peoples' happiness and life satisfaction. • It employs just two basic questions, which have never changed: • "How would you rate your happiness?" • "How satisfied are you with your life these days?"

5. “Survey Says…” • No. 1: Denmark Life Expectancy: 78, GDP Per Capita: $37,400 • No. 2: Puerto Rico Life Expectancy: 79, GDP Per Capita: $19,600 • No. 3: Colombia Life Expectancy: 73, GDP Per Capita: $6,700 • No. 9: Canada Life Expectancy: 81, GDP Per Capita: $38,400 • The wealthiest nation in the world? • With freedom and independence as their mantra USA = Just 16th Place !

6. Are we on the wrong path? • Happiness has been declining in the USA (and perhaps similarly in Canada) • Since 1945… With greater choice, freedom, and money…. • Work life has taken more time of each day • The average distance commuted to work has increased steadily • Membership in clubs, voluntary organizations, community associations has declined steadily. • Less meals shared together as a family • Decline in the number of close friends (less than three, on average!) • Greater time alone, with the TV and/or on the computer • Decline in religions in the western, developed world • Increased divorce rates • 90%+ of our time is spent indoors in a controlled environment • And so on! • Our social evolution in N.A. is taking us down the wrong path! • Materialism and the pursuit of wealth is not the answer

7. We are stuck on a “Hedonic Treadmill” (Brickman & Campbell) • “Hedonic Paradox” (John Stuart Mill) • By pursuing happiness itself, one makes it more distant, whereas by pursuing something else, one can inadvertently bring it closer

8. Geared towards Compassion • One of our strong evolutionary emotions is compassion. • This has helped us to nurture and protect our vulnerable infants and children • It helps to stay bonded as a tribe, with the benefits of working together • Historically, across the millions of years of our evolution, we learned to participate in the tribe; to give. • Our evolution, our survival, depended on being part of a tribe and benefiting from the synergies of the team. • If we always took, and never gave back, the tribe would have kicked our ancestors out. Game over!

9. Geared towards Compassion • Researchers have found that when we care for others, our brains release dopamine, stimulating feelings of warmth and happiness. • This is nature’s way of encouraging us to be nice…to want to be nice! • Inglehart (“World Values Survey”) says that their most recent study has made the picture a bit clearer… • In his opinion, charity and expressions of gratitude appear to be subtle but powerful ways to bring happiness into one's life and to extend it.

10. So…How are we doing in our Canadian Benevolence? • 1) As a percent of income, how do Canadians compare to Americans for giving to charity? • Canadians give twice as much as Americans • Canadians give about the same as Americans • Canadians give half as much as Americans • 2) What percent of Canadian Tax Returns claim a charity receipt for a tax credit? • Approximately 25% • Approximately 50% • Approximately 75% • 3) Overall, what is the median amount of money given to charitable causes per year by Canadians? (the amount where half of Canadians give more, and half give less) • $120 • $420 • $720 • $1020 • 4) What percent of Canadian adults volunteer 1+ hours/month to non-profit organizations? • Approximately 25% • Approximately 45% • Approximately 65%

11. So…How are we doing in our Canadian Benevolence? • 1) As a percent of income, how do Canadians compare to Americans for giving to charity? • Canadians give twice as much as Americans • Canadians give about the same as Americans • Canadians give half as much as Americans • 2) What percent of Canadian Tax Returns claim a charity receipt for a tax credit? • Approximately 25% • Approximately 50% • Approximately 75% • 3) Overall, what is the median amount of money given to charitable causes per year by Canadians? (the amount where half of Canadians give more, and half give less) • $120 • $420 • $720 • $1020 • 4) What percent of Canadian adults volunteer 1+ hours/month to non-profit organizations? • Approximately 25% • Approximately 45% • Approximately 65%

12. Caring people help others • Canada is a caring nation. • Caring people help others in need • But our we are not really so good at actually doing anything to help others!! • It is not that Canadians are not caring. It is that Canadians do not know what they should be giving! • Just 13% claim they have a good sense for donating • Just 9% claim they have a good sense for volunteering

13. “It is not you…It’s me” • Consumer surveys indicate that the vast majority of Canadians are familiar with the contributions of the charitable sector, respect the importance of non-profits, and feel the leaders in the charitable sector are trustworthy. • Our poor philanthropic behaviour in Canada is not due to a lack of respect of the charitable sector. • A majority of Canadians (77%) trust charities. • Not only do Canadians trust charities, they also trust leaders of charities. In fact, of all professions assessed in the study, only nurses and medical doctors are trusted by more Canadians than are leaders of charities. • (Source: Ipsos Study conducted for the Muttart Foundation, June, 2008)

14. We all need to learn our obligation to give No one becomes wealthy, happy, and loved without others enabling it to be so. In turn, we have a social responsibility to give back to the very society that enables us to enjoy the good fortune we have. • The world we live in today is an outcome of the generousity and sacrifices of prior generations and philanthropists (our hospitals, libraries, parks, community centres, universities, and so on, exist in thanks to philanthropy). • We need to pay back for the (prior) use we have enjoyed, and have taken advantage of.

15. 71% 54% If less religion, then what? 48% TOTAL 1 to 3 4 to 7 8 to 10 Religious (rating) CANADA We need to fill a growing hole Donated at Least $100+ in 2007 • The problem is that we are becoming less religious (since 1965). • Nothing seems to be replacing the loss of religion. Charitable leadership is being lost in Canada. 55%

16. We need GIV3 • As like the health sector with ParticipACTION, we need a similar initiative to encourage more Canadians to be more philanthropic. • We need a definition of what is expected of us. What is our social norm? • People want to know • We strive to meet the tribe’s norm to be accepted, and not kicked out!

17. Some of our GIV3 initiatives www.GIV3.ca • The Great Canadian Charity Contest • Vote our Donation • Fav quotes • Donation Calculator • Club 21 • Tips, facts, and more

18. Why 3 ? It is what Canadians told us! - Our ‘Donation Equation’is based on the opinion of a majority of Canadians 6 This is the “Best Fit” line, and equation. 5 y = 1.5221Ln(x) - 13.894 4 3 Suggested % of Income 2 3% is what Canadians tell us is a “fair and reasonable level”! 1 0 $66,000 0 $50,000 $100,000 $150,000 $200,000 $250,000 $300,000 For Households of Specified Income Levels Ipsos study of 1,000 adults (2008)

19. Donated $100+ in 2007 65% “Growing up as a child you had adults who showed you the importance of charity & volunteering.” 50% 49% Disagree Agree Slightly Agree It works! • People who were brought up to be charitable, and who had examples (leaders) in their lives are indeed more charitable. • People who know what is expected of them for charity are also more giving. • Education and leadership works, and for a life time!

20. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 31% 34% 25% Earn $100,000 or more Total Canada Volunteer 16+ hrs/month And GIV3 leads to greater happiness Q. “In terms of how you feel about your social life, your health, your family life, in other words your overall general outlook, how would you score yourself?” Less happy More happy Feel about overall general outlook on life… Scored 9 or 10

21. A Road to Happiness

22. Avoid being self-centred… • Focus on things beyond yourself such as the well-being of your community + family. • Appreciate that wealth, and the hard work to earn it is not synonymous with happiness. Wanting is not liking. • Focus on and nourish many self-images to reduce the importance and vulnerability of any one of them.

23. Recognize our evolution. • Our evolutionary history is about living in tribes, in the outdoors, and connecting with others. Appreciate what it is to be human. • It is very natural to be a little unhappy. It is in our genes!

24. “Reporting Live from the Future” (“Stumbling into Happiness”, by Daniel Gilbert) • Since we are very poor at correctly anticipating the emotional experiences in the future, talk to someone who has recently experienced it.

25. Be philanthropic, and volunteer. • Feel the warmth • It is the right thing to do • Dare to Care! GIV3

26. If you want to change the world, be that change. - Mohandas Gandhi • If you cannot feed a hundred then feed just one. - Mother Teresa

27. Now we all know to… + It’s the right thing to do. It will make you happier!