~~~~~~~~

Have you ever heard of a survey for the happiest state? Hawaii is usually left out of a lot of surveys and somehow gets left out as a state quite often.  We're only across the Pacific Ocean and spread out among islands.  Geez. Well, we were not left out this time.....HAWAII is the SECOND HAPPIEST STATE.  Utah came in First.

Well, after hearing this story on our local news two nights ago.... I was....PROUD.

We are the Aloha State (and now the second happiest lol) and our Aloha Spirit is infectious to say the least. We throw leis over the necks of incoming visitors, at birthday parties, celebrations and so forth with a hug and a kiss.  

~~~~~~~~~~~

 I love hugs and everyone likes to get lei'd, no?

The survey was conducted by Gallup Organization and America's Health Insurance Plans. Does that mean it is  a good survey?  Who knows...polls and surveys cover only a certain percentage of our people. 

The Well-Being Index  is based on the World Health Organization definition of health as "not only the absence of weakness and disease, but also a state of physical, mental, and social well-being." (40+  questions were asked for an overall Composite metric based on six individual and interrelated Domains and Indices of Well Being: Life Evaluation, Emotional Health, Physical Health, Healthy Behavior, Work Environment, and Basic Access. Following are short breakdowns of each:

• The Basic Access Index (thirteen items measuring resident's access to food, shelter, and healthcare, and a safe and satisfying place to live):  Satisfied with local area, Area getting better as a place to live, Clean water, Medicine, Safe place to exercise, Affordable fruits and vegetables, Feel safe walking alone at night, Enough money for food, shelter, healthcare, dentist recently, doctor & Have health insurance?  WE GOT IT ALL!
• Work Environment- Are you happy with the place that you are employed? Your co-workers, your job, your employer?  I LOVE THE "FAMILY" I WORK WITH!
• Emotional Health-  Ones state of mind for any given situation and circumstance? Smiling/Laughter, treated with respect, happiness, Worry, Sadness, Anger, Stress, Learning/Doing something cool.  Having a healthy mind and healthy self esteem....loving self from the inside out is the biggest contributor to SLEEPING WELL AT NIGHT!
• Physical Health/Healthy Behavior- Eating and Exercise Habits; outdoor activities?  Uh....I am borderline for all of these. Smoking?  I quit over two years ago, healthy diet....uh...not always...I love my sweets. OOPS.
• Life Evaluation Index combines present life situation with anticipated life situation 5 years from now. They asked Americans to evaluate their lives from 0 to 10, where "0" represents the worst possible life and "10" represents the best possible life. I HAVE A GOOD LIFE, I HAVE A GOOD WIFE....is what my husband recites to me often. I say, ME TOO.

These are areas we all (nationwide) have to work on and it's imperative that we do so in these ‘changing times'.  No matter what's going on around us we make the best of what we do have....not gloat over what we do not have. That is the sheer essence of getting off our tushes and doing something about our current situations and any circumstance we come across. We learn, we grow and we sleep well at night. 

Stay tuned........we all have a story to tell.