How can being happy empower you to make changes to protect the planet on Earth Day and beyond? One of the most important things you can do for yourself and the Earth is increase your own well-being and happiness. This allows you to face the current challenges with compassion and joy. Here are five ways that your happiness can make the world a better place.
Happy people buy less stuff and buying less stuff makes you happier. When you are happy and fulfilled, you no longer need a bunch of things to bury your dissatisfaction with yourself and with your life. You aren’t likely to be as interested in competing with others to have more because your satisfaction comes from the inside. You consume less and this has a tremendous impact on the planet. This in turn makes you even happier.
People who are connected to nature and the Earth have increased well-being and an increased desire to protect the environment. This feeling of connection creates “pro-nature” behaviors of wanting to be in and protect nature. Gardening, walking in nature, listening to the bird calls around your house make people happy. When you feel this happy connection, you will likely feel more motivated to protect your own patch of nature. This feeling of connection can also inspire positive feelings about global nature conservation.
People who are emotionally connected to animals are much less likely to exploit them. There is no question that animals make people happy. When we spend time with our own companion animals or appreciate wildlife we are much more likely to treat them with kindness, compassion, and respect. This feeling of well-being linked to wildlife leads people to value conservation and increased wildlife stewardship. This may lead, for example, to not buying wildlife products or exploiting wildlife habitat. –two of the main contributors to wildlife declines.
People who feel connection and empathy with other people are happier and more concerned with the happiness and well-being of others. Connection to others is one of the most important factors in creating personal happiness. When we develop empathy for others we are less likely to engage in activities that exploits them, their families, or their communities. We see others with the compassion we feel for ourselves. When this connection extends beyond our immediate circle to include those half world away, our relationship with people everywhere changes.
Happy people feel empowered to act and taking action makes you happier. The happier you are, the more likely you will have the energy and interest in taking action to improve the world. You may feel more empowered to look at how our current policies and practices focus on consumerism, exploitation of habitats, exploitation of other species and people, and contribute to shifting it. You may act in alignment with your (and the planet’s) well-being and happiness. If everyone lived their lives this way, the world would be in a much better place.
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