Gross National Happiness

Blog

About this growing movement.

In the United States, we often hear economists talk about Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as an indicator of our economic well-being. But one of the concerns some people have with GDP is that it measures only one thing – money.

There now appears to be a growing international movement to use a more multi-faceted measure of a country’s health: Gross National Happiness (GNH). GNH evolved over 40 years ago in the small kingdom of Bhutan. Bordered by China and India, Bhutan is a small country of 15,000 square miles, about the size of Switzerland. It has a population of 750,000 people, slightly less than Columbus, Ohio. In 2011, Bhutan’s GDP was $1.69 billion, derived primarily from agriculture, restricted tourism and the sale of hydroelectric power.

Bhutan’s GNH is based on the premise that the calculation of “wealth” should consider other aspects beyond economic development. The GNH index measures nine domains of happiness: standard of living, psychological well-being, health, time balance, education, cultural diversity, good government, community vitality and ecological diversity. The measurement seeks to take a holistic approach, looking at many factors instead of concentrating on just a few select statistics.

As financial planners, we attempt to take that same holistic approach, focusing on your long-term financial goals and your overall financial well-being rather than just measuring year-to-date performance versus a financial index.

Your wealth is not just your net worth – it is multi-faceted, like GNH! It encompasses your career, your family, romance, faith, hobbies, friendships, health, community service and inner growth.

How you choose to spend your time and money can greatly impact your Gross Personal Happiness (GPH).

Take time this summer to re-discover what makes you happy!