Canada’s ranking in the World Happiness Report recently dropped from 5th to 25th. The cause isn’t a mystery: rising costs and shrinking disposable income make it harder to feel secure.
The Bank of Canada recently found that many of us feel pessimistic about our financial health. However, experts suggest that being proactive is the best way to reduce stress. Taking control of your cash flow, how your money moves day-to-day, is about more than just math. It’s about ensuring your “in vs. out” supports your life, not just your bills.
Have you noticed a link between your bank balance and your mood? What’s one small change you’ve made to your spending that actually made you feel better?
I used to buy a lot of junk food, costs wasn’t killing me but the way I felt wasn’t the greatest. I’ve drastically lessened that spending and I’m saving money, plus generally feel better. That is in hand with keeping active!
As many know, cost of living is just a factor in happiness; if you can even get close to putting a singular meaning to it. But I think lack of community and social isolation is what really makes it hard living here. We live so far apart, avoid making eye contact in public, and do so many activities in isolation.
Besides getting to know my neighbours and spending lots of time with friends and family, I like to invest in travelling to countries that have strong social bonds, like Mexico, Greece, and so on. Definitely fills me up with happiness, and prepares me for going back to Canada in some way.
