Teenagers Are Happier Than Their Parents (And Can Teach Them A Few Lessons About Happiness...)
Teenagers Are Actually Happier Than Their Parents (No Joke)
Amy Packham— The Huffington Post UK
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Picture your typical teenager. Are they grumpy, grunting, or genuinely annoyed at their parents?
That's the view we typically have of teens but actually it seems we may have our facts wrong.
A recent study of 3,000 young people has shown that British teenagers gave themselves an average of 6.2 happiness rating out of 10.
In comparison to their parents they're 0.3 happier, as parents averaged at 5.9.
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Now we don't know about you, but surely this will come as great news to most parents. No grumpy teens? Wonderful.
British parents ranked family as the key to their happiness in the study published by Coca-Cola to mark their Choose Happiness campaign and nearly half said they wish they could revisit their teenage years.
Parents all said they were "more stressed" than they were in their teenage years.
So if parents were happier as teenagers, then does it follow that their teenage children are the very thing making them more grumpy? And will their happiness increase when those teens leaves home? (Or is that just wishful thinking?)
In the report, Why Generation Z is choosing happiness, teens chose friends and family as being the most important factors contributing towards their happiness, followed by their social life.
72% of teenagers admitted that happiness is something that is "down to them" to find and know that it's only their choice.
And they're actually doing something about it.
"Appreciating the small moments" and "Having my friends around me" were popular reasons as to why teens felt happier.
But don't come running to us if your grumpy teen won't come out of their room...
Coca-Cola listed things we can learn from teenager's happiness. Parents, take note.
Choose, don't chase happiness.
Experience happiness now, not in the nearly-now.
Keep experiencing your own firsts.
Happiness helps you live life better.
Happiness comes from collaboration not competition.
Aren't they a clever bunch?
12 Tips For Happiness in 2015
Work (01 of12)
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"Work makes you happier. It provides routine, structure and self-worth. Make sure you are in a job you enjoy. If you are not, make finding one that you do a priority for this year."
Independence(02 of12)
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"Personal control in work makes you happier; there is better life satisfaction for those earning less but in control of their working practice than those who are richer but have less control."
Relationships and Friendships(03 of12)
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"Those with close relationships are happiest – try to see friends and family more in the New Year. Research shows the closer people live to their friends, the happier they are – make new friends close to where you live. Get to know your neighbours better, try joining sports groups or taking up a hobby close to your home."
Play to your strengths(04 of12)
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"Identifying your strengths and focus on developing these, either in work or a hobby. This will encourage you to become immersed in what you do and find life more gratifying."
Altruism(05 of12)
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"Altruism is proven to help focus beyond ourselves and enable us to be more connected with the world around us. In 2015, find local charities, sports clubs or community organisations where you can donate your time - you might even start new friendships with local people."
Be kind(06 of12)
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"Set yourself a weekly target for acts of kindness for friends, family, colleagues and strangers on the street. This will further increase your connection to the outside world."
Focus on the positives(07 of12)
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"Improving happiness levels can depend on how we focus our attention – being attentive and focusing on one positive task helps us to enjoy the moment."
Positive Memory(08 of12)
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"Those who are happier remember bad events in a more positive light – it is possible to focus on particular aspects of a memory to notice the positives more than negatives."
Gratitude Diary(09 of12)
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"You can retrain your mind to focus on the good things that happen rather than the bad. Stop taking your blessings for granted by keeping a gratitude diary. Every day for 6 weeks jot down 5 things that happened that day for which you are grateful."
Meditate(10 of12)
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"Regular meditation can help with positive mental health."
Say ‘Thank You’(11 of12)
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"Expressing your gratitude for someone’s actions is the single most effective exercise in positive psychology. Saying thank you to even small acts and gestures will help improve gratitude levels."
Use Technology Less(12 of12)
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"The less time you spend on using technology, the more you can carry out activities that help you engage with the world around you.”