**Thoughts to Live By: "Happiest People on Earth"

In past articles I've addressed the subject of wealth and it's correlation to happiness. And as you may already know, there's absolutely NO connection to being among the nations wealthiest (less than 3% of the US population) and happiness; massive research over the past 100 years bears this out.

So, you may be wondering, "if it is not wealth, then what really is Key to being happy?"

In 2006, a small island chain located roughly halfway between Australia & Fiji topped the global Happy Planet Index. This index, produced by the New Economics Foundation, rated 178 countries for national happiness, longevity, and environmental impact.

Among the larger countries, Germany ranked 81, Japan 95; and while western living standards have improved enormously we have become no happier, the US coming in at a disappointingly low 150. Interestingly, although Vanuatu tops the happiness index, it ranked 207 out of 233 economies when measured against Gross Domestic Product. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Vanuatu

So what IS the Key to happiness? What accounts for the general happy disposition of the inhabitants of Vanuatu, who consume a fraction of the earth's resources by comparison? If not wealth, then what?