Happiness not 'rocket science' says Mental Health Foundation

Finding happiness not 'rocket science' says Mental Health Foundation

MEDIA RELEASE
SUNDAY 14 JULY

Embargoed until 5am Monday 15 July

The Mental Health Foundation (MHF) commends and congratulates Sovereign for commencing the first-ever national Wellbeing Index.

The MHF believes that the nation’s wellbeing is as important as its economic productivity, and the results of the wellbeing survey undertaken by Sovereign show that New Zealanders are falling behind on all the key wellbeing indicators.

“We hope that the results of this survey can be used to inform public policy that will enhance the wellbeing of all New Zealanders,” says MHF Chief Executive Judi Clements.
Wellbeing depends on a number of factors, including freedom from discrimination, knowledge, self-esteem, and a sense of belonging.

The Wellbeing Index shows that those with Super Wellbeing – ie the 25% of participants who have the highest wellbeing  - were all actively practicing the Five Ways to Wellbeing.

The Mental Health Foundation has been encouraging New Zealanders to Connect, Give, Take Notice, Keep Learning, and Be Active for the last five years, and is delighted to see that the Sovereign Wellbeing Index has picked up on these very important messages.

The Sovereign index indicates that Kiwis need to work on connecting socially with others to improve their wellbeing.

“The theme of this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week is Connect,” says Ms Clements, “because we know that connecting is critical to achieving and maintaining wellbeing.

“If we each make an effort to develop our relationships with friends, family, and those in our community, we would see great improvements in our national wellbeing.”

Since adopting the Five Ways to Wellbeing in 2009, the MHF has found that they have captured the public’s attention because they are easy to understand and can be carried out without difficulty or expense.

ENDS

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