Happiness lessons from Thailand

Thailand is one of the most visited countries in the world. People from all over the world go there to enjoy… They go to eat well, to get some sun, spending relaxing days on the beach. They go because it’s a dive haven and has spectacular events like the Festival of Lights…and some go to indulge some less innocent activities. Enjoying and having fun are the key words. It also matches the overall Thai philosophy: don’t think too much, relax, enjoy and have fun.

Despite this strong focus on enjoying and being happy, Thailand is not that happy. It dropped six spots to rank No. 52 of the 156 countries studied in the World Happiness Report 2019. It’s the lowest ranking held by the kingdom since it debuted at No. 18 when the annual report launched in 2012. This is despite the government’s motto for five years was “returning the happiness”. The main reasons for this drop in happiness were mostly political and structural, like a very high level of perceived corruption in the public and private sectors. Cultural happiness foundation is still solid. Moreover, Thailand is still the second happiest country among ASEAN nations, following Singapore at No. 34.

So what can we learn from this Land of Smiles in terms of happiness?

Thai Happiness Lessons:

1. Do not overthink, just enjoy: It is said that for the Thai people happiness equals pleasure. I somehow find myself to agree with this. Thai’s are usually not looking for a deep meaning in things, they tend not to “overthink” things, they just enjoy. It might be good sometimes, no? We are spending most of our lives trying to think our way to happiness, and our failure to achieve this goal proves, in our minds, that we were not thinking well enough. Perhaps the source of our unhappiness is not flawed thinking, but thinking itself… Enjoy being happy at any level you are, instead of thinking about how to improve your happiness level. “Happy people have no reason to think; they live rather than question living”.

2. “Sabai sabai” – enjoy, be comfortable whatever you do: You hear it a lot in Thailand. “Sabai, sabai” means to be comfortable, to be relaxed. It also defines a broader happiness philosophy of Thailand, which used to tell someone not to take life too seriously, or just to enjoy themselves. There are numerous ways sabai is used in the Thai language. Thai people may greet you with the question “sabai dee mai?” which is the equivalent of saying “how are you?” A standard response would be “sabai dee” which would be the same as saying “I’m fine”. “Nang sabai” – sit down and make yourself comfortable, enjoy a massage and have “sabai sabai” (be relaxed, very comfortable).

3. Smile: Thai’s are always smiling and not only when they are happy. There is a reason why the country is called “The Land of Smiles”. It’s said that the Thai’s have more than a hundred different smiles, that all mean something different. However, they are all smiles: like “Yim cheun chom” – the “I admire you” smile, or “Yim thak thaan” – “I disagree, but I will carry on with your crazy idea” smile, or “Yim mai awk” – the “I’m trying to smile but I can’t” smile. You might not need to smile as much, but smiling more often would definitely improve your level of happiness. Researchers found out that even faking a smile helps to improve your happiness level as it tricks your brain into believing that you are happy and, hence, it releases feel-good hormones including dopamine and serotine. According to various studies, smiling (even a faked smile) is believed to reduce stress, lower the heart rate and help the body and mind to recover. Try it right now!

4. Be calm, cool hearted – “jai yen”: Thai’s try not to show their anger. Even if you are angry with somebody, smile and speak calmly. You can achieve much more…

5. Have fun with whatever you do: For Thai’s fun (“sanuk”) is the key. If it is not sanuk, it‘s not worth doing it.

6. Let it go/never mind /accept it /don’t take it too serious: “mai pen rai” philosophy (also called “Thai light-heartedness”) which goes hand-in-hand with the “do not overthink” point above. There are some situations in life, which you can’t control. You can’t change things outside yourself, but you can change your attitude. Just take a deep breath, and let it go, “mai pen rai”. Otherwise, it will ruin your day. By having this philosophy, Thai’s were able to survive more military coups than any other country (had more than 11 successful military coups).

So smile and enjoy your life! Don’t think too much about anything, life is too short to over complicate it Don’t worry, be happy!

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