By Carol Blair Vaughn

Who’s Happy in Costa Rica?

Forbes Magazine asked on November 13, 2014, “Want to Be Happy?  Move to Costa Rica.”

Their conclusions were based on the results of a UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center Qualtrics Survey of 40,000 students from around the world in which Costa Rica emerged as – Numero Uno on the Happiness Index.

So why do 50-60% of Americans who move to Costa Rica leave within two years?

Quartz News’ Jess Whittlestone wrote on October 25^th of this year, “Everything you think you know about happiness is wrong.”   Her findings might hold the key to true happiness – in Costa Rica, or anywhere.

Whittlestone believes that we all make five mistakes in our pursuit of happiness.

1. Not thinking about what happiness really means.  She distinguishes between intense short term euphoria, and more stable feelings of calmness and contentment.
2. Looking for happiness in all the wrong places. It’s such a pleasure to dig your toes into the sand at the beach at sunset, until you go back to find your car stripped – including your wallet.
3. Wishing things were different. Wanting to change things that aren’t within your control is the best way to live a life filled with frustration and dissatisfaction.  The line at the CAJA will always be long, and you might get to the front of the line at BCR, just as their computers go down.
4. Thinking we should be happy all the time. Stuff happens to us in life, and sometimes happiness is not the most useful emotion to experience.
5. Pursuing happiness at all? Whittlestone suggests that rather than ask ourselves, “How can I be happy?” we ask ourselves, “What do I care about and want to achieve in life, and what kind of person do I want to be?”

Whittlestone concludes that “Happiness isn’t a goal, it’s a signal that we’re living life well and in accordance with what we care about.”

So it would seem that those Expats who arrive in Costa Rica having thought carefully about who they really are, what they really care about, what kind of person they want to be, and which character traits they want to cultivate while here, will be much better prepared for happiness.  All of the above are within our control – little at the CAJA is.  Searching deeply within ourselves is the true path to happiness and Costa Rica is an ideal place to make that journey.

Adds Jess Whittlestone, “The unfortunate nature of happiness is that it’s like a treadmill: there’s always more ground to cover.”

But it’s so much better to cover that ground in Costa Rica than back in the land of Happy Meals, or Dunkin’ Donuts Happiest Sandwich on Earth.

Happiness can truly not be bought.