Don’t Worry, Be Happy

The gnawingly inane but unforgettable Bobby McFerrin song from the 1980s could be the prescription for many of us. The biggest worry (I count myself among this group, now and then) is why can’t we be happy, or at least happier, in our lives. Personally, I look back at a first-grade class photo of myself, peering poker-faced among a smiling group of my peers, and I think that my own morose moments had started very early on.

We often try to put a price on our happiness, measuring it in the purchase of a new car or a job promotion, as contributing writer Maggie Tiojakin reports, but that won’t be the longlasting solution.  Being happy does not follow any particular formula but is much more a state of mind says deputy editor M. Taufiqurrahman. He finds that even amid Jakarta’s daily dose of drudgery and dilemmas, its citizens can find something to smile about.

Health and happiness often go together, and we have a selection of health-related stories, including one woman’s battle with breast cancer, in this issue. We also consider the rise of “lookism’, the preoccupation with physical beauty, and plastic surgery. Another highlight is a piece by new contributor Dani Djamal, who writes about living in Bhutan, self-promoted as one of the world’s happiest countries.

It’s not always easy to put on that happy face to the world. As Maggie writes, many consider the height of happiness to be serving others. While most of us aren’t prepared, or suited, to become the next Mother Theresa, just sparing a thought and a considerate word for someone else may make a difference. To them, and to you.

So have a happy day.

+ Bruce Emond

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