Moving back to paradise

Today we had the farewell for the Idos. They are a darling Filipino couple who have completed their Philippines Area Presidency executive secretary mission. The Idos served for 18 months and are now ready to return home to Hawaii and according to this article here is why they chose Hawaii for retirement. 

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Hawaii residents reported the highest wellbeing in the U.S. in 2018, reaching the top spot for the seventh time since Gallup began tracking wellbeing in 2008.

Wyoming, Colorado, Alaska, Montana and Utah -- all states that have frequented the top 10 list in past years -- rounded out the top five in 2018. 

These state-level data are based on more than 115,000 surveys with U.S. adults across all 50 states, conducted in all 12 months of 2018. The Well-Being Index is calculated on a scale of 0 to 100, where 0 represents the lowest possible wellbeing and 100 represents the highest possible wellbeing. The Well-Being Index score for the nation and for each state comprises metrics affecting overall wellbeing and each of the five essential elements of wellbeing:

• Career: liking what you do each day and being motivated to achieve your goals
• Social: having supportive relationships and love in your life
• Financial: managing your economic life to reduce stress and increase security
• Community: liking where you live, feeling safe and having pride in your community
• Physical: having good health and enough energy to get things done daily

Gallup has been tracking wellbeing nationally since 2008. Career wellbeing was previously named "purpose wellbeing," but the definition has remained constant.

As in prior years, wellbeing in the U.S. exhibits regional patterns. The Northern Plains and Mountain West are higher wellbeing areas. Wellbeing in the U.S., overall, continued to decline in 2018, with the national Well-Being Index score sliding to 61.2 from 61.5 in 2017. 

States that improved in 2018 were Alaska, Delaware, Wyoming, Nevada, Louisiana, Washington and Ohio. States that declined were Florida, Illinois, Alabama, New York, Texas, North Carolina, Kentucky and Tennessee.

Hawaii Leads All States in Three Elements

Hawaii topped all states in three elements in 2018, leading the U.S. in career, social and financial wellbeing. Hawaii is also the only state to be among the top-ranked states in all five elements. Delaware and Vermont followed Hawaii in social wellbeing, while Utah and Wyoming rounded out the top three in career wellbeing. Alaska and North Dakota were other top states for financial wellbeing.

Wyoming, Montana and Idaho, all from the Mountain West, were the top three states in community wellbeing. Colorado, a perennial top state in physical wellbeing, was edged out only by Alaska and was followed by Wyoming.

Implications

The major headwinds in wellbeing nationally that were present in 2017 were less prevalent in 2018, as the U.S. decline compared with the year before was much milder. The associated net change among states in 2018 reflected this, resulting in a more balanced year-over-year change. Still, the national decline in wellbeing since 2016's high point has widened, revealing a substantial two-year drop.

Improving and sustaining high wellbeing is vital to any population's overall health and to its economy. The crucial importance of holistic wellbeing, too, is underscored by the 2018 results. Hawaii is the only state to rank in the top five across all five essential elements of wellbeing, demonstrating the usefulness of focusing on all of its aspects.

Regardless of national trends, states' efforts to improve wellbeing should be customized to meet the unique needs of local constituencies. By focusing on all five elements of wellbeing, states can maximize the return on their investment when designing and implementing initiatives to improve wellbeing.

Specific interventions include working with schools, employers, grocery stores and restaurants to foster healthier practices. Other initiatives can involve working with government and various agencies to enact changes that increase opportunities for healthier lifestyles and community life, like more walkable and bike-friendly environments, farmers markets and social activities.

Regardless of specific programs or actions, potentially the most important aspect to a successful program is strong, uniform, sustained and visible support from governmental and organizational leadership, which can play a pivotal role in providing the foundation upon which a culture of wellbeing can be built.

Wow, amazing! Let’s all move to Hawaii.

Con amor,
Vero