Happiness, Simplified: Lessons from Bhutan
It was 4 am, the wind was howling, and I was in a tent pitched somewhere in the rugged plains of Bhutan. I needed to pee. Clambering out of my nylon shelter to find some bushes, I heard peals of high-pitched laughter. I looked around in the dim pre-dawn light and could just make out a man dressed in a traditional tunic, leading a yak. A little girl—his daughter, I later learned—was perched on the yak’s bony back. The wind threatened to blow her to the ground, and she couldn’t stop giggling.
Mesmerized, I walked over to them. “What makes you so happy?” I asked.
The yak herder smiled as his daughter continued to squeal with delight.
He said simply, “I ate.”
The answer stopped me in my tracks. I ate. I’d never heard such a profoundly simple way to explain—and define—joy. This random moment, which took place under a star-filled sky in a tiny nation nestled between India and China in the majestic Himalayas, instantly became one of my deepest lessons in gratitude (and I completely forgot I needed to pee).
Bhutan on my mind
Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about Bhutan and the three unforgettable trips I’ve made there since 1999. Partly it’s because I recently read an article in The Atlantic about how this landlocked country has largely kept the coronavirus at bay. But mostly it’s because my experiences in Bhutan have influenced my work at Live Bright Now.
Simply put, as a leadership and culture coach, I spend a lot of time thinking about how to help people to be “bright” and happy. And that’s something the Kingdom of Bhutan figured out a long time ago.
Resilient, happy people
A quick primer on Bhutan. It’s perhaps best known for being the country that measures not Gross National Product (GNP) but Gross National Happiness (GNH). The kingdom defines “happiness” holistically as having socio-economic equality and sustainability; preserving and promoting cultural- and spiritual heritage; protecting the environment, and having good governance. Adherence to these four pillars at an individual-, community,- and governmental level means Bhutan has an enviably happy and content society.
Altruism at the forefront
One of the many things that stood out to me during my visits was the unwavering sense of community responsibility. I don’t know how to say, “I’ve got your back” in Dzongkha (the national language of Bhutan), but that altruistic, “we’re in it together” sentiment is both pervasive and palpable. (In my culture work, I call this having “shared diligence.”)
Trust in leadership
Also obvious: the country-wide trust in leadership. The Bhutanese people fundamentally trust that the king and the elected leaders have their best interests at heart. When decisions are made in the country—even tough ones, like enforcing extensive lockdowns to prevent the spread of Covid-19—people want to keep themselves and their society at large safe and healthy. They abide by the rules because they know their leaders have their backs. (In this post, I share tips for fostering trust across your organization.)
Far away, but top of mind
Bhutan is thousands of miles away from the United States and is at least as distant in terms of social and cultural mores, too. Yet, when I help businesses do better together by prioritizing the collective good over individual gain and encouraging leaders to build trust by communicating clearly and transparently, I imagine I’m bringing a little bit of Bhutan to every coaching session.
When I recall the words of the smiling yak herder and his giggling daughter on that dark and blustery dawn, I remember, too, that living a bright, happy life may be a whole lot simpler than we realize.
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