A hug and a kiss was named as the most popular pleasure by 56 per cent of Britons – while freshly laundered sheets, the smell of newly mown grass and receiving a compliment all featured on a new happiness index of simple pleasures.
And 87 per cent of people claimed they appreciate simple, everyday contentments more when budgets are squeezed.
Almost all (97 per cent) of those surveyed agree that helping other people can make you feel good about yourself.
The pleasure of doing a good deed for someone (19 per cent) featured in the top 20 and receiving a compliment (24 per cent) is also highly prized by many.
Freshly laundered sheets (38 per cent), finding money (21 per cent), having a lazy Sunday (18 per cent) and the smell of mown grass (16 per cent) are all named as pleasures enjoyed for free.
The survey was commissioned to coincide with the Happiness episode of Davina McCall’s new weekly series The Davina Hour airing on TV channel W at 9pm on Sunday.
Steve North, general manager of the channel, said: “People can go to great lengths and expense to buy lavish gifts, throw sumptuous parties or go on outlandish holidays but, as often as not, we get intense pleasure from the simple things in life.
“With the cost of living rising at a faster pace than salaries, people are more conscious of budgets and what they spend, focusing more on what really makes us happy.”
Daily Express :: Life and Style Feed
