What Living In 5 Countries Taught Me About Happiness!

Redefining Happiness: Lessons from Five Countries

Lessons on contentment, community, and culture that you can apply no matter where you live.What if happiness isn’t about where you live, how much you make, or even whether your WiFi streams Netflix in 4K? (Okay, maybe that last one’s debatable.)

I’ve lived in five countries, each with its own take on the good life.

In the U.S., happiness is something you chase, preferably while optimizing your morning routine and launching a side hustle.

In France, it’s a two-hour lunch, a glass of wine, and pretending work doesn’t exist.

Ukraine? It’s resilience, finding joy in the small things, even when life isn’t easy.

Then there’s Georgia, where happiness is measured in food, wine, and how long you can dance before someone refills your glass.

And Albania? 

Albania has taught me that happiness isn’t about having more, it’s about needing less.

Five countries, five different definitions of happiness.

None of them have it fully figured out, and yet, somehow, all of them do.

What I’ve learned is that happiness isn’t about where you are, but how you live.

And along the way, I’ve picked up lessons that might just change the way you see it, too.

Let’s get into it.

1. The American Paradox… The Pursuit vs. Presence

In America, happiness isn’t just a goal, it’s a race.

If you’re not optimizing your morning routine, side-hustling your passion into a six-figure empire, and tracking your steps while listening to a self-improvement podcast, are you even trying?

I didn’t question this mindset until I left.

In Georgia (the country, not the state, trust me, I always have to clarify), I found myself sitting at a long wooden table, surrounded by new friends, eating khinkali and drinking homemade wine.

No networking, no side-hustling, no treadmill audiobook marathons, just being.

And no one around me was rushing.

No one was half-listening while mentally drafting emails. They were present.

At first, it felt wrong, where was the grind? 

The constant, nagging feeling that I should be doing something? 

Then it hit me: maybe happiness isn’t in the endless pursuit, but in actually “being” where you are.

The American work ethic is admirable and is something I’m proud of, but happiness isn’t an achievement unlocked after grinding to the elusive “next level” in the game of life. 

The real flex? 

Learning to balance ambition with presence. 

If you can’t remember the last time you ate a meal without checking your phone, try unplugging for just one hour this week. 

No emails, no scrolling, no productivity guilt.

Just exist, see what happens.

2. The French Approach… Savoring Life’s Simple Pleasures

France treats life like a long, luxurious meal, rush it, and you’ve missed the whole point.

That’s why the French side-eye Americans who gulp coffee from paper cups while power-walking to work.

Coffee isn’t fuel, it’s an experience.

I learned this the hard way.

Fresh off the American work culture treadmill, I once asked a French friend if we “should eat lunch quickly” so he could get back to work.

He looked at me like I’d suggested microwaving escargot.

“Why would we do that?”, he asked, horrified.

Eventually, I got it. 

Meals in France aren’t just about food, they’re about connection, presence, and actually tasting what you’re eating instead of inhaling it between Slack notifications.

I learned to slow down, whether it was savoring a crisp baguette, strolling the the canals of Strasbourg, or simply having a conversation that didn’t revolve around productivity.

You don’t need to move to Strasbourg to embrace this.

Try sitting down for one meal a day, phone-free, and actually enjoy it. 

If you’re lucky enough to share it with someone, ask a question, let the conversation linger. 

Life’s simple pleasures aren’t hiding, we’re just too busy speed-walking past them.

3. Ukraine… Strength, Resilience, and Finding Meaning in Hardship

Ukraine taught me something unexpected: contentment doesn’t wait for perfect conditions. 

Ukrainians have a quiet, unshakable resilience, life moves forward, no matter what.

I saw this firsthand one brutally cold winter in Kyiv. 

Everything was gray, the kind of cold that makes you forget warmth ever existed.

And yet, every Saturday night, in the underground entrance of Kyiv’s Zoloti Vorota Metro Station, a group of pensioners would set up a speaker, play old tunes, and start dancing.

No stage, no audience, just music and movement, because why not?

They weren’t waiting for better days to enjoy themselves. They found joy where they were, as things were.

Happiness isn’t about perfect conditions, it’s about making the best of the moment.

Waiting for life to be ideal before you let yourself be happy is like waiting for Kyiv in January to feel like Miami.

Play the music, start dancing, and don’t wait for the sun to shine before you let yourself smile.

4. Georgia… The Power of Hospitality and Community

If Georgia (the country, not the state — again) has perfected one thing, it’s hospitality.

Georgians don’t just welcome you; they adopt you.

My first supra (Georgian feast) wasn’t just dinner, it was an event.

Endless food, endless toasts, and a tamada (toastmaster) ensuring every glass stayed full and every sentiment was spoken.

I barely knew these people, yet by the end of the night, I felt like family.

It wasn’t just the food, though I’m convinced Georgians would rather let you take their car than leave their table hungry.

It was the depth of connection. Friendship here isn’t casual, it’s a commitment.

If happiness is measured in wealth, Georgians are rich where it counts: each other.

In a world where “community” often means double-tapping someone’s vacation photos, we could all take a lesson from Georgia.

Invite someone over. Share a meal. Be generous, not just with food, but with your time and attention.

Because happiness isn’t found in isolation, it’s built between people.

5. Albania… Finding Freedom in Simplicity

In Albania, life isn’t rushed. Meals stretch on for hours, old men claim the same café spot daily, and goats casually take over roads like they own the place.

One evening in Saranda, I stood on my quiet balcony, watching the sky fade into soft pink over the Greek island of Corfu on the other side of the Ionian Sea.

No WiFi, no notifications, no urgent plans, just the sound of an old folk song from a neighbor’s TV, laughter from a courtyard, and the smell of slow-cooked lamb in the air.

And that’s when it hit me: this was enough.

No endless scrolling, no obsessing over the next move, no productivity guilt.

Just simple moments, fully lived.

Albanians don’t chase upgrades. They measure success not in what they own but in how well they enjoy what they have.

Their wealth? 

Time, family, friendships, and honestly, it’s a pretty good currency.

Most of us are drowning in digital noise and to-do lists, convinced we should be doing more.

But what if happiness isn’t about adding, but subtracting? 

Try simplifying one thing this week: less screen time, less clutter, fewer obligations. 

You might be surprised at how much more you gain.

The Universal Truths of Happiness

So, what have I learned from living in five different countries? That happiness isn’t a formula, a destination, or a checklist of achievements.

It’s a mindset, a way of moving through the world, shaped by the culture around us, but ultimately, something we choose.

America taught me that chasing success is great, until you forget to stop and enjoy the view.

France reminded me that happiness is found in slowing down and savoring life.

Ukraine showed me that even in hardship, joy can be found in small moments.

Georgia proved that community and generosity are worth more than any paycheck.

And Albania? Albania has whispered in my ear that simplicity is underrated, and the less you need, the freer you are.

The happiest people I’ve met weren’t always the richest, the most successful, or the most free.

They were the ones who embraced life fully, wherever they were.

So, what does happiness look like where you live? 

And what can you learn from the cultures around you?