The most common New Year's resolutions are consistently losing weight or saving money, but goals about fostering internal satisfaction and finding inner peace have gained popularity in recent years.
In 2023, 17% of people resolved to "being happy," according to a YouGov poll of 1,000 adults. Some 12% are resolving to improve their mental health and 11% want to focus on "spiritual matters."
These goals might seem lofty or even fraught, but in some countries finding peace is not actually uncommon, according to a recent Gallup poll.
Here are the top 10 nations where residents report "always" being at peace.
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No. 1 country where people say they are 'always' at peace: Nicaragua
When asked, "How often are you at peace with your thoughts and feelings?" a whopping 73% of respondents in Nicaragua said "always."
Nicaragua also has a high "positive experience index," according to a separate Gallup poll. This means those polled have positive emotions about their perceived living standards, personal freedoms, and social life.
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Of the top 10 countries where people said they always feel at peace, seven of them are in Latin America, a region where many countries also had a high positive experience index.
The top 10 countries where people are always at peace
- Nicaragua
- Uzbekistan
- El Salvador
- Panama
- Honduras
- Paraguay
- Dominican Republic
- Uruguay
- South Africa
- Spain
In Uzbekistan, 72% of people said they always feel at peace and in El Salvador 71% of people said the same.
Respondents could have answered they felt at peace with their thoughts and feelings "often," "rarely," or "never."
Four of the top five countries where residents said they were "often" at peace were Nordic, the exception being The Netherlands
Countries where people were "rarely" or "never" at peace included Zimbabwe, Turkey, and Malawi.
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