In other words, we should be authentic and remain true to ourselves. Acting more according to our values, opinions and convictions rather than according to the dictates of society, our group of friends or even our family.  

Easier said than done, since society’s influence on our actions and behaviour is surreptitious, insidious, and often happens without our even realizing it. You also need a certain degree of courage and a minimum of self-confidence to be yourself in nearly all circumstances. 

Leger’s Happiness Index therefore focused on Maslow’s affirmation ... and we must admit that he was right. The more people go against their values and convictions, the more their level of happiness is low. The gap is considerable, over 17 points on the LHI! It’s no coincidence that authenticity ranks 12th among the 25 factors that influence happiness. 

We should take some consolation in knowing that only slightly more than 11% of the population acts in this way, while 70% rarely and 19% never do so. We note that the younger you are, the more you tend to go against your values and convictions. The same phenomenon is observed with levels of education and income. The lower they are, the more people lack authenticity.  

Finally, it should be noted that more anglophones and allophones go against their values and beliefs.