That's why you can have three people in similar circumstances all feeling different levels of happiness. It is all relative.
We see levels of happiness played out on television soaps every week. Often 'the rich and famous' are unhappy despite their money and fame.
"What do you mean you only have five cars and and three husbands?"
In contrast, the movie Slumdog Millionaire showed some kids from the slums who were happier than soap stars.
Many people involved in natural disasters, who used to be unhappy because their expectations were not being met, now feel happier because they can drink clean water, use a bathroom and hug their loved ones. As they say, it is often the simple things in life!
So are our farmers happy? Well yes, I think most are, on balance.
However, for dairy farmers, it can depend on their payout expectations and what finally gets paid. Fonterra has usually under-promised and over-delivered, so generally dairy farmers have been reasonably happy.
Sheep and beef farmers, however, have experienced the reverse.
Through the drought, unlike dairy produce prices which went up, meat schedules went down.
If you are unhappy, the solution, using my 'happiness formula' theory, is to change your reality, change your perceptions of your reality, or change your expectations. There are no other options.
So what should our sheep and beef farmers and our meat companies change? When there is change, no doubt some will feel much like I did about my supermarket, even though the changes were to earthquake-proof it and make it safer for me to shop in.
