According to an article on BusinessInsider.com, Evansville has been ranked eighth on “The 11 Most Miserable Cities in America.”

This is way more disappointing that the obesity and the meth labs we’re usually known for. We are trailing far behind in “the pursuit of happiness.”

Business Insider cites their source as the Gallup Well-Being Index, which takes physical, psychological, emotional and environmental factors into consideration. This, unfortunately, legitimizes their claim.

And it makes sense, if you think about it.

Evansville is a city that encourages its future generations to follow the footsteps of past generations. The majority of people around here get married young, have babies and live working class lives.

Now, I’m not trying to say that all of these people are unhappy. Of course, that is not the case at all.

I just think this is a very limiting lifestyle that many people get trapped in. And it’s not just an Evansville thing – it’s more of a cultural phenomenon.

We live in a society that discourages youth and individuality. From a young age, we are led to believe that, to be happy, we need to grow up and fall in love.

And while these are both great life experiences, they aren’t the keys to happiness in and of themselves.

We’re so used to having to think about the future and work out the details of our lives that we get stuck in this state of perpetual progress.

Slow down, take it easy and do your own thing. Put happiness first because, in the end, its value exceeds all monetary value.

If you end up with the same life as that of your parents, so be it. But make sure you’re doing it to satisfy yourself and not anyone else.

Don’t be afraid to think outside the box, and don’t be afraid to let people down. This is your life, and although you’re more than a statistic, you’re also potentially part of one.