GNP or GNH?

Every time the wind blows it takes our prayers straight to heaven. No machines required. -- Rike, village leader, Bhutan as quoted in National Geographic March edition

Poet, singer, song writer Will.i.am asks the question best.

"When was the last time that "words" were not empowering?"

Never. Words are always empowering.

Consider the following. The leaders of the tiny country of Bhutan (pop. 600,000 pictured above) have embraced a new way to chart their country's growth. The measure is called the Gross National Happiness. The idea is to chuck the Gross National Product for something more meaningful to people. Reporter Brook Larmer lays it all out in stunning detail in the March edition of National Geographic Magazine.

In short, Bhutan's national policies are aimed at modernizing without materialism, trading without greed and embracing democracy without a GNP or a GDP. They measure their success and growth not in terms of dollars and cents, but in how people feel.

The entire country chooses to be happy. It's part of their national policy. The words that guide everyone in Bhutan are empowering -- Gross National Happiness.

Imagine a modern world where the national policy, the focus of the entire country is on achieving prosperity as something other than individual wealth? And then they build their national policy around ways to stimulate the GNH?

Words are empowering.

The Bhutanese choose to be happy and they define it, measure it, and race towards it with the Gross National Happiness index.

How about you? How do you measure prosperity -- GNP or GNH?

Decide and find out how empowering the following words can be for you...

I am happy.

I feel good.

Absolutely wonderful. How are you today?

p.s. Click here for Will.i.am's latest soul stirring, word empowering project http://www.dipdive.com/dip-politics/wato/