Five years ago we released our study The Next Normal, which offered an unprecedented view of the attitudes of young people around the world and their outlooks on life.

A lot has happened since then. How have things changed?

Today, we’re proud to announce the official launch of our newest project, The Next Normal: Rise of Resilience. This massive study spanned 28,600 people aged 6 to 54 in 30 countries*.

We found that people are more worried now about personal safety and terrorism — yet they remain as happy as ever. In response to these trying times, resilience is on the rise.

The Next Normal: Rise of Resilience found that people everywhere are coping in four ways:

Standing up to uncertainty. No matter their age or where they live, people feel equipped to handle life’s challenges. Spending time with others, listening to music, watching TV, and sometimes just crying all serve to keep stress in check. Music offers a necessary escape and humor is a relied-upon tool for achieving more in life. The end result? A greater sense of personal strength.

Staying grounded. While most say they always look for the positive, a hard-edged realism lurks in the background. People see the world as imperfect. They are losing faith in religious leaders, government and politicians, even in their own judgment. Their approach to life is grounded and realistic, with most saying they “keep it real” and are true to the people they’re closest to. When asked who inspires the most confidence in them, the most common answer was “Mom.”

Enjoying the moment. In 2012, people defined happiness in terms of time and money. In 2017, their sources of contentment shifted from the material to the experiential. Success today is more about deep connections to others and less about superficial markers like looking good or driving a nice car. The top 5 signs of success now are happiness, being part of a loving family, enjoying your job, finding balance in life, and being around the right people.

Coming together. In both the digital and real worlds, people’s networks are growing. They have more contacts on social media, more online “friends” that they don’t know in real life, and more IRL friends than in 2012. The internet is helping people connect more with others, exposing them to new perspectives, and inspiring curiosity and community action. There is a pervasive and strengthening sense of unity among people of all ages – most agree that their age group has the potential to change the world for the better.

* 30 countries surveyed: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, UK, US