Studies back up my experience that volunteering can lead to more social relationships and friendships, and this (I hope it comes as no surprise at this point) has an impact on our happiness. It may also be one of the reasons for the large number of Danes who engage in volunter work. At the time of writing, 42 percent of Danes are engaged in unpaid activities and 70 percent have been active in the last five years, according to the Danish Institute for Voluntary Effort—and this helps to keep Denmark happy.
