We bring you joy

The happiness index
From our bureaux and correspondents around the world, here’s Monocle’s list of the 50 things to make you happy in 2009.

1.
Find your sunny spot
Sweden got it right by making balconies standard on all Funkis-era buildings. Japan’s zoning laws protect the sun rights of residents.

2.
Navigate a new route to work
What’s not to love about a silent tram or a fresh bike path?

3.
A clean bill of health
While we all love the cool hands of a Swiss GP, we’ve grown to appreciate our annual retreat to the Lanserhof.

4.
Start your own recipe book
Handwritten like mum’s – and not with your MacBook parked in the kitchen, please.

5.
A night at the Asaba on the Izu Peninsula
With three close friends.

6.
Catching up on correspondence
On stationery from the Winged Wheel.

7.
Spend an evening doing a subscription overhaul
The New Yorker, The Week, AD (Spanish Edition), Casa Brutus and the magazine you’re holding.

8.
Build a reading list
From a loved and trusted source.

9.
Embark on mastering a new hobby
Involving specialist tools, expert attire and a great deal of elbow grease.

10.
A day off during the week once a quarter
As good for the soul as a long weekend.

11.
Engineer a space to call your own
Cut all communications and build yourself a den away from emails, texts and inane interruptions.

12.
Lobby for an extra month
We think Extember has a comforting ring to it.

13.
Hire an eagle-eye PA
A school ma’amish operational aide will take the tedium out of agenda queries and flight schedules.

14.
Engage in a random act of charity
We’re on the lookout for a worthy recipient of a well-intended tax break.

15.
Fund a beneficiary
Choose an art college and pluck a student ripe for patronage. We suggest a trip to the Lisbon School of Fine Art.

16.
Scope out a new local hangout
(Club, pub, café, resto) in the style of Taipei’s Dian Qiang, aka Darrly’s Bar.

17.
Pause for a real breath of fresh air
Finland’s a good venue.

18.
A failsafe fashion combo
Featuring a jacket from Piombo, jeans from Anatomica, a Sammler shirt and Tabio socks under a pair of boots from Alden.

19.
Boost the economy and create an opening
What job/position does every company lack?

20.
Track down a conference you actually want to attend
Monocle’s working on developing its own.

21.
Start your day with a naked, bracing dip
The Baltic off Sweden revives our soul.

22.
Buy a car you don’t have to fuss over
The Subaru Forester pre-curves.

23.
Fill a drawer
With new tees and drawers from FilMelange and Gunze.

24.
Create a cosy reading corner
With furniture from Carl Malmsten.

25.
Bring about a return to tradition
Why not introduce an afternoon drinks trolley circa the Time-Life building 1962.

26.
Take up residency in a perfectly formed town
Belluno? Palma? Atami?

27.
Invest in a better bed to roll out of
Hästens, Nippon Bed or Dux work best.

28.
Overhaul your favourite residence
By commissioning Truck in Osaka.

29.
Switch to a bank you can depend on
Who came out of this crisis best?

30.
In the meantime stuff some money under the mattress
A Japanese pastime to the tune of hundreds of billions in savings.

31.
Spend a naughty weekend in Paris
The Daniel, George V and Lancaster get our temperatures rising.

32.
Buy a well behaved Shiba-ken
To keep you company in the office and at home.

33.
Cut your daily food intake by half
There’s nothing worse than outgrowing your Incotex trousers.

34.
Begin and end your day with a new way of washing
Seated in a Toto bedecked bathroom with the highest end Neorest washlet.

35.
Purchase a cellar of the Bekaa Valley’s finest
Ask for tips from Kamal Mouzawak at Beirut’s farmers market.

36.
Buy a pencil case from Brooklyn Museum
And go crazy filling it.

37.
Go on a grand rail journey
For spring we’d try Spain.

38.
Find a new newsreader to fall in love with
It’s a slim field out there.

39.
Commission
Get Ambush to create a collection of jewellery for day and night.

40.
Press play on a perfect soundtrack to start the day
TV On The Radio are sounding good to us.

41.
For night music
Slide in Osaka Monaurail.

42.
Install a superior security system by Secom
Especially if you have flimsy London doors.

43.
Download a bulletin to inspire and inform you
The Monocle Weekly will hit the digital waves from 28 December.

44.
Attract some passes
By wearing some glasses from Facial Index NY.

45.
Invite five closest around
For a DVD, Laurent-Perrier and a curry rice weekend on your De Padova sofa.

46.
Make an attempt at self sufficiency
Go solar, plant a few more things to eat and take up fishing.

47.
Make a tradition of becoming a patron of a friendly food emporium
Copenhagen’s Løgismose is the Grønlykke family’s well-cut delicatessen and one of our favourite places for a grocery grab.

48.
Get in the blocks for an easy to follow fitness regime
5km three times a week and 8km on Sunday morning.

49.
Start a photo album
Shot on 35mm.

50.
Set to work planning a compact dream house
On a side street in your favourite city – the timing can be a year or a lifetime.