#Acting spontaneously might be the key to happiness

The average American makes 6,709 spontaneous decisions every year, according to new research.

A brand new survey of 2,000 American respondents found, when including decisions such as getting coffee, trying a new lunch place, taking a nap and the like, the average American will act spontaneously about 18 times per day.

And is acting spontaneously the key to happiness? According to this survey, it may very well be.

The study, conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Cub Cadet, found those who considered themselves a “spontaneous person” were 40 percent more likely to consider themselves a “happy person.”

Not only that, but they were also 38 percent more likely to feel content and satisfied with their life.

Interestingly, most Americans do consider themselves quite spontaneous, as only about one in six did not think of themselves as such.

But including those respondents, 72 percent said they feel happier after they act spontaneously in some way.

In fact, of the respondents who did not consider themselves to be spontaneous, one in three said they felt happy after acting spontaneously.

Beyond happiness, 59 percent of those polled said that they’ve made a giant spontaneous decision in their past.

Some of those decisions included booking a last-minute flight to Europe, suddenly switching careers, adopting a red-tagged dog, moving to a brand new country and even ending a marriage.

Over half of those surveyed (56 percent) said they’ve gone on a spontaneous trip in the past five years, with nearly all of them (88 percent) saying they felt happier as a result.

This may be partly explained by the fact that over four in five of those polled (82 percent) said they like to go on adventures and that they felt more content with their life when they got in touch with their adventurous side.

“At Cub Cadet, we’re all about getting people out of the house and enjoying their outdoor spaces – whether in the backyard or the backwoods,” said Allen Talley, UTV Product Marketing Manager at Cub Cadet. “We want to encourage and empower people to experience the joy you can find off the beaten path – which is part of the reason we created the UTV Challenger Series.”

With the COVID-19 pandemic in full-swing, six in 10 Americans polled report feeling “cooped up” as a result.

And all the staying inside has four in five of those polled (81 percent) pining for some adventurous outdoor time.

Three in four (77 percent) said the first thing they’re going to do once the stay-at-home orders are lifted is seek out some type of adventure.

So what’s on the to-do list? One in three want to go sight-seeing, with fishing, hiking and four-wheeling all scoring high marks, too.

“In talking with folks who equate their overall happiness with their ability to seize spontaneous moments, we found that they often look to the outdoors to fill that role,” continued Talley. “UTVs provide them the opportunity to power those off-road adventures that allow for exploration and endless possibilities.”

Top outdoor activities to do post-pandemic

1. Sight-seeing: 34 percent
2. Fishing: 33 percent
3. Hunting: 33 percent
4. Hiking: 29 percent
5. Camping: 26 percent
6. Four-wheeling: 23 percent
7. Play a sport: 23 percent
8. Go for a run: 23 percent
9. Rafting: 19 percent
10. Trail riding (in a utility vehicle): 17 percent

Formula: 6,709 spontaneous decisions per year = 18.38 spontaneous decisions per day x 365 days in a year