thanks to jason isbell and the 400 unit. i do want to apologize to matt damon. he's been in the back for the whole summer. [ laughter ] we're going to try real hard to get him on some time soon. "nightline" is next. thank you for watching. we'll be back with a new show tomorrow night. you know we have to do this again tomorrow, right? >> guillermo: yes. >> jimmy: there's not five months in between shows. >> guillermo: no more. >> jimmy: good night.nt in my l right now where i've been really chasing my own happiness. >> three americans fly halfway around the world to the so-called happiest country on earth, finland.

unlocking its secrets like a scene out of "willy wonka." thousands vying for their chance at a golden ticket for a worldwide challenge for the first-ever happiness master class. the winners? >> i just found out i'm going to finland. >> byron: a lifetime opportunity. their challenges, finding joy in everyday life. sound familiar? >> there's this pressure to constantly be the best representation of myself. >> byron: what they learned along the way. >> in the u.s., we're thinking about, like, how can i make a living? >> byron: bringing those lessons back home. >> the united states is 15th on this world happiness report. what are we getting wrong? >> byron: and how you can bring joy into your own life. this special edition of "nightline," "finding happiness," will be right back.g my own happiness. >> three americans flying halfway around the world to the so-called happiest country on earth, finland unlocking its

secrets like a scene out of willy wonka. thousands vying for their chance at a golden ticket in a worldwide challenge for the first ever happiness master class. the winners. >> i just found out i'm going to finl your new favorite jacket. >> because when we're together, you're wild side comes out to play. oh, look at us. oh my turn. >> i'm not just a bag. i'm your plus one. no matter the occasion . okay. >> boots are talking now. i'm how you tell everyone you got this without saying a thing. fashion is what you buy

children's foundation is dedicated to improving the mental well-being of sick kids. regardless of their illness or injury. when a child is hospitalized, they are scared, lonely and stressed. being in hospital, facing painful treatments takes away from the happiness of childhood. but that's where starlight comes in. at starlight, we provide entertainment throug you for joining us. the pursuit of happiness is something embedded in american culture, but it escapes many of us. so what if you could learn to be happy? the country of finland ranks at the top of the world. happiness report. the us is 15th. so what do finns know that we don't? what these three americans discovered. it may surprise you. here's abc's arjun singh. >> how far would you go to find

happiness? >> ten minutes out, guys. ten minutes out from the resort for these three american guys. >> that question took them nearly 5000 miles from their homes to scenic f once in a lifetime opportunity to learn the secrets of the so-called happiest country on earth. yeah finland launching the first ever master class of happiness sponsored by the government. hosting 14 people from around the world. we were right there. granted, exclusive , elusive access. >> my biggest takeaway so far is that sometimes i avoid things. sorry am i cry? >> in the us, we're thinking about like, how can i make a living? you're too tired to think about like how happy i feel. finland really is the happiest country in the world. >> maybe we should all listen a little bit more closely to what

they are saying. >> finland was crowned the happiest country on earth by the world happiness report. in comparison in the united states ranks 15th x. experts say finland's robust safety net like free health care and free and low cost childcare play a major role in promoting happiness. but there's another key difference in america. >> success is defined as more and more and more and more and more and that is making a lot of people actually quite miserable because there's this sense of i will never have enough, earn enough, more fundamentally, be enough. that is not finland embracing its reputation. >> did you hear finland is organizing a masterclass on happiness in finland in person, finland announced a worldwide contest whipping the internet into a frenzy like something out of willy wonka and the chocolate factory. >> i got a call to take it. 150,000 people from almost every country in the world applying

for their chance at a golden ticket. only 14 winners were selected, including three from right here in the us. >> okay, you guys, i just found out i'm going to finland. >> mickey pondel says his pursuit of happiness once led him to hard partying and down a path of addiction. now, in long term recovery, he sees finland as a way to redefine even his happiness. have you started packing at all? >> no, absolutely not. >> orlando dobbin is an elementary school counselor from north carolina. orlando says happiness is something that has often fallen to the bottom of his priority list. at one time, struggling with a personal crisis. >> last year, it was a really low time. there were times where i called suicide hotlines to get support. >> it's gotten pretty tough. >> he credits therapy and medication to getting him to a better place. now he wants to help his students find their happiness. >> pap, pap, pap, boop, boop, boop, boop, boop, boop. burfitt

and o'brien is a content creator from austin. >> oh. >> oh, i'm too much. how about now? >> a self-proclaimed confidence queen championing all things body positivity with more than 10 million social media followers. but she has also opened up about her struggles. >> part of the reason i am overweight is because of the drama in my life and because of the ways i coped with it. >> now, on a health and weight loss journey, anna says the responsibility she feels to represent plus sized people in her content has at times taken a toll. >> there's this pressure here to constantly be the best representation of myself, which drives me to overworking and overextending and never taking that time to just live. >> she's excited about her trip, but is admittedly scared about what will happen when she gets there. >> when people see people in my

body, there is a perception of what we are and what we are capable of. and i've had to like fight against that narrative my whole life. if i'm going into this, just open. it is the night before i leave for finland. it's just not all going to fit my parents, lovely parents are here taking me to the airport. >> say, hey, hey, hey, hey. >> so i made it to the airport >> let's go. >> if you see a bin that is closed so just arrived in helsinki. >> we. hello get on the bus to happy. >> miss finland is the home of santa claus, known for its northern lights and the cold, dark months. and for its endless daytime in the summer. so it is almost 10:00 in the evening here

in lake saimaa in finland. and it's no wonder they call this place the land of the midnight sun. the sun almost never sets here this time of year. >> whoa. so this is insane. i'm so thankful to be here. this. >> like this. can you help us today is day one. >> today's theme is nature. so we're going to be outside. i'm so excited for it >> bright and early. the group's first activity, hiking a common pastime for nature loving finns. >> you guys all set? yeah. okay >> all right, mickey, we're on our first day. >> just fine. >> that's fine. if you. >> so you can see why i wanted to take you here. >> the aim of the nature walk is

to go deeper to actually disconnect and engage with nature in a much more meaningful way. >> where she invited us to be in our body and be present. she would say, do you hear the hear the birds? and then she would talk to us about how old a tree is. well i'll sit down for a little bit and enjoy and relax. >> so when you are sitting down comfortably, you can close your eyes and continue like this for a moment. and i am really happy to be here. >> it also made me feel a little anxious to be really honest because because everything felt so much slower and that was uncomfy till i realized i don't stop very often. and so it was nice just to like, stop for a second. i think it's very important to be in nature. >> i don't do it enough. >> it's almost like hearing the thing that's been calling to you all along. you know, i could feel like my spirit just calming down and become a little bit more still along with nature. >> another core part of finnish happiness is the sauna, a place

where you go to connect to your body and with others, just like the master class students, we get a lesson of our own changing into our swimwear and towels to enter the sauna. >> we put the cloth here and we sit on it. water. oh you're really throwing it. >> okay. oh, there we go >> when we strip our clothes and enter the sauna, many of us finns, we also strip away from our worries. and we really go there to be present. and i think that's a huge gift. >> back at the master class, the group is immersed in key principles of finnish culture simple living day to we're at a farm just to get out of my hands. >> we're living that farm life balance and well-being. >> day three we're doing forest

yoga, baby one hand at a time. >> it's a lesson slide down, enjoying good food. >> where are the twinkies? >> i am making tartlets. i'm going to be real honest with you. i do not know what i am doing. >> it's delicious. >> is it really delicious? >> yeah, it's. >> no, it's actually delicious. and good company. >> it's been so inspiring to spend time with just amazing humans from all over the world. and that's been probably one of the greatest sources of happiness since being here. >> very good. >> very good. yeah. yes >> miki telling us this trip has shown him just how far he's come compared to the last time i went abroad where i was drinking every day. >> you know, alone and with other people. this time has been so much better. i've been so much more present and joyful and connected with people. sometimes i avoid things because they seem

hard or scary and i'm cheating myself out of those opportunities. >> and i think i need to be less scared that sometimes things that make you happy are hard. we want to think about this masterclass week of how do you take it into the world. >> april renee, an american born to a finnish father, has spoken all over the world about navigating life's volatility. >> everyone in is dealing with different kinds of change, and everyone wants to be happy. >> she thinks americans can learn a lot from finnish culture. the united states is 15 on on this world happiness report. what are we getting wrong in the united states about being happy? >> we have a real challenge with trust in the united states. for many people, the hardest person to trust is themselves. or if you're default is mistrust, it makes it very hard to be happy, satisfied. i mean, it's a it's a straight shot to fear and anxiety. >> what traits have you noticed are consistent in happy people,

happier people have a deep connection to gratitude and they express gratitude every day. >> happiness is something that can be learned, but it has to be practiced on the final morning of the masterclass, i catch up with the americans. >> one last time. how's the week been? i wonder if you ask the butterfly, like what was it like becoming the butterfly? >> the butterfly being like, how do i explain this process right ? that's how i feel. >> you feel like you've gone through metamorphosis. >> i do. i do. and what i'm hoping to bring back to my community is just having a deeper sense of connection to them and realizing that i can't be happy unless they're happy and that they can't be happy unless i'm happy. and there's some there's some collectiveness to it. >> we are all so busy looking for happiness out there. i'll be happy when i get the promotion. i'll be happy when i move to the new city. if you can't find gratitude with what you have right now, you will never have

it. >> when you were on the other side of this, you said one of the things that you wanted to focus on was stopping. >> here's the interesting thing. i thought that's what i needed. and i realized that all of the times i push myself and work so hard to try to be like the best version of me is because i don't try trust that people will value me unless i can't prove to them that i'm worthy of any sort of value. >> do you feel like you're turning a new leaf? >> yeah, but i don't know what. what's next, right? it's not like i walked away from this week with answers. it's more like i walked away from this week with some really difficult questions, ones that i think will, in fact, change my life. >> 1 in 2, three, three li change, heading home with a new take on life. >> i won in finland. man so we go and profound lessons

>> you're fishing now. >> still to come, isn't it? >> and the first thing i did when i came back was like, screw that. i'm going to do it. let's go have the americans actually become happier to stay with us. when moderate to severe ulcerative when i wanted to see results fast, rinvoq delivered rapid symptom relief and helped leave bathroom urgency behind. check. when uc tried to slow me down... i got lasting, steroid-free remission with rinvoq. check. and when uc caused damage rinvoq came through by visibly repairing my colon lining. check. rapid symptom relief... lasting steroid-free remission... ...and the chance to visibly repair the colon lining. check, check, and check. rinvoq can lower your ability to fight infections, including tb. serious infections and blood clots, some fatal; cancers, including lymphoma and skin cancer;

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hey! >> hey, how's i hey. hey. and how's it going? >> it's so good. how are you? >> it's so good to see you. it's been a minute. >> early two months since ann o'brien went searching for happiness in finland. >> this is where the magic goes? >> kind of. >> reporter: she's back in her texas apartment where she makes many of the videos for her almost 10 million social media followers. >> okay, guys. this is what i'm wearing today. it's this really comfy jumpsuit. >> reporter: anna says the impact of the master class is rippling into her content. >> it's made me rethink all of the things we're doing for this channel. >> reporter: how does it change your approach to content creation? >> i held back a lot. not because i was ashamed, but because i didn't trust that other people would accept my opinions. and i've given myself permission to be a little bit more open. >> reporter: finding the courage to post this emotional video.

sharing the problems she faced on her flight there. >> just -- i really hate my right now. >> reporter: would anna before she got on that trip -- >> no, probably wouldn't have. i think it will help other people feel seen. and some feel empowered to do something they were scared of and not give up. >> reporter: has anything changed since you've come back from finland? >> there were things i really wanted to do but i was like, i'm not going to be able to. i immediately wrote myself out of them. and the first thing i did when i came back was like, screw that, i'm going to do it. >> reporter: anna took a vacation to portugal and spain shortly after the master class. and pushed herself to take a challenging uphill hike. >> honestly, this was so worth the hike. look at that! hey, girls. oh my gosh, i haven't seen you face-to-face in forever. your skin is popping with this light. >> yeah, i just discovered this spot a few seconds ago. >> reporter: anna has forged a lasting bond with mellow

americans mickey and orlando. >> it's good to see everyone. >> good to see you guys. >> what did happiness mean to you before the trip versus what it means to you now? >> i thought of happiness as we all needed to have an individual plan for how we would become happy. i think after this trip, i realized that maybe instead of happiness being the goal, it is connection and relationships being the goal. and happiness is a broad part of that. >> we're finding new ways to connect to people, and that connection is part of what equals happiness. >> i think i thought whenever i was unhappy that i was doing something wrong. or that there was something wrong with me. like, sometimes i'm just having a down day or a down moment. and not everything is a problem that needs to be solved. >> are you happier? >> am i happier? i don't know. that's hard to say. but what i have been thinking about is trying to zoom into the

present moment a little bit more. >> i think the answer is yes for me. because i think the main lesson i took away was that happiness is an inside job, mainly. >> i thought happiness was a choice. i think happiness is actually an action. i think when you begin to see that it's an action versus a choice, you're making changes in your life to allow yourself to have a happier existence. >> i'll check you later. have a happier existence. >> i'll check you later. peace. aah, it's a good day to cough. oh, no! bye, bye cough. later chest congestion. hello 12 hours of relief. 12 hours?! hmmm, ok. not coughing at yoga. antiquing not coughing? not coughing at the movies?! hashtag still not coughing?! aaah. oww! mucinex dm gives you 12 hours of relief from chest congestion and any type of cough, day or night. it's not cough season.

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since an o'brien went searching for happiness in finland. this is where the magic happens, guys of. she's back in her texas apartment where she

♪ >> byron: it was a wise m >> sarah, you got this. okay she loves say lit the words fall out . >> honestly, i want to see you be brave but you want to say the words what they lost. >> not really. >> not where it counts. but sarah, that's. >> it was a wise men who said once the constitution gives people the right to pursue happiness, you have to catch it yourself episodes on hulu. see you right back here monday night. thanks for the company, america. have a good and safe weekend. . r this evening. catch a full episodes on hulu. we'll see you right back here monday night. thanks for the company, america. have a good and safe weekend. >> what's the most innovative daily news podcast out there to listen to every day? >> well, the edward r murrow awards say it's start here, the daily news podcast from abc news, even the new york times calls us a top news podcast worth listening to. so if you like, getting behind the biggest news stories of the day de