What is the true nature of happiness? Happiness is hard to define because it means different things to different people.
Some people feel happy when they are relaxing on vacation, others feel happy when they are spending time with friends. For me, happiness comes from surfing, while someone else may feel happy after accomplishing a big goal at work.
There are dozens of definitions and models found in research. Many of those are valuable. Today I want to restrict the definition to what Martin Seligman (Martin Seligman is a psychologist known for his work in positive psychology, focusing on human strengths and well-being) suggests.
Seligman talks about three dimensions of happiness:
The Pleasant Life: This dimension of happiness encompasses the pursuit of positive emotions and experiences, such as joy, pleasure, and comfort. It focuses on maximizing feelings of happiness and minimizing feelings of pain or suffering.
The Engaged Life: This dimension involves being fully immersed in activities that provide a sense of flow, concentration, and engagement. It involves using one's strengths and talents to accomplish goals and overcome challenges, leading to a sense of accomplishment and meaning in life.
The Meaningful Life: This dimension centers around pursuing a sense of purpose, meaning, and fulfillment in one's life. It involves engaging in activities and goals that are aligned with one's values, beliefs, and contribute to something greater than oneself, whether through relationships, work, or community involvement.[LA2] [LA3]
How to Cultivate Happiness
How to have positive emotions
The Pleasant Life is often seen as the foundation of happiness, as it involves experiencing positive emotions and enjoying life's pleasures. Whether it's spending time with loved ones[LA4] , indulging in a favorite hobby[LA5] , or simply taking a moment to appreciate the beauty of the world around us, the Pleasant Life is about finding joy and comfort in everyday moments. But this is only one simple piece of the puzzle of happiness.
How to be more present in life
The Engaged Life takes happiness to the next level by encouraging individuals to fully immerse themselves in activities that provide a sense of flow and engagement. This dimension of happiness involves leveraging one's strengths and talents to tackle challenges, set goals, and achieve a sense of accomplishment. Whether it's excelling in a career, mastering a new skill, or pursuing a passion, the Engaged Life is about finding fulfillment through focused and meaningful activities.
How to make life more meaningful
The Meaningful Life goes beyond personal happiness and focuses on the larger purpose and impact of one's actions. By aligning one's values, beliefs, and goals with meaningful activities and goals, individuals can find a sense of purpose and fulfillment that transcends personal satisfaction. Whether it's giving back to the community, making a difference in the world, or fostering deep and meaningful relationships, the Meaningful Life is about finding fulfillment in contributing to something greater than oneself.
How can you implement this fast and easy in your life?
By budling routines that help you prioritize these three elements in your weekly schedule you can willingly bring more happiness in your life.
In the beginning of the week set aside 10 minutes and follow this structure:
Ask yourself what you would like to do to implement practical applications of
the pleasant life
the engaged life
the meaningful life
Block time in your calendar for these things and do them. At the end of the week open your journal and reflect what these things have done for your subjective feeling of happiness. Then repeat the process.
By following this routine you will enlarge the quality of time spent in happiness.
Opmerkingen