Making sense of happiness
Posted on January 25, 2016 by Paula Facci, One of Thousands of Life Coaches on Noomii.
Do we really know what happiness is?
What comes to mind when I mention the word “happy”?
Do you see images of smiley, joyful people, seemingly free from trouble and worry? Are they running over green rolling hills into the sunset, wind blowing through their hair?
I know it might sound cheesy, but Hollywood amongst others, has done a pretty good job of conditioning our perceptions of happiness.
Aren’t we all to some degree in pursuit of happiness? I can’t tell you how many clients that come and see me say to me “I just want to be happy.”
But do we know what we are wishing for? Or are we just chasing some unattainable fantasy?
A very useful way in making sense of happiness, is to examine the work of some of the leading researchers in the field of happiness and Positive Psychology.
Should happiness be the end goal, or is there more to it?
Martin Seligman, the father of positive psychology, and author of the book Flourish, states that it has become more than just about happiness. Happiness was previously measured by life satisfaction and the goal was only to increase life satisfaction. This resulted in fleeting achievement of satisfaction and pleasure, but did not yield sustainable positive results.
Seligman suggests that the focus should not merely be happiness, but in fact Well-Being, where the goal is to flourish. Yes, happiness is still included in the mix. But, in research conducted by him and his team, it has become evident that other factors are not only impacting on our sense of Well-Being, but are essential when it comes to thriving in our lives.
Therefore the approach to happiness has become more holistic in nature and includes the following: Positive Emotions (P), Engagement (E), Meaning (M), Positive Relationships® and Accomplishment (A).
Sound like this might be for you?
Book a courtesy session with me and see how Positive Psychology Coaching could change your approach to happiness.
Warmest Regards
Paula Facci
www.thrivefactorcoach.com
