By Michele Suhie, PhD, NBC-HWC

Do you want to be happy? Its hard to believe that anyone would answer ‘no’ to that question. So if we all agree that we want to be happy, what is it that will get us there? That’s a hard question to answer, partly because its different for everyone. There are a lot of misconceptions about what contributes to happiness. Happiness is subjective. The things that make one person ‘happy,’ may be meaningless to others. In fact, some people pursue healthy habits because they think a perfect body and appearance will make them happy.  Some think it can be achieved by gathering possessions, by having money and acquiring things that we perceive to be fulfilling. Others might feel fulfilled and happy through accomplishments or recognition of their talents or career. 

Long before formal studies were conducted to investigate what contributes to our perception of happiness, Victor Frankl (an Austrian psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor) observed that even in the abhorrent conditions of the Nazi concentration camps of World War II, those who had hope and something to live for were more likely to live longer. In the preface to the 1992 edition of his book Man’s Search for Meaning, Frankl wrote “…life holds a potential meaning under any conditions, even the most miserable ones.” He explains that “…success, like happiness, cannot be pursued; it must ensue, and it only does so as the unintended side-effect of one’s dedication to a cause greater than oneself…”(1).  Did you get that?

Happiness cannot be pursued; it must ensue.

So achieving happiness for you may have nothing to do with your physical appearance; it may have nothing to do with your place in the social or economic hierarchy, nor what you own or acquire. What may be particularly important, however, is that you have a purpose or sense of meaning in your life. 

When talking about having a purpose, some cultures embrace this concept so completely that they have specific words for this. For example, in Japanese culture, the word ‘ikigai’ is used for ‘that which makes life worth living’ (2) or informally, why you get up in the morning.  While some find meaning and purpose in work or social roles, adapting as roles change in life may require recognition that finding meaning and purpose is an ongoing process.  In much the same way, ikigai has been described as a process, rather than an endpoint. Therein lies the issue with thinking in terms of happiness: Happiness might be seen as a desired endpoint, but taking this view neglects the process. As Frankl described, happiness is merely a side-effect and cannot be pursued.

In parts of the world, like Okinawa, where people routinely live to be age 100 with low rates of chronic disease, a common factor is that these communities have a sense of purpose.(3)  In fact, one well-known researcher in the field of positive psychology has proposed that to go beyond happiness to true well-being, one must discover and use his/her top strengths and virtues for a purpose.(4)  An esteemed psychologist who contributed to the development of the VIA strengths survey, Dr. Martin Seligman, also described a theory on ‘authentic happiness’ (which he felt was too one-dimensional), so he later expanded that theory to include five elements that allow a person to flourish: positive emotion, engagement, positive relationships, meaning, and achievement, abbreviated PERMA.  So rather than happiness as a feeling or emotion, well-being is about flourishing.

So to flourish and find meaning and purpose, how does one increase these five elements?  Seligman describes that using your most predominant strengths will allow you to achieve higher levels of well-being.(4) I propose that not only may you achieve higher well-being by discovering and using your strengths, but you may find that it allows you to fulfill the purpose that God has planned for you. By seeking your purpose in life and using your strengths, you may come to realize that in focusing your skills and talents for the greater benefit of others, you feel more fulfilled and yes, perhaps you feel more of that subjective state of happiness. Perhaps more importantly, you may become ‘who God meant you to be,’ so that you can ‘set the world on fire’ (St. Catherine of Siena).  

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References:

1 Frankl, V. Man’s Search for Meaning. Boston, Beacon Press; 1959, 1992:XIV.

2 Kavedžija, I. The Japanese Concept of Ikigai—Why Purpose Might be a Better Goal Than Happiness.  Available at: https://www.bluezones.com/2021/04/the-japanese-concept-of-ikigai-why-purpose-might-be-a-better-goal-than-happiness/ Accessed April, 25, 2021.

3 Buettner, D. Power 9®: Reverse Engineering Longevity. Available at: https://www.bluezones.com/2016/11/power-9/ Accessed April 25, 2021.

4 Seligman, M. Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-being. New York: Simon & Schuster; 2011:24.