Cutting-edge insights into science of happiness

By T K Mishra

Is our current understanding of happiness and well-being too limiting? What else is important for a good life? Many of us wonder about these issues. There is a need to share cutting-edge insights on the science of happiness and well-being. The ways we think about happiness not only marginalises the experiences of different communities but deprives everyone of the fullest picture of what it means to live well, be well and do well. Here are some emerging ideas that we might want to ponder in our own lives.

There have been two answers to the question of a good life: a happy life, or a meaningful one. A happy life brings you comfort, joy, security, and fun – you feel good and satisfied. A meaningful life, on the other hand, is more about feeling purposeful and significant, like you made a difference. Of course, our lives are usually a mix of both, with some people valuing one kind of pursuit more than the other. But a few years ago, Shigehiro Oishi, a researcher at the University of Virginia, asked a provocative question: Is there a third kind of good life, one that isn’t defined by happiness or meaning?

Eventually, his explorations led him to what he calls a psychologically rich life: a life of curiosity, adventure, novelty and variety, exploration, and openness. Our lives become more psychologically rich when we study abroad, read certain kinds of books, and change our perspectives.

There is also a kind of energetic happiness that is characterised by feelings of excitement, enthusiasm, and elation. But researchers are now trying to study and elevate a different kind of happiness: quiet feelings of calm, balance, and harmony. The Global Well-Being Initiative has worked with Gallup to ask people how calm, content, at peace, in balance, and in harmony they feel in their daily lives.

And they have learnt that when you ask people whether they’d prefer an exciting life or a calm life, most say they would like a calm life. Even though this idea of calm is inspired by Eastern notions of well-being, it is relevant to people globally. And people who experience more balance, harmony, and peace are more satisfied with their lives.

Connecting to culture is yet another factor of happiness. Research is finding that engaging in cultural practices and connecting to your cultural identity is a strong pathway to well-being. The cultural values, sacred knowledge, language, and family values are essential determinants of wellness for certain individuals, family, and community. People have greater well-being when they are involved in passing on knowledge to young people, engaging with their community, participating in cultural events, and developing a strong sense of identity and self-worth. All these insights remind us that there isn’t one well-defined pathway to a good and happy life, and that we can learn a lot if we are open and curious enough to see what other paths are out there.

[The writer is founder director, School of Happiness, Ramanujan College, University of Delhi]

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