BY DR. NURIT ISRAELI
guarantees
“The constitution only you the right to pursue
happiness. You have to catch it
yourself.” ~ Benjamin Franklin
Think back on your happiest
days: What made you happiest?
What, for you, constitutes
a fulfilling, satisfying life?
What hard-earned advice would
you offer young people today (if
they would be willing to listen…)?
What path to happiness would you
recommend to those still planning
the next steps of their journey?
How can they better master the
art of living? What components do
you sort through to come up with a
happiness blueprint that can take
you beyond just basic survival to
higher levels of flourishing and
fulfillment?
The attainment of happiness
is a ubiquitous pursuit. “Life,
liberty and the pursuit of happiness”
is an important phrase in
the United States Declaration of
Independence, where the pursuit
of happiness is defined as a fundamental
human right. But what
is happiness? Philosophers, scientists,
theologians, economists, and
writers have long sought to come
up with answers. Aware that we
have one chance at living on this
side of the spinning blue marble,
the wish to maximize the quality
of the journey is understandable.
But how can we define the
elusive state of well-being called
happiness? Is happiness just
the absence of pain? Is it the
Hollywood version of a good life
– unlimited access to luxuries,
pleasures, and comforts? Can happiness
be bought? Does success
automatically lead to happiness?
If it would, there wouldn’t be so
many famous, wealthy, unhappy
people... A few years ago, I had
the privilege of sitting at a dinner
table next to a Nobel laureate. I
asked him if the discoveries he
had made, which helped change
the world, made him happy. He
answered negatively: What he
most craved to accomplish – both
professionally and personally
– remained unattained.
In its earlier days, the field
of psychology focused primarily
on the roots of unhappiness
rather than on the sources of
happiness. But in the 1990’s, the
discipline of Positive Psychology
was established, devoted to the
scientific exploration of optimal
human functioning. In 2000,
the American Psychological
Association’s flag-ship journal,
American Psychologist, dedicated
an entire millennial issue
to advances in the theory and
practical applications of Positive
Psychology. I remember the earlier
days of Positive Psychology. It was
such an important addition to the
mental health field that I chose to
focus my professional attention
on this newly evolving discipline.
Positive Psychology was first
introduced as a field of study by Dr.
M a r t i n
Seligman, past President of
the American Psychological
Association, who prompted
researchers to study mental wellness
with the same intensity they
used to study mental illness. The
term itself had been coined years
earlier by American psychologist
Abraham Maslow, best known for
his “hierarchy of needs.” Maslow
argued that we each have a hierarchy
of needs – physical and
psychological. There are stark
realities – objective internal and
external barriers to the pursuit
of happiness. But once the basic
needs (food, sleep, and safety)
are fulfilled, higher needs arise
(the needs for love, esteem, and
self-actualization).
Later researchers further
explored the different paths people
pursue in their attempts to be
happier. One path is the pursuit of
a pleasant life: trying to live in the
present moment and savor life’s
basic pleasures. A second path is
the pursuit of a good life: discovering
one’s strengths and employing
them to enhance relationships (a
major predictor of happiness),
work life, and one’s overall sense
of personal accomplishment. A
third path is the pursuit of a meaningful
life: using one’s strengths in
the service of purposes beyond the
self which one deems valuable. All
researchers agree that a balance
among the different dimensions
is of vital importance, but that the
pursuit of meaning and purpose is
crucial to becoming fulfilled.
An interesting finding: there are
individuals who are genetically
predisposed to being happier. But a
most salient and consistent finding:
we can learn to be happy! Beyond
good genes and good luck, happiness
is a skill that can be cultivated
and should be practiced. Happiness
is not a static place one can reach
and stay in. It is also not an eitheror
phenomenon. It is a direction,
a journey, a continuum, and a
process – changing, evolving, and a
lifelong pursuit. Using the words of
the Dalai Lama: “Happiness is not
something read-made. It comes
from your own actions.”
AND THE PURSUIT OF
HAPPINESS
Joy can be...blowing bubbles...
20 NORTH SHORE TOWERS COURIER ¢ October 2019