Drumul spre fericire

Un calugar l-a intrebat pe Joshu: “Ce este Calea?” Joshu a raspuns: “Ai mancat gen mai-ul? Atunci spala-ti bolul!”  Koan

Nu stiu cati oameni fericiti cunoasteti voi, eu ii numar pe degete. De cele mai multe ori cel mai mare obstacol in calea fericirii suntem noi insine. Kevin Roberts, CEO Worldwide  Saatchi & Saatchi, are un serial foarte interesant despre fericire pe blog.

In primul episod, A Short History of Happiness, face o istorie a ideii de fericire de la Aristotel la Einstein.

In urmatoarele doua, Happiness Theory Part 1 – Choice si Happiness Theory 2 & 3 – Activities & Authenticity, expune ideile Dr. Mike Pratt despre fericire:

“In building steps to happiness to achieve Peak Performance, Dr. Mike Pratt starts with choice: choice as self-discipline and as self-determination.

The self-discipline part is about rejecting immediate pleasure, relaxation and satisfaction for a higher goal. This lets you implement your decisions, be resilient in the face of failure and setbacks, and act with perseverance to reach your goals. It’s like weight training your mind. There are aches, pains, sweat and one hell of a pay off.

The self-determination part matters in all domains: work, family and social. It’s about autonomy, engaging meaningfully with others and performing “just right” challenges, the ones that stretch us without making us do the splits. Control people, and they do only what is required. Inflate people’s incentives, and they are prone to forego autonomy and to distort and destroy what matters most.

Having previously looked with Dr. Mike Pratt at the first step of choice in happiness, the second step has to do with activities. There are two types. First, activities that provide gratification. This comes through progress towards meaningful personal, work-related and also altruistic goals. The second kind of activities are ones that simply bring pleasure. This is about creating time for and being engaged in things that you really enjoy doing, and a variety of them too. The third happy step, along with choice and activities, is about authenticity and personal purpose.

In sfarsit, in al patrulea episod, Happiness – 10 Key Things We Know, este o lista cu 10 puncte care trebuiesc bifate pentru a fi mai fericiti:

1. Progress towards meaningful goals using ‘signature strengths’ contributes significantly to happiness.
2. Happy people take time to do things that give them pleasure.
3. Quality time with friends and family is top of the happiness list.
4. Doing altruistic things for others creates enduring happiness.
5. Expressing gratitude enhances your own wellbeing and that of the recipient.
6. People quickly adapt to material advances.
7. Beyond satisfaction of needs, more money does not make people significantly happier.
8. Positive experiences tend to provide more enduring happiness than tangible purchases (social benefits).
9. We get little enduring pleasure from short cuts.
10. Regular exercise increases happiness.

Si nu pot sa nu remarc asemanarile cu anumite concepte ale Kabbalei, de exmplu cel al Rezistantei: “Potrivit mai multor traditii spirituale, inclusiv cea a Kabbalei, constiinta este cea care ne creaza realitatea. Ceea ce dorim este ceea ce primim. Daca suntem nesiguri, primim energia nesigurantei. Daca raspundem la crize cu griji si gandire negativista, creste probabilitatea unui rezultat dureros. Opunand Rezistenta, cream un spatiu care va fi umplut cu Lumina. Cu cat opunem mai multa Rezistenta, cu atat mai multa va fi Lumina spirituala in viata noastra. Cu cat este mai mare obstacolul, cu atat mai mare este si Lumina Potentiala.”