“The ultimate value of life depends upon awareness and the power of contemplation rather than upon mere survival.” -Aristotle
In such a technologically advanced and economy-centric culture, theories of, or relating to, happiness are often, essentially, unrelated to ancient, inspirational methods towards self-actualization and inner peace. Aristotle’s Nichomachean Ethics, written over 2,000 years ago, contains his formulaic and insightful theories related to human existence from finding purpose to living a “good life.” Also contained in the text is a thorough exploration of the Greek word eudaimonia, which combines eu (the good) and daimon (the spirit) to create a word that defines an interactive, self-fulfilling method for finding purpose in one’s life. Often mistranslated as “happiness”, eudaimonia is better translated to mean “human flourishing”: an amalgam of the virtue of character with a meaningful, purpose-driven, active path towards fulfilment.
Today, “happiness” for many is a state of mind characterized by money, power, status, or other non-intrinsically defined goals. Economic determents of “happiness,” however, stray far from the genuinely fulfilling characteristics eudaimonia. If one can step back and take into account what, intrinsically, makes one feel fulfilled and live in such a way that the result of one’s actions, ultimately, lead to an active sense of self-worth and joy in life in such a positive way that “happiness”–the state of mind–is replaced with “human flourishing.”
What do you love to do? What makes you wake up in the morning? What makes you feel grateful to be alive? The answers are as plentiful as there are stars in the universe. Each day, take a few moments to reflect on how your world can positively change by seeking a life of human flourishing as opposed to just happiness.
Jesi V. Taylor
receptionist