Prime
Finding the meaning of happiness
Happy children in rural Uganda during in a World Vision sponsored school. File photo
What you need to know:
True happiness does not have to be the stuff of fables; one can attain it in a normal lifetime.
Throughout history, all around the globe, mankind has been on a quest. It is a quest whose completion is as elusive yet as easy to attain as looking in the mirror. The quest is the pursuit of happiness. American novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne said: “Happiness is a butterfly which when pursued is always just beyond your grasp, but which if you will sit down quietly may alight upon you.”
What is happiness? The term happiness is abstract and means many different things to different people. According to Merriam-Webster, happiness is a state of wellbeing and contentment, an emotional state the dictionary refers to as arguably different for everyone.
Quotes from many saints, religious leaders and philosophers lead us to deal with the idea of happiness in more emotional terms. But there are organisations trying to measure happiness by indexing the quality of life.
The UN annually releases what is called the Human Development Index. These statistics ranks countries by their level of development, calculated from data on life expectancy, education and per capita gross national income. The 2010 Human Development report by UNDP ranks Uganda 161 out of 187 countries. The Happy Planet Index from the New Economic foundation puts Uganda at number 156 out of 178 countries.
Are Ugandans over worked and underappreciated; no time for family; worried about the intellectual capacity of politicians of all stripes and questioning the effectiveness of public policy? Are we hopeful that the latest northern Ugandan peace initiative will take root?
When we look at the world today, happiness is accomplished due to one’s wellbeing and this is basically connected to consumption. Many might think of the government as the perfect solution to attain happiness. At times we might think the government should introduce a theocracy for people to stay with one another and somehow attain their happiness.
After a review of a considerable research body, there are five key elements to happiness.
Connect: The evidence of social relationships as the foundation of happiness is irrefutable. Get to know someone new.
Be active: Regular physical activity is associated with lower rates of depression and higher rates of wellbeing across all age groups.
Take notice: Research shows that paying attention to our sensations, thoughts and feelings enhances our lives. All one needs to do is savor the moment
Keep learning: Learning benefits self-confidence and sense of purpose as well as building competence.
Give: Volunteering is associated with enhanced meaning of life and seeing yourself as part of the community.
