I wonder if Thomas Jefferson and the founding fathers understood the implications of including “the Pursuit of Happiness” in the Declaration of Independence as one of the “unalienable rights” for future generations? What if our founding fathers had said life, liberty and the pursuit of contentment instead? Oh no, that sounds like we’d be settling versus forging ahead in the American pioneering spirit.
I’m not an economics expert, but it doesn’t seem to me that the “shop till you drop” approach is doing all that well at the moment. In fact, it is interesting to note that while the US continues to focus on things like GNP (gross national product), other countries, such as Bhutan, have been focusing on gross national happiness (GNH) since 1972. Take heart, as the US now has its own GNH, project http://www.gnhusa.org/which started in Vermont in 2008.
Our lives would certainly be different if our founding fathers had adopted the Bhutan philosophy of GNH, “the peace and happiness of our people and the security and sovereignty of the nation.” However, I think our Declaration of Independence was the right document for its time, particularly as we engaged in the War of Independence.
That said, just what do happiness, contentment and chronic disease have in common? Contentment is the important balance point on the happiness scale (if such a scale exists), where euphoria is at one end and depression at the other. This is a very achievable goal regardless of whether you are dealing with health issues or not. Further, because continual stress, anxiety and sadness have a devastating impact on immune function, it is important for people with chronic disease to achieve a level of contentment, as it can improve health and well being.
While Bhutan has a website that identifies four pillars of GNH ( good governance, sustainable socio-economic development, cultural preservation, and environmental conservation) along with sub categories, our founding fathers didn’t spell out their guidelines for their “pursuit of happiness” in the Declaration of Independence. Maybe because we were in the start up and “breaking away” phase, that we took happiness to be more on the euphoric end of the scale.
That said, a number of the signers had very clear ideas about happiness.
John Adams: We ought to consider what is the end of government, before we determine which is the best form. Upon this point all speculative politicians will agree, that the happiness of society is the end of government, as all divines and moral philosophers will agree that the happiness of the individual is the end of man. From this principle it will follow, that the form of government, which communicates ease, comfort, security, or, in one word, happiness, to the greatest number of persons, and in the greatest degree, is the best.
Thomas Jefferson: It is neither wealth nor splendor; but tranquility and occupation which give you happiness.
The one with the clearest idea of what is happiness/contentment was Ben Franklin. Happiness consists more in the small conveniences of pleasures that occur every day, than in great pieces of good fortune that happen but seldom to a man in the course of his life.” He also wrote “Happiness depends more on the inward disposition of mind than on outward circumstances.”
In short contentment is finding our joy and happiness in our lives as they are versus the constant pursuit of thinking the latest car, or some other product, is going to make our lives better.
As we were forging a new nation, “pursuit” was a necessity on a number of fronts, and it is easy to understand why Americans, after beating back the British and gaining their independence, went for the euphoric end of the happiness scale. But that is unrealistic to maintain.
So how does one achieve contentment? Since we’re all wired differently, the path will be unique to each of us. Below are some things to consider:
• Where is the place that you feel the most at peace? It could be watching a sunset, sitting at church, listening to music, walking in the woods, sitting by a lake or stream, reading in bed late at night, meditating. Where ever it is, try to have it be part of your day, even if it’s just for a short period of time.
• List the things you truly love. Note that most of them, or possibly all of them, have nothing to do with money. Make sure to include them in your daily life as much as possible.
• Socialize with people you enjoy. We are social beings so it’s important that we keep strong social networks in place. Be mindful of the company you keep. As Ben Franklin wrote There are two sorts of people in the world, who with equal degrees of health and wealth and the other comforts of life, become the one happy, the other unhappy. Those who are to be happy fix their attention on the pleasant parts of conversation, and enjoy all with cheerfulness. Those who are to be unhappy think and speak only of the contraries. Hence they are continually discontented themselves, and by their remarks sour the pleasures of society, offend personally many people, and make themselves everywhere disagreeable. If these people will not change this bad habit, and condescend to be pleas’d with what is pleasing, it is good for others to avoid an acquaintance with them, which is always disagreeable, and sometimes very inconvenient, particularly when one finds one’s self entangeld in their quarrels.
• Doing something with your hands-gardening, cooking drawing, painting, music or anything that fully engages your attention, but doesn’t over tax it by being frustrating helps to reduce the stress hormones in your brain.
• Simplify. Less is good. Contrary to popular belief, the brain can’t multi task. It can only do one thing at a time. That doesn’t stop people from driving and talking on their cell phone, which, as it turns out, is riskier than drunk driving. Ease up on commitments, do less each day and make time for the things you love. Turn off the distractions of TV, cell phones, internet etc.
• Live mindfully. According to Dr. John Kabat-zinn, founder of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) there are five ways you can incorporate mindfulness into your daily life. Focus on what is right with you-thank your body for all the things it does right; love yourself unconditionally; live in the present (don’t obsess about the past or future); don’t take it personally-accept things as they are, own what you brought to a given situation and let the rest go; and focus on being, disconnect from the TV, newspapers, internet etc and contemplate the world around you. http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/articles/2009/03/02/5-ways-to-be-mindful-and-achieve-optimal-health
• Be grateful for what you have. Regardless of a barrage of commercials telling you what will make you happy, they’re selling you a product. By and large, having more “stuff” doesn’t increase your happiness.
• Help others. There are many studies now that show that helping others increases our sense of well being. However, keep in mind that like anything else, done to extremes it can have the opposite effect.
• Be in nature.
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