I’ve just released a little eBook called How to be Wise & Happy Happiness strategies inspired by history’s wisest philosophers How to be Wise & Happy looks at the happiness philosophies of 5 great philosophers and uses that wisdom to suggest modern-day strategies for happiness. Plus there’s a bonus section containing happiness insights from… Continue reading NEW eBook – How to be Wise and Happy
Category: On happiness…
On Happiness – Give up pretensions
William James, considered by many to be the father of psychology, said: To give up pretensions is as blessed a relief as to get them gratified. This is wonderful wisdom for a happier life. For most of us, there are things about ourselves that we might like to be true, that we might struggle to… Continue reading On Happiness – Give up pretensions
On Happiness – Let success follow happiness
Albert Schweitzer – humanitarian, prolific author and Nobel Peace Prize winner – said: Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. If you find that hard to believe, you might like to take a(nother) look at 101 Happiness Strategies:… Continue reading On Happiness – Let success follow happiness
On Happiness: Give what you most want for yourself
Eve Ensler created Vagina Monologues after interviewing more than 200 women about their bodies. Its worldwide success helped her establish V-Day, a movement fighting violence against females that has raised more than $35 million for campaigns and direct action. Here’s what Ensler has to say about happiness: Happiness exists in action. It exists in telling… Continue reading On Happiness: Give what you most want for yourself
On Happiness – Nietzsche
Nietzsche* wasn’t exactly a model of lightheartedness. He eventually succumbed to incapacitating mental illness, which some believe to have been part-inspired by his radical philosophies and relentless questioning of ‘truth’. Even so, he had some profound things to say about being happy. – He famously proclaimed ‘the death of God’. But rather than face a… Continue reading On Happiness – Nietzsche
On Happiness – Epicurus
In stark contrast to the contemporaneous Stoics – for whom a virtuous soul was the key to happiness – Epicurus* believed ‘pleasure is the beginning and the goal of a happy life’. Now before you get carried away picturing hedonistic orgies, I should clarify what he meant by pleasure. Although Epicurus and his followers were… Continue reading On Happiness – Epicurus
On Happiness: Save nothing up
Annie Dillard wrote a classic book on the experience of being a writer, called The Writing Life. In it she shares some wonderful wisdom that might be equally applicable to living ‘The Happy Life’: Do not hoard what seems good for a later place in the book, or for another book; give it, give it… Continue reading On Happiness: Save nothing up
On Happiness: You can’t do everything
Nora Ephron has a wonderful book of essays called I feel bad about my neck. In The story of my life in 3,500 words or less she talks about the time she sat with a friend in a small movie screening room. It became so overfilled that people were asked to share seats. Vexed by… Continue reading On Happiness: You can’t do everything
On Happiness – Aristotle
Aristotle* believed the aim of life is to be happy. But there’s a catch – to be happy, you have to be good. Fortunately, Aristotle wasn’t asking for perfect virtue. Instead he recommended a happy medium between opposites, believing neither extreme to be ideal. So for instance, we should aim for: -Neither shame nor hubris, but… Continue reading On Happiness – Aristotle
On Happiness – Schopenhauer
Schopenhauer* believed that life does not hold intrinsic meaning. Nor should we look to the world to make us happy. Rather, as in the animal kingdom, much of human life consists of repetitive efforts to meet our needs, interspersed with brief moments of satisfaction. Although this may seem a gloomy perspective, it’s actually rather liberating. Once… Continue reading On Happiness – Schopenhauer