The question is ‘How can you increase your happiness?’
Looking at the reading/video materials first.
Dan Gilbert(TED TALK): Why we make bad decisions, we’re introduced with this concept that our subconscious decision making is based on immediate relative comparisons. In doing so we’ve neglected the global relativities of that particular decision, thereby sometimes making irrational choices in the long run.
Martin Seligman(TED TALK): he examined the concept of Happiness and distilled it into 3 types of happy lives: Pleasure, Engagement, Meaning. Pleasure (happiness) being emotion brought by merit of external stimuli, like vanilla ice cream. Engagement (happiness) deriving from relationships with others. The third, Meaning (happiness), as he described is the idea of knowing your deeds contributes to a greater cause, a sense of belonging.
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi(TED TALK): He describes a feeling of success by way of ‘Flow.’
How does it feel to be in flow?
1. Completely involved in what we are doing, focused, concentrated.
2. A sense of ecstasy-of being outside everyday reality.
3. Great inner clarity-knowing what needs to be done, and how well we are doing.
4. Knowing that the activity is doable-that our skills are adequate to the task.
5. A sense of serenity-no worries about oneself, and a feeling of growing beyond the boundaries of the ego.
6. Timelessness-thoroughly focused on the present, hours seem to pass by in minutes.
7. Intrinsic motivation-whatever produces flow becomes its own reward.
buoyant
Eckhart Tolle(Book) The Power of NOW: The mind has takeover the body. This idea of getting rid of consciousness to gain bliss. That most of our anxieties are self induced.
In all this material, there’s a common theme of subverting our own consciousness or subconsciousness to gain a sense of ‘wholeness.’ Our minds are really powerful and it’s in many ways taken over how we’re experiencing the world. I see a big parallel to Buddhist teachings, Meditation, Yoga and anything exercise that brings the mind and body to balance.
Interesting!
How does it relate to this class? We’re exploring other sensory parts in our body. I see this as a way to abstract the dominance of our eyes-to-brian or hands-to-brain way of life.
How can you increase your happiness?
-I guess one way is to begin is by comparing things/events in (more of a) global context.
-By examining our conscious thoughts perhaps one can see a wider spectrum of reality.
-Aim to be in the flow. Allow the rest of your body to take part in the moment, instead of allowing the mind to dictate your decision making.