“It is not possible to live happily if one does not lead a beautiful, righteous and wise life, or to lead a beautiful, righteous and wise life if one is not happy.” Epicurus (341-270 B…
Source: The Methodology for Happy
The linked post is a wonderful, concise description of happiness beginning when we help others without expectation of something in return. Aristotle spoke about doing good for one’s self and others as the greatest Good. We each have ethical responsiblity for all sentient beings, non-sentient things, and the world we co-inhabit.
Harlon provided a short list which help me understand what it takes to be happy. It is not a recipe, as I need to be mindful and attentive, always asking questions. What are the necessary and unnecessary desires in my life?
About ivonprefontaine
In keeping with bell hooks and Noam Chomsky, I consider myself a public and dissident intellectual. Part of my work is to move beyond (transcend) institutional dogmas that bind me to defend freedom, raising my voice to be heard on behalf of those who seek equity and justice in all their forms.
I completed my PhD in Philosophy of Leadership Studies at Gonzaga University, Spokane, WA. My dissertation and research was how teachers experience becoming teachers and their role as leaders.
I focus on leading, communicating, and innovating in organizations. This includes mindfuful servant-leadership, World Cafe events, Appreciative Inquiry, and expressing one's self through creativity. I offer retreats, workshops, and presentations that can be tailored to your organzations specific needs.
I published peer reviewed articles about schools as learning organizations, currere as an ethical pursuit, and hope as an essential element of adult eductaion. I published three poems and am currently preparing my poetry to publish as an anthology of poetry.
I present on mindful leadership, servant leadership, schools as learning organizations, how teachers experience becoming teachers, assessement, and critical thinking. I facilitate mindfulness, hospitality retreats. and World Cafe Events using Appreciative Inquiry.
I am writing and researching about various forms of leadership, how teachers inform and form their identity as a particular teacher, schools as learning organizations, hope and its anticipatory relationship with the future, and hope as an essential element in learning.
ivonprefontaine
Teacher as Transformer 
Happiness for me is spreading kindness wherever I go.
A kind word, a gesture, a smile may be all it takes to spread that kindness.
Today I was able to brighten someone’s day just by thanking them for their help and letting them know they were needed. I think that would work for most people, but this friend is eighty-seven and often doesn’t feel of value these days. The little things really do count.
It is hard to get older. We slow down and cannot do as much for ourselves. When we have true friends helping, it makes such a difference.
Happiness is kindness and sharing. It is exploration. It is curiosity. It is opening doors.
We need to do those things for others in an exploratory way to find what it means to be kind and share. It will be different for each person and each situation.
Very nice,
Matthew Ricard in his book on Happiness relates how happiness is not an isolated thing we experience but a communal experience. How could we be happy if all around us are suffering?
Happiness is an internal condition. Yes, we need to have desire in perspective and gratitude to be dominant in our lives for it to blossom.
Also worry, self doubt, anxiety, fear and stress have receded or left the building.
The Buddhist have a term called loving kindness, it is giving without regard for reward, it seems to be at the genesis of happiness.
We travel this journey together not in competition.
That gets lost so often. When we find our way back to that traveling together, the journy together becomes its own reward.