the five key elements of well-being

For thousands of years, many extraordinary minds have grappled with these profound and challenging questions: What truly makes us happy? What should we aim for in life? Should we be “worldly” and focus on accumulating money and material possessions, or should we let go of all attachments and choose a spiritual life instead? From old philosophers such as Plato and Aristotle to modern thought leaders such as Nietzsche and Kant, no one has come closer to understanding what brings us real and lasting happiness. 

In order to find the answers to the above-mentioned questions, many psychologists in the recent past applied a scientific approach to it and have found a few elements that, when blended together, lead to human well-being. Each of these elements play a crucial role in our happiness and peace of mind.

1. Positive emotion: This element refers to the wonderful feelings that we all look forward to experiencing — affection, pleasure, comfort, security, warmth, enthusiasm, ecstasy to name a few. All these emotions help you live a pleasant and enjoyable life.
2. Engagement: This mostly involves getting ourselves in a state of flow — the experience of getting completely absorbed in a task and losing ourselves into it. When you do something you love, whether it’s writing, practicing a musical instrument or playing a particular sport, flow makes you feel that time is going really fast; and you get so engrossed that you even forget yourself completely!
3. Meaning: This variable represents a sense of purpose and belonging and the willingness to serve a cause or initiative that you truly believe in. It doesn’t matter who or what you fight against — social and gender inequality, global warming, student loans, child abuse, what have you —  when you give away your time, energy, blood, sweat, and your most valuable skills to a mission or a worthy objective that resonates with you, you find meaning in your work, which further propels you to experience deep fulfillment and pride. 
4. Accomplishment: This factor is all about winning, just because winning makes us feel good. In this fast-past faced world, most of us are motivated by goals and deadlines, and that’s why success and achievement play a significant role in our happiness today. Whenever we accomplish something, big or small, our well-being gets a major boost.
5. Positive relationships: This involves building a vibrant and diverse social life filled with like-minded friends that we love, respect and trust. In a way, life is all about relationships, and it’s safe to say that meaningful friendships and associations are the most effective natural antidepressants out there. So, people who have strong bonds also end up living far happier lives. 

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