Emily Esfahani Smith, walks us through the stereotypical meaning of the word “Happiness” and states four pillars of meaning, which is something more than being happy.
Through her talk, she explains these four pillars that define meaning, which is the state of contentment that fulfills life’s needs better than happiness itself. They are:
- Belonging- This is the feeling of having a bond with friends and family. The bond that ties relationships together and makes us feel loved by one another.
- Purpose – This is the idea of using your strength to serve others, be it something small, like making my family proud to something deep, like being there for someone.
- Transcendence – Through this, you feel connected to a reality, higher than that of the one that we are currently in. You find solace in something abstract and cherish it with your heart.
- Storytelling – The story that you tell yourself about yourself to you and other people. This story can have it’s fair shares of additions and subtractions; it’s all in the way you see it, because YOU are the author of YOUR story.
I’ve actually related to three out of the four pillars that she has mentioned, and I find that I have subconsciously gained happiness by putting three pillars into practice. Maybe if I try the fourth pillar, there might be a drastic change in my happiness levels too.