Core Concept
Well-Being
Well-being is the experience of health, happiness, and resourcefulness. It includes having good mental and physical health, high life satisfaction, a sense of meaning or purpose, and the ability to manage stress. More generally, well-being is just feeling well. Well-being can be strengthened with practice and attention.
What is Well-being?
Often we think of improving well-being in relatively simple ways: eat healthy, exercise, meditate. While all these things do have benefit, they will not in themselves ensure a sustained sense of well-being. Well-being is a more complex concept requiring skill and practice in interconnected areas of growth.
We draw on the work of Dr. Richard Davidson who articulated “Four Pillars of Well-Being”, each of which can be practiced and cultivated:
Awareness
Connection
Evidence reveals that expressing kindness and other prosocial characteristics increases well-being. Connection is about caring and being cared for.
Insight
Each of us has a narrative in our minds that represents our beliefs and expectations of ourselves. Well-being is improved not so much by changing our narrative, but rather shifting our relationship to this narrative.
Purpose
Purpose refers to our sense of direction in life. It is about clarifying our values and finding meaning in our daily activities.
Strengthening Well-being
Each aspect of well-being can be strengthened through building self-reflection and present awareness. Regular contemplative practices such as meditation, journalling, movement, deep listening and witnessing have shown to improve well-being.
Tools
Suggested Resources
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Finding freedom, love and joy right where you are
Jack Kornfield
