Joy Columns
Work On The Four Pillars Of Pleasure
Photo by Fauxels, Pixels.com.
Key Assertions That Help To Summarize This Article:
Work on the Four Pillars Of Happiness.
The Happiness Pillar of Excitement is being able to dispense with loneliness, boredom, and depression.
The Happiness Pillar of Challenge is overcoming obstacles and making improvements in one’s life that require more than normal exertion (such exertion may cause some stress but if one can stay expansive, open, and relaxed during difficult times, improvements will come).
The Happiness Pillar of Authenticity is being able to know one’s true dislikes and true likes.
The Happiness Pillar of Courage is facing one’s fears.
The Heartwood Path is not charted to provide its sojourners with mere fleeting moments of temporary giddiness. Instead, The Heartwood Path leads to Triple A Happiness; that is, a form of happiness that is abiding, abundant, and authentic. This form of happiness is the joy that is made more stable and long-lasting by what we shall call the “Four Pillars of Happiness.” If there is contentment, enjoyment, amusement, satisfaction or gratification, the Four Pillars of Happiness become stalwart towers of strength that stabilize joy.
Let’s take each of them in turn:
The Happiness Pillar of Excitement, for example, is a good remedy for loneliness, boredom, and depression. My example of this Happiness Pillar is playing drums in my band at a big new venue.
The Happiness Pillar of Challenge is overcoming obstacles and making improvements in one’s life that require more than normal exertion. Such exertion may cause some stress but if one can stay expansive, open, and relaxed during difficult times, improvements will come. My example of this Happiness Pillar is seeing the Heartwood Path released after over two decades of preparation.
The Happiness Pillar of Authenticity is being able to know one’s true dislikes and true likes. My example of this Happiness Pillar is going to hear Eric Clapton perform live and realizing that I like his music ever so much more than today’s rap music.
The Happiness Pillar Courage is facing one’s fears. Courage comes from mastery—being positively motivated and capable at a level beyond just coping. My example of this Happiness Pillar is flying an airplane solo for the first time.
Photo by Thomas Benedetti, Pexels.com.
HumaNatureConnect Activity
Building The “Pillars” Of Authenticity, Courage, Excitement, And Challenge In The Pursuit Of Happiness
For this activity, write how you do or do not (or can or cannot) support your pursuit of happiness through authenticity, courage, excitement, and/or challenge. To help you with this exercise, consider using the following format:
My authenticity supports (or does not support) my happiness when I__________.
My courage supports (or does not support) my happiness when I__________.
Getting excited supports (or does not support) my happiness when I __________.
Challenging myself supports (or does not support) my happiness when I__________.
Photo by Min An, Pexels.com.
