Flourishing

We all wish to flourish. Flourishing encompasses many of the most sought-out elements of life: well-being, accomplishment, growth, joy, and happiness. The Ancient Greeks, who were so profound in asking the great questions of life, used the word Eudaimonia, blessed-spirit, to describe what we may consider flourishing.

Flourishing is a conscious participation in life with awareness of having a personal and meta-personal destiny; not determined by fate, but created by our purposeful engagement with the world.

Flourishing requires:

• Awareness - We must recognize ways to grow and develop.
• Purpose - We must choose goals that enhance our well-being.
• Engagement - We must use our strengths to act on our chosen goals.

Awareness shapes our perceptions. Nearly all spiritual teachings include an exhortation to awaken, in order to experience the true depth and breath of the surrounding universe. The importance of this admonition to expand our awareness is supported by modern cognitive science that reveals how memory and emotion construct our thought and perception.

Purpose emerges when we have an emotional tie to something meaningful. It is a sense of calling, to participate in the world beyond servicing our immediate needs. This pull, when fueled by abundance, is experienced in esthetics, compassion, and love.

Engagement emerges from having a purpose combined with an empowering commitment. This commitment goes beyond the immediate goals and extends into our essential need to manifest. For the American philosopher, John Dewey, action in the world — engagement — defines our Humanness. Moreover, psychologists today identify engagement as the most important ingredient to well-being, above even positive emotions.