Welcome to the New Year. If you are like me, you have reflected on the past year and created a list of intentions you want to focus on—maybe better health, drinking more water, exercise, and financial freedom. Have you considered focusing on what makes you Happy? I recently discovered a system to ensure you can be Happier.
I learned this from listening to a Mel Robbins Podcast with Dr. Tal Ben Shahar, a Harvard Professor who teaches this class, one of the most attended classes at Harvard. I am excited to share what I learned about being Happier!
The SPIRE model, an acronym representing the five crucial elements of Happiness, plays a significant role in achieving overall well-being.
The first, S is spiritual well-being.
P is physical well-being.
I stand for intellectual well-being.
The R is relational well-being.
E is emotional well-being.
While all five of the SPIRE model elements are important for Happiness, you don’t have to focus on all five simultaneously. Instead, it’s about finding a balance and cultivating each element at different times, giving you the power to tailor your journey to happiness.
Spiritual well-being. Of course, it can come from religion, and it does for many people. But spiritual well-being is about a sense of meaning and purpose, first and foremost. And you can find that in a church or synagogue. You can also find it in meaningful work that you do by spending time with the people you love, impacting the world, volunteering at a dog shelter, or enhancing the well-being of one person. It is about finding meaning and purpose, which are vital for spiritual well-being and Happiness.
Another aspect of spiritual well-being is presence in the here and now. You appreciate everything around you. Spiritual well-being is about purpose and presence.
Physical well-being is about nutrition, exercise, sleep, and recovery in general. For example, regular physical exercise has the same effect on our psychological well-being as our most powerful psychiatric medication. It works in the same way, releasing norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine, the feel-good chemicals in the brain. So, physical well-being is an essential part of overall Happiness.
Intellectual well-being is about curiosity and being a lifelong learner. It’s a workout for your brain. You can cultivate this element by spending time listening to a podcast or audiobook, reading a book, or engaging in deep conversations with others. It can also involve observing and studying a work of art, or walking or hiking in nature. The key is to create situations that encourage you to learn something new and stimulate your mind.
Relational well-being. The number one predictor of Happiness is the quality time we spend with people we care about and who care about us. And that can be a romantic partner, family, friends, or colleagues at work. It doesn’t matter as long as we have close, intimate, supportive relationships—the number one predictor of Happiness.
Under relational well-being is kindness and generosity. One of the best ways to help ourselves is to help others. When we allow ourselves, we’re also indirectly helping others and are more likely to help others. So that’s relational well-being.
Emotional well-being is about embracing our emotions, accepting them, and permitting ourselves to be human. It means understanding that we will face rejection and disappointment and experience gratitude, joy, love, and excitement. Remember, Don’t Worry, Be Happy!
If someone can benefit from this, please share it. Let’s spread the message of happiness and well-being together. Until Next Time.
I wish each of you a Happy New You. I hope that you will Inspire to Spire!
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