What is Happiness?

What Is Happiness?:  tips from a comprehensive study.

“Is there a formula—some mix of love, work, and psychological adaptation—for a good life? For 72 years, researchers at Harvard have been examining this question, following 268 men who entered college in the late 1930s through war, career, marriage and divorce, parenthood and grandparenthood, and old age. Here, for the first time, a journalist gains access to the archive of one of the most comprehensive longitudinal studies in history. Its contents, as much literature as science, offer profound insight into the human condition—and into the brilliant, complex mind of the study’s longtime director, George Vaillant. (The Atlantic – June 2009)

.Atlantic Magazine published an article in June 2009,  which features the results of an interesting and comprehensive  72 year old study, that began way back to 1937 and continues up to now, of  the lives of 286 Harvard university graduates. Many of the study members have passed on as the study group advances in age, but the study highlights some interesting insights on their lives that we can all learn from.

What HAPPINESS is all about is the main theme of the study. Journalist Joshua Shenk, who wrote the article in Atlantic Magazine summed up the findings as: “Herein lies the key to a good life–not rules to follow, nor problems to avoid– but an engaged humility, an earnest acceptance of life’s pains and promises.”

.You can read the whole article and also look at a very interesting video with the article by going to this link : Atlantic Magazine. or clicking on the following address:

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200906/happiness

If you would like to see the video that is in the article, then click on this link:

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1460906593?bctid=22804415001

I do hope that you enjoy the article and the video and that it does give you some insights as to what is really important in our life journey here on Earth.

- Cyril Bryan, Guest Contributor

Filed under: Economics, Education, Friendship, Philosophy , Atlantic Magazine - June 2009, Cyril Bryan, Happiness is Love, Harvard graduates study, Joshua Shenk, What is Happiness