Subjective well-being is the term I use instead of happiness to describe a person’s desire to change. People don’t often desire change unless they feel some unhappiness, but the pursuit of happiness can be confused with hedonism, and hedonism alone externalizes a person’s feeling of contentment or ups the ante when it comes to what a person “needs” to feel “good.” I challenge my clients to identify their wants and differentiate them from needs, to look not just to thrills or pleasure but also to altruism and helping behaviors to give meaning to their lives. The research shows that it is not an austere life nor is it a hedonistic life that brings lasting satisfaction, but novelty and curiosity that can be found in a balance of both eudaemonism and hedonism. To that end, I encourage you to make a list and begin to discover what brings you not only joy, but also satisfaction and meaning... What do you look forward to? Who or what motivates you? What does your job do for you? Does it give you challenge and a good income? Does it allow you the freedom to self-determine other areas of your life? In what areas do you have agency—not just the ability, but also the determination and motivation— to make rational-to-you free choice to further your goals and have autonomy? Look at your relationships. Do you experience a kind of contentment or ease within them, or are they fraught with conflict or obligation? Can they be improved with more self-knowing and understanding? Can they be improved with better knowing of the Other? Stay tuned for more on subjective we’ll-being. The D-I-V Design Agency Mediation & Family Advocacy divdesignagency.com The Pleasure Principal Intimacy in Conflict & Sex thepleasureprincipal.org #subjectivewell-being #happiness #joy #eudaemonism #hedonism #dignity #integrity #veritas #thepleasureprincipal #divdesignagency #values #PERMA #PERMA-H #yoga #niyama #yama #nondualistictantra #tantra https://www.instagram.com/p/BwSXarZH91q/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=coetlj6qwv39