Maria Lisa Polegatto May 2024
Think back to all the things you did as a child that made you happy. Today, our world is changing and activities we did are different for youth. The 2024 World Happiness Report (WHR) suggests happiness in youth is in decline (Helliwell et al, 2024). We need to solve world issues, such as climate change, social, cultural, and educational issues, and yet we expect youth to be happy, have good well-being and practice sustainability.
We need to deeply appreciate the “relationship between education and sustainability” and come to terms with the role education plays in relation to “social, cultural, environmental, and economic sustainability” (O’Brien, 2016). We need to “energize, stimulate, and inspire” people to be part of the solutions (O’Brien, 2016).
Education is part of the problem. Educational content needs a “total “make-over”” (“O’Brien, 2016) to include current interests and concerns allowing people to make positive contributions. We are no longer in the “Industrial Age” stifling our “creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship” (O’Brien, 2016). Education needs to provide youth skills for employment so we can all live within the planet’s scope of resources instead of having no sustainable boundaries (O’Brien, 2016).
Education can be part of the solution. Youth could act as “peer-learning coaches” helping design and facilitate to compensate for teacher shortages (O’Brien, 2016). Education can interconnect with sustainability teaching about “well-being, for all, forever” (O’Brien, 2016). The Earth Charter could amend current education to inspire a peaceful global future for all life to give hope and a call to creative, innovation and sustainable actions (O’Brien, 2013) (O’Brien, 2016).
Instead of debating education reform while the world is suffering from climate change, education should provide ways to relearn how to use the earth’s resources for the earth’s survival and replace what we take from it (O’Brien, 2013). We need to teach people how to fix and reuse what is broken, ensure manufacturers make replacement parts, and learn what happens when we disrespect the earth for future generations.
Instead of increasing anxiety in youth about the devastation of climate change (O’Brien, 2013), we need to refocus on increasing passion, inspiration, desire, creativity, innovation, and sustainability for solutions. There should be no age requirement in finding solutions with both teachers and students learning from each other. Online global education can allow for inclusivity. There should be no barriers to finding solutions, such as wealth, culture, location. We all need to work together to ensure the survival of all life.
Education is part of the problem. Educational content needs a “total “make-over”” (“O’Brien, 2016) to include current interests and concerns allowing people to make positive contributions. We are no longer in the “Industrial Age” stifling our “creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship” (O’Brien, 2016). Education needs to provide youth skills for employment so we can all live within the planet’s scope of resources instead of having no sustainable boundaries (O’Brien, 2016).
Education can be part of the solution. Youth could act as “peer-learning coaches” helping design and facilitate to compensate for teacher shortages (O’Brien, 2016). Education can interconnect with sustainability teaching about “well-being, for all, forever” (O’Brien, 2016). The Earth Charter could amend current education to inspire a peaceful global future for all life to give hope and a call to creative, innovation and sustainable actions (O’Brien, 2013) (O’Brien, 2016).
Instead of debating education reform while the world is suffering from climate change, education should provide ways to relearn how to use the earth’s resources for the earth’s survival and replace what we take from it (O’Brien, 2013). We need to teach people how to fix and reuse what is broken, ensure manufacturers make replacement parts, and learn what happens when we disrespect the earth for future generations.
Instead of increasing anxiety in youth about the devastation of climate change (O’Brien, 2013), we need to refocus on increasing passion, inspiration, desire, creativity, innovation, and sustainability for solutions. There should be no age requirement in finding solutions with both teachers and students learning from each other. Online global education can allow for inclusivity. There should be no barriers to finding solutions, such as wealth, culture, location. We all need to work together to ensure the survival of all life.
Defining happiness and identifying characteristics. Happiness is peaceful and found inside not externally (CBC/Radio Canada, 2024). I think peace is underrated. While we are not always happy with world issues, having more communication and understanding can help heal and bring people together. Conflict can be good to flush out differences to find common ground.
It is important to define happiness and identify characteristics to better understand people, such as different cultures, locations, and age groups that can change definitions (CBC/Radio Canada, 2024). People learn at different rates globally.
Happiness can bring well being for all. Wealth and income can positively affect happiness but not define it, positively helping others can provide happiness, identifying passions can help navigate life as your profession or hobby (CBC/Radio Canada, 2024). We need to have outlets to encourage rest, resilience, and rejuvenation; otherwise, exhaustion can cause sickness. Older people can be happier (CBC/Radio Canada, 2024) possibly due to knowledge and experience in finding their ways of being. English people are suggested to be less happy and in Canada, Quebec’s rate of decline is less than the rest of Canada (CBC/Radio Canada, 2024). Possibly because Quebec has defined their culture and live it.
Being in the “flow” can provide happiness (Seligman, 2011). I have felt the flow at work when everything clicks with productivity. It does provide satisfaction and happiness in achieving tasks and goals. I have also found the flow in art allowing me to get lost in creative meditation.
Happiness is a pursuit we chase. We need to nurture and spend time in happiness to increase our well being and find our state of being without trying to control our outer world (Ted, 2008). The habit of positive emotions helps us “flourish” to experience happiness as an “antidote” to unhappiness (Ted, 2008). The more time we spend in nature, the more we want to protect and learn about it leading to sustainable practices. Albert Einstein’s quote always comes to my mind:
It is important to define happiness and identify characteristics to better understand people, such as different cultures, locations, and age groups that can change definitions (CBC/Radio Canada, 2024). People learn at different rates globally.
Happiness can bring well being for all. Wealth and income can positively affect happiness but not define it, positively helping others can provide happiness, identifying passions can help navigate life as your profession or hobby (CBC/Radio Canada, 2024). We need to have outlets to encourage rest, resilience, and rejuvenation; otherwise, exhaustion can cause sickness. Older people can be happier (CBC/Radio Canada, 2024) possibly due to knowledge and experience in finding their ways of being. English people are suggested to be less happy and in Canada, Quebec’s rate of decline is less than the rest of Canada (CBC/Radio Canada, 2024). Possibly because Quebec has defined their culture and live it.
Being in the “flow” can provide happiness (Seligman, 2011). I have felt the flow at work when everything clicks with productivity. It does provide satisfaction and happiness in achieving tasks and goals. I have also found the flow in art allowing me to get lost in creative meditation.
Happiness is a pursuit we chase. We need to nurture and spend time in happiness to increase our well being and find our state of being without trying to control our outer world (Ted, 2008). The habit of positive emotions helps us “flourish” to experience happiness as an “antidote” to unhappiness (Ted, 2008). The more time we spend in nature, the more we want to protect and learn about it leading to sustainable practices. Albert Einstein’s quote always comes to my mind:
“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better”
My Definition of Happiness. How do I define happiness? I think of nature as happiness with its stress-free environment. Nature is like a hug from the universe. I am passionate about finding sustainable ways to assist nature and animals and helping people learn about their benefits. Growing up I was always happy on the Mira River in a canoe or kayak paddling upstream to float downstream at sunset or moonlight.
Meditation for me is a freeing up of the mind to allow new thoughts to flow to find solutions and happiness in a divine connection with my inner self. Walking meditation with my dogs in nature is my favorite activity. We need to get out of the concrete jungles and spend more time in the sphere and delights of nature.
Conclusion. Happiness is the consequence of “a life well lived” (CBC/Radio Canada, 2024). What are your ways of being that bring you happiness? What are your passions in life? What did you do as a child that you enjoyed doing? What of those activities can you continue to do today? I suggest exploring nature to find your happy.
Meditation for me is a freeing up of the mind to allow new thoughts to flow to find solutions and happiness in a divine connection with my inner self. Walking meditation with my dogs in nature is my favorite activity. We need to get out of the concrete jungles and spend more time in the sphere and delights of nature.
Conclusion. Happiness is the consequence of “a life well lived” (CBC/Radio Canada, 2024). What are your ways of being that bring you happiness? What are your passions in life? What did you do as a child that you enjoyed doing? What of those activities can you continue to do today? I suggest exploring nature to find your happy.
Additional Resources
Abdallah, S., Hoffman, A., and Akenji, L. (2024). The 2024 Happy Planet Index. Hot or Cool Institute, Berlin. https://happyplanetindex.org/HPI_2024_report.pdf https://happyplanetindex.org/
Earth Charter International (2009). A guide for using the Earth Charter in Education. https://earthcharter.org/read-the-earth-charter/
Happy Planet Index Personal Test. (n.d.). https://happyplanetindex.me/
Stefan. D., Lefdahl-Davis, E., Alayan, A., Decker, M., Kulwicki, T., Parsell, J., & Wittwer, J. (2021). The Impact of Gratitude Letters and Visits on Relationships, Happiness, Well-Being, and Meaning of Graduate Students. Journal of Positive School Psychology, 5(2) 110-126. https://cbulms22.cbu.ca/pluginfile.php/537585/course/section/99620/Gratitude%20Letters.pdf
Earth Charter International (2009). A guide for using the Earth Charter in Education. https://earthcharter.org/read-the-earth-charter/
Happy Planet Index Personal Test. (n.d.). https://happyplanetindex.me/
Stefan. D., Lefdahl-Davis, E., Alayan, A., Decker, M., Kulwicki, T., Parsell, J., & Wittwer, J. (2021). The Impact of Gratitude Letters and Visits on Relationships, Happiness, Well-Being, and Meaning of Graduate Students. Journal of Positive School Psychology, 5(2) 110-126. https://cbulms22.cbu.ca/pluginfile.php/537585/course/section/99620/Gratitude%20Letters.pdf
References
Albert Einstein quotes about nature: A-Z quotes. (n.d.). https://www.azquotes.com/author/4399-Albert_Einstein/tag/nature#google_vignette
CBC/Radio Canada. (2024, March 21). The Current with Matt Galloway | live radio | CBC listen: Why Happiness Rate are Falling Among Younger Generations. CBC news. https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-63-the-current/clip/16050855-why-happiness-rates-falling-among-younger-generations
Helliwell, J. F., Layard, R., Sachs, J. D., De Neve, J.-E., Aknin, L. B., & Wang, S. (Eds.). (2024). World Happiness Report 2024. https://worldhappiness.report/ed/2024/
O’Brien, C. (2013). Who is teaching us about sustainable happiness and well-being? Health, Culture and Society, 5(1), 292-307. https://hcs.pitt.edu/ojs/index.php/hcs/article/view/122
O’Brien, C. (2016). Education for sustainable happiness and well-being. New York: Routledge. Chapter 1: Introduction. Chapter 2: Well-Being for All, Sustainably
Seligman, M. (2011). Flourish. New York: Free Press. Chapter 1: What Is Well-Being? https://cbulms22.cbu.ca/pluginfile.php/537585/course/section/99620/Seligman-Martin-Flourish-Ch-1%20%281%29.pdf
TED. (2008, April 15). The habits of happiness | Matthieu Ricard [Video]. YouTube.
Happy Planet Index Personal Test. (n.d.). https://happyplanetindex.me/
CBC/Radio Canada. (2024, March 21). The Current with Matt Galloway | live radio | CBC listen: Why Happiness Rate are Falling Among Younger Generations. CBC news. https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-63-the-current/clip/16050855-why-happiness-rates-falling-among-younger-generations
Helliwell, J. F., Layard, R., Sachs, J. D., De Neve, J.-E., Aknin, L. B., & Wang, S. (Eds.). (2024). World Happiness Report 2024. https://worldhappiness.report/ed/2024/
O’Brien, C. (2013). Who is teaching us about sustainable happiness and well-being? Health, Culture and Society, 5(1), 292-307. https://hcs.pitt.edu/ojs/index.php/hcs/article/view/122
O’Brien, C. (2016). Education for sustainable happiness and well-being. New York: Routledge. Chapter 1: Introduction. Chapter 2: Well-Being for All, Sustainably
Seligman, M. (2011). Flourish. New York: Free Press. Chapter 1: What Is Well-Being? https://cbulms22.cbu.ca/pluginfile.php/537585/course/section/99620/Seligman-Martin-Flourish-Ch-1%20%281%29.pdf
TED. (2008, April 15). The habits of happiness | Matthieu Ricard [Video]. YouTube.
Happy Planet Index Personal Test. (n.d.). https://happyplanetindex.me/
#happiness #wellbeing #joy #sustainability #learning #education #knowledge #gratitude
RSS Feed