JUNG's View

After posting my recent blog entry on happiness, a reader sent me this opinion of Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung. He felt happiness was built on five pillars:
 
1)Good physical and mental health
(Jung believed that getting happier required soundness of mind and body.)
 
2)Good personal and intimate relations, such as those of marriage, family, and friendships
 
3)Seeing beauty in art and in nature
(Jung felt that happiness required one to cultivate an appreciation for beautiful things and experiences.)
 
4)A reasonable standard of living and satisfactory work
(Older studies show that well-being tops out at relatively low income levels, but more recent studies show that such contentment continues to rise for much higher incomes. Having the money to pay for experiences with loved ones, to free up time to spend on meaningful activities, and to support good causes does enhance happiness.)
 
5)A philosophical or religious outlook that fosters resilience
(Jung was the son of a pastor and felt that religious belief is strongly predictive of finding meaning in life. He also stated that spirituality is positively correlated with better mental health; both faith and spiritual practice seem protective against depression.)
 
If Carl Jung were alive today, I do think he’d agree: being happy matters.

---