Unit 12 The Journey
Overview
Human flourishing is the merging of three concepts: first Subjective Wellbeing, the experience of happiness and sadness. Second, Life Satisfaction, a cognitive evaluation of life. Third, Quality of Life, an assessment of life circumstances and environment. In this course we have attempted to blend these three concepts from three perspectives, the positive perspective, the lived experience, and personal growth. In this unit we will review the multiple building blocks of wellbeing, from physical health, inner contentment, positive relationships, managing our environment and finding personal meaning. We hope you have come to see the broad scope of the field of Human Flourishing and sometimes this breadth can be overwhelming and paralyzing. However, if you use the analogy of a journey to your personal life projects, it can reduce the complexity by asking what the next step in your journey is. We hope to capture some of your journey with the next steps in the final portfolio assignment. Many of the resources in this unit will help you complete the final portfolio.
This unit is divided into the following topics:
- Spirituality and wellbeing
- Big picture of wellbeing
- Personalized journey of wellbeing
Learning Outcomes
- Describe the importance of finding personal meaning in contributing to your own wellbeing
- Explain the various building blocks of wellbeing and how they contribute to your own architecture of flourishing
12.1 Course Summary
Activity: A Review of the Good Life
Watch the video A Review of the Good life – 11 mins
This video reviews the building blocks to wellbeing and how spirituality can play a pivotal roll in providing a structure to creating a resilient and meaning full life.
Questions to Consider
Listen to this video with your own wellbeing in mind and consider the following questions
- What building blocks do feel you have mastered or seen significant improvement in?
- What building blocks do feel you need to still work at for your own wellbeing?
- What are the most important next steps for you in your journey of wellbeing?
Watch: A Review of the Good life
Activity: Evidence Based Wellness
This article (8 min read) separates the hype of the “Wellness Industrial Complex” from the science of wellbeing because “You can’t sell the basics”. This article covers the main building blocks to a flourishing life.
Article: We’ve Reached Peak Wellness. Most of It Is Nonsense.
12.2 Final Portfolio Info
Activity: Life Satisfaction Scale
Life Satisfaction Scale ( pre and post) Part 3 (section C) of the Final Portfolio
You may remember this from the Review and Integration 1.0 assignment “Wellbeing Survey” in Unit 1. Inside that survey was the Life Satisfaction Scale. Complete the Life Satisfaction Scale again for comparison. You can complete this (see below) on a sheet of paper or open up a new Word doc. You will only need the final score for the final portfolio. You will be asked to record both your pre score (from Unit 1) and your post score (from Unit 12) and there associated ratings (see scoring document below). Then write a brief reflection on the similarities and differences.
Below are five statements with which you may agree or disagree. Using the 1-7 scale below, indicate your agreement with each item by placing the appropriate number in the line preceding that item. Please be open and honest in your responding.
(1 = Strongly Disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 = Slightly Disagree, 4 = Neither Agree or Disagree, 5 = Slightly Agree, 6 = Agree, 7 = Strongly Agree)
___ 1. In most ways my life is close to my ideal.
___ 2. The conditions of my life are excellent.
___ 3. I am satisfied with life.
___ 4. So far I have gotten the important things I want in life.
___ 5. If I could live my life over, I would change almost nothing
Post-Total Score ___
(add all the scores together for a total score, see Scoring the Life Satisfaction Scale document attached for ratings)
- See more information on this in the Final Portfolio explainer video in the next section.
Downloads
Assessments
- Final Portfolio
Final Portfolio Instructions
Below you will find the Explainer video and the Final Portfolio assignment document. It’s very important that you use the template in the document to complete the Final Portfolio. When complete, submit your portfolio in the dropbox found at the bottom of this page.
Downloads
Final Thoughts from Instructor
How do we Live Well? That’s a complicated answer. We don’t have a complete answer and it’s personal, but it’s not that we know nothing either.
You are an integrated being – avoided dualistic thinking and create integrative practices (forest bathing, meaningful practices with family and friends, dance )
you are your body, find ways to pay attention to it, listen to it, (when its hungry, when its full, when its tired, when its sluggish, when does it feel good ) respect it, find ways to be good to it, many of you have a complicated relationships with your body because the rapid change your body has just been through, you may have pain or illness or just always comparing it to those around you. Don’t abuse it, don’t make it your punching bag for your feelings of inadequacy (you are going into exam time, stay healthy and don’t miss use it, like an all nighter). Flourishing starts with getting your biological body rhythms in order:
- Adequate sleep
- Adequate nutrition
- Adequate physical activity
- Adequate sleep
Flourishing means being attuned and connected to your body. Galatian’s states “Your Body is the Temple of God”, The temple is where we meet God.
Know yourself - through the mirrors to your life
- family of origin – what were they like
- Friend group – what mirrors are giving you feedback on who you are
- What are your strengths, weaknesses, interests- (listen to teachers, bosses, life experiences)
- family of origin – what were they like
Humans are a social animals - Relationships are the most significant category for personal happiness. Find friends, be good to them, be loyal to them, avoid people that will violate your boundaries.
“Love when you can” protect yourself when you are at risk.
SOCIAL ANIMALS thrive on belonging and social status (you are subconsciously aware of the hierarchy in the group). Avoid looking for social status through social media (your competing with everyone in the world). Find status in small groups were you can excel. (this can be family, work, church or recreational groups) these groups operate like a tribe and we are created to work in small tribes.
Find people and places where you can give and serve. It may be the highest form of happiness and our humanity.
Flourishing isn’t a thought experiment it is a human action (mostly intentional).
Agency - take control of your life, If you are not happy change your environment, or change yourself until you are (Will Storr – “Selfie”).
E.g. the lizard, put him on ice and he is not very happy, put him in the desert and he is happy. The lizard didn’t change the environment did ( our personalities are relatively stable so find an environment that fits your personality. Run mini experiments (prototypes) on these experiments and how they work for you.Behaviors that promote wellbeing - repeated behaviors that form patterns, patterns become habits ( watch times of transition in your life as this often can cause behavioral extinction). These habits can become rituals of wellbeing that take on a sacred quality in your life- because they form the basis of our wellbeing and in some sense they are you.
Attentional economy - where do you spend your attention, manage this because your attention is being monetized and controlled. “The Medium is the Message” Marshall Mcluhan. Where and how you attend will shape the way you see yourself and the world around you.
Cultivate meaning – in the western world we look for contextual meaning (career, success, money) but when we face existential threats( what is the meaning of life) we need existential purpose. This is learned and developed slowly not quickly. When a crisis hits its too late to find a life of meaning and purpose, it must be grown over time. Grow it, nurtured it and care for it. Every once in a while Lift something heavy that takes effort, energy, attention eg. Like education, or physical performance, or an intimate relationship. These times of extended hard effort can significantly change our sense of self.
Life is Hard - to be human is to suffer. We don’t have to go looking for pain, failure or loss it will come to us. Its what we do with our suffering that makes us into mature human beings.
“The good life is still a hard life” - Elizabeth Gilbert
“Are you righteous and kind and loved by all. Does your confidence lie in this? …. Do you imagine your sufferings will be less because you loved Goodness and Truth?” - Tarence Malik
“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves” - Viktor Frankl
Can you find meaning, purpose and/or faith in your suffering?
Future self-
- Be adaptable – develop skills of resilience and skills that can be applied anywhere:
Know your purpose in a specific context (eg Why are you at college) and why you are here on earth (what is your purpose in life)
One social skill is the ability to forgive yourself and others
- Life is not a competition you win. Life is an experiment - treat yourself like a personal experiment – when was it a good day- what made it a good day (pay attention). Try something new, run prototypes of jobs, relationships, recreation activities and see how you like it, before you sell the farm and commit your life to something. Be intentional don’t let life just happen to you. Find ways, perspectives, practices and rituals that demonstrate your love for yourself. Try to reduce the fear of failing, you will learn more about yourself from your failures than your successes.
- See the big picture - look at time over the life span (very difficult for humans to conceptualize extended periods of time) but what is the next stage of life for you (freshman look to a 4th year, 4th year look to someone who has made the transition out of school to a career). What is important at the next stage of life and what can I do today to prepare for that next stage
- Vocation - match interest with need. Can you couple what interests you with what the environment or societies needs around you. Be careful of going down the easiest path, be brave and make your own path (even if that is small adaptations)
- What would make you proud of yourself -Every once in a while lift something heavy, that takes effort, energy, attention. These accomplishments become milestones that can build future confidence (eg getting a College Degree) Again don’t be afraid of failing.
- Be adaptable – develop skills of resilience and skills that can be applied anywhere:
If you are caught in a physical, psychological or spiritual loop get professional help. How do you know you are in one of these loops, your body is showing the signs of this disfunction – not sleeping well, not eating well, not moving well, your body is often where we notice the first signs of something being wrong, pay attention to your body. Find quality (qualified) professional help to get you unstuck.