"How to Be Happy"

by Ehard's Blog

"We do not know that all is hopeless, we just conclude it from time to time, based on our emotional state, not our knowledge. Having sufficient humility to recognize that we do not know is a key stepping stone to improving our well being.

...The first premise of this inquiry is that we improve our chances by affirmatively seeking to understand. By not becoming tired, satisfied, or complacent. This is a pursuit that does not involve a competition for resources. We all have the power to improve our understanding and improve our lives. But we must keep asking questions.

The second premise of this inquiry is that ... we must each develop our own theory of happiness, figure out what it might look like, and then test it, continuously, throughout our lives.

A third premise, perhaps most important, is that the mere fact that we have tried and failed so many times tells us nothing. It is the spirit of inquiry that matters. ... If we preserve a spirit of inquiry, this spirit itself is quite directly connected to, and a harbinger of, happiness. The spirit of inquiry requires self-doubt – not a lack of self-esteem; but, rather, the recognition that all of our understanding is provisional, and all of our understanding is susceptible to improvement."

- Ehard’s Blog,

- http://mysite.verizon.net/mitteldorf/Inspiration/
Ehard's blog: http://www.scienceblog.com/cms/blog/ehard