One Nature is republishing this with permission from Laura Musikanski (the author).
Two questions: What makes you happy? What is well-being?
What makes you happy is unique to you, just as what makes me happy is unique to me.
For instance, for me, I am most happy spending time with my family, spending time in the mountains, or doing work I believe is important and helpful – to me and others. And so for me, I define well-being as the circumstances that allow me to be happy – a warm home, healthy environment, the resources I need to get a job done. Your definition of happiness, and your understanding of the conditions that allow you to be happy are probably similar in some ways to mine, and different in other ways.
How you define well-being is well-being for you, just how I define well-being is unique to me.
In the US, our Declaration of Independence says that it’s the government’s role to ensure (secure and protect that all have an inalienable right to “pursue happiness.” I take this to mean that the government is to ensure the conditions that empower us to – by our own choice and definition – to be happy. Kind of like fertile soil allows a plant to grow. Our government has a hand in whether or not the circumstances of our life improve or harm our well-being. These conditions are:
- Safety in our neighborhoods and streets, a safe home and a safe nation.
- Trustworthy and clean (as opposed to corrupt) governments.
- Strong economies where work is plentiful and people who work can make a good living.
- Access to good healthcare when you need it, and a healthy (not sick) population
- Sustainable and secure ecosystems so we do not have to worry about air quality, access to water, access to natural resources or natural disasters.
- Good education, good work and good work-life balance.
- Strong and loving families and friendships and strong and caring communities.
We are in the midst of a great division about how we think the government should secure and protect our well-being. There is no doubt about this, but at the core, I believe that most every person would agree that these conditions – with varying prioritization – are needed for well-being. If we can agree on that. Maybe it’s a starting place.