Philosophy – how the big questions can act as the springboard for happiness

What can the ancient philosophers teach us about happiness?

I have been reading about some of the ancient philosophers and am struck by how their teachings resonate even today, several thousand years later. The world around us can often feel like a scary place (whether that’s the actual world, our more immediate surroundings or indeed our inner world), so what can we learn from them? I have incorporated some of their ideas that I hope will be of interest to you into this month’s newsletter – do let me know what you think of them.

Rose Padfield and Cara McCarthy

The love of wisdom and self-knowledge

Philosophy comes from the word philosophia, meaning the love of wisdom. Socrates (469 to 399 BC) felt his divine mission was to teach his fellow Athenians the habit of questioning oneself. You may know that he spent his time in the marketplace engaging passers by in dialogue about big questions (he didn’t write anything down, but his pupil Plato did).

“I cannot teach anybody anything; I only can make them think,” Socrates is believed to have said.

Most people “sleepwalk” through life and don’t ask themselves questions about what they’re doing or why; they usually follow the beliefs imparted by their parents or the culture of which they are a part. Socrates insisted there was a correlation between how a person interpreted the world and what they thought was important in life with regards their physical and mental wellbeing.

Building on this, the Stoic philosopher Epictetus said: “Men are disturbed not by things, but by their opinions about them.”

More recently, the father of cognitive behavioural therapy, Albert Ellis, created a model of emotions called ABC, which is based on the idea that emotions and behaviours are determined by our beliefs about events rather than the events themselves:

We experience an event (A)
We interpret this event (B)
We then feel an emotional response to the event in line with our interpretation of it (C)

Returning to Athens for a moment, the word “Stoic” comes from the marketplace where the original Stoics gathered to teach their philosophy – street philosophy – to anyone who would listen (Stoa Poikile, being a column in the corner where they met).

Stoic philosophy embodies the belief that if we use our reason to overcome any attachment we feel to external events or conditions, we can remain unaffected. This is obviously easier said than done, but it would certainly give us greater freedom and the resilience to cope with what (and who!) life throws at us.

Our interpretations of events matter

It follows, therefore, that if we alter how we interpret an event, we can change our response and then improve our wellbeing. I see the way to doing this realistically as a four-step process:

Increase your self-awareness (for example by using the ABC model to become more conscious of your triggers and responses, or ask others how they react to the same event to compare)
Decide what you want (e.g. what, when, where, how, why)
Practice (and consider keeping a diary to help you examine your beliefs and evaluate what went well today, what was difficult or did not go so well, what will you reinforce or do differently tomorrow)
Examine and adjust/repeat these actions until they become embedded.

“The unexamined life is not worth living,” Socrates

What can we control? The only thing we can control in life are our beliefs. If we accept this, we are less likely to feel helpless and hopeless and will then be able to shift our focus on what we can do to make the most out of a situation.

I’m not advocating for us to stop caring about the world around us; we can certainly use our influence and try to help improve situations, but we must learn that many things are not within our control to change. Once we understand this, we may find more serenity in our lives.

Enjoy what you have

Another philosopher, Epicurus (341-270BC), was of the view that one should enjoy life – and this can be easier to do if we don’t pursue too many material goals. While we cannot chase a life of pleasure at the expense of others (or our health), his message may help us to be satisfied with what we have – the fewer our desires, the more likely we are to attain them.

I personally don’t think ambition and personal drive are inherently bad; on the contrary, they can advance society. Epicurus’ point is to enjoy the present and not to let our pasts or a long list of what we believe we “must have” or “must be” to be happy prevent us from enjoying our lives.

Understanding ourselves, as Socrates proposes, will enable us to be clear about our values and what gives us pleasure.

“Nothing is enough for the man to whom enough is too little,” Epicurus

Make time for self-evaluation

We all lead incredibly busy lives, and it can be hard to make time to stop and examine ourselves. But I believe that if we can pause, we can be more discerning about what we pursue.

The School of Life (an organisation located in London that bases its teachings on the foundation of philosophy) proposes we ask ourselves five questions every evening as a way to reflect on our day.

This reflection will provide us with the wisdom to be able to pursue our own happiness and wellbeing:

What am I really worried about? (Note the italics – get to the root/depth and not the symptoms.)
What am I presently sad about? (What hurt me today and why?)
Who has annoyed me and how? (Then, soothe yourself – it’s okay and normal to be hurt)
What does my body want? (Aches and pains are often clues into our heart and mind)
What is still lovely? (No matter how small, it is important to notice the good things and express gratitude for them.)

“Not what we have, but what we enjoy, constitutes our abundance,” Epicurus

There is, of course, so much more philosophical thought and guidance that could be explored, but I hope this short summary gives you some insights to help you explore what is important to you. I also hope that Socrates and Epicurus would feel I have interpreted their ideas accurately 😊.

Do get in touch if you would like to discuss any of the themes I have touched on in this article.

“Wisdom begins in wonder,” Socrates

Try this:

Watch the TED talk by David Steindl-Rast on being grateful for a happier life:

and watch the interview with Alain de Botton on fixing your negative patterns:

Meanwhile, Action for Happiness, a movement of people dedicated to creating a happier and kinder world, has suggestions you could explore.

You might also be interested in reading these books that relate to themes explored in this article:

Next month

We’ll be back next month with an article on the topic of encouraging learning in your organisation.

The Padfield Partnership