Novelist Amy Bloom surveys the literature on happiness for the New York Times and distills these five essentials. I have recently rediscovered the importance of number 2.

The Fundamentally Sound, Sure-Fire

Top Five Components of

Happiness:

  1. Be in possession of the basics — food, shelter, good health, safety.
  2. Get enough sleep.
  3. Have relationships that matter to you.
  4. Take compassionate care of others and of yourself.
  5. Have work or an interest that engages you.

I don’t see how even the most high-minded, cynical or curmudgeonly person could argue with that.

–Amy Bloom

The Rap on Happiness

NYTimes.com

 


 

See also, Have Some Happy, on this blog.