With everything that one does, one is on a constant search for happiness or wellbeing. Wellbeing is a state characterized by health, happiness and prosperity or a good and satisfactory condition of existence.
We can change our wellbeing through the practice of mindfulness training. In the following video (click here), Professor Richard Davidson of the Mind and Life Institute discusses aspects of the brain and its’ ability to change. He states that there are four constituents of wellbeing that have been validated by modern, empirical neuroscience. These four constituents or components are:
- resilience – the capacity to recover from adversity
- the ability to sustain positive emotions or outlook
- attention – sustained attention improves one’s wellbeing
- generosity – being kind to others activates the very circuits in our brain which sustain positive emotions
These attributes are malleable and can be changed through contemplative mind training. We can take responsibility of our own brains by engaging in contemplative practices which will enable us to be happier.
Here is another great video by Matthieu Ricard, The Habits of Happiness. Click Here!