Part 1: How to be happy | 2.5 minute read

I like to golf. Like might be an understatement, but you know what I mean. You know what else I like? Buying golf clubs. They’re stupid expensive, don’t make me any better, and yet there I am, on any given day, Googling new drivers, reading articles about new putters, watching videos about new wedges.

Maybe ordering one… or two. And then waiting for them to arrive. This makes me happy, in a way. Admittedly, that happiness wanes a bit when the new club arrives, I try it out, and realize I’m no better at this infuriating game.

So, what is this happiness I feel? Or, I should say, we feel (even if your shopping habits look a little different)?

“Happiness depends on ourselves,” according to the Greek philosopher Aristotle. In other words, we’re responsible for our own happiness — no one else can (or should) do that work for us.

He also believed that every human being wants to be happy. Which makes sense, right?

So, how do we become happier? Luckily, our boy Aristotle laid out a plan to help us.

He claimed there are four levels of happiness: laetus, felix, beatitudo, and sublime beatitudo. For those of us who aren’t latin-inclined, they translate to joyful, fortunate, blessedness, and sublime blessedness.

Today, we’ll dive into the first level of happiness: laetus — it’s the kind I feel when I buy a new golf club.

Picture this. It’s a Friday night. You’ve just got off work, headed home, and found a package waiting on your doorstep. It’s full of new clothes, some jewellery. You unpack it in a buzz of excitement, put it on, pour a glass of wine, and order takeout.

All of this makes you happy. At least for the night.

This sort of happiness is fleeting and it might be the most common type. It’s the happiness we feel from pursuing the simple pleasures of material things and experiences.

Think going out to eat or purchasing something you’ve wanted for a while. You know that feeling of instant gratification. That’s level one happiness.

If happiness were a meal, the first level is like fast food. It’s quick, easy, and gives us an instant hit of pleasure.

That doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with it — it’s totally normal that these things make us happy. There’s value in quick, accessible hits of happiness.

But we’re probably best served to pursue this type of happiness in moderation, while not ignoring the other four levels of happiness.

So, go on and enjoy that beer. Eat at that restaurant you’ve been eyeing. Press “add to cart” on that new golf club.

But also make sure to check back in the following weeks to learn more about the other levels of happiness — the ones that might just lead to longer-term satisfaction. (And subscribe to the newsletter, if you haven’t already. Go on, it’s free.)

The pebble

The challenge

Savour a little level one happiness a little more purposefully. The first taste of coffee on a Sunday morning. The way a sunset lights up your living room. Just feel the feelings that simple pleasures make you feel.

Thanks for reading. We’re honoured you’ve spend a bit of your day with us. Feel free to reply and tell us what simple pleasures make you happy. If you’re feeling extra generous, why not forward this to a friend?

Cheers,

Justin, Tyler, Jon