{"id":110458,"date":"2023-08-17T12:19:00","date_gmt":"2023-08-17T16:19:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=110458"},"modified":"2026-01-21T17:11:40","modified_gmt":"2026-01-21T21:11:40","slug":"importance-of-well-being","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/importance-of-well-being\/","title":{"rendered":"The Importance of Well-Being: Helping You Flourish"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What is the importance of well-being in life? How does well-being help you flourish?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Flourish<\/em> by Martin E. P. Seligman proposes that instead of prioritizing happiness<\/a> as the gateway to a good life, individuals should cultivate well-being. Seligman argues this is because happiness relies too much on a positive attitude, which doesn’t automatically create meaning<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keep reading to learn more about why well-being is important to flourish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Well-Being Is the Key to Flourishing<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We often think happiness is the key to flourishing\u2014to living a rich, joyful, and fulfilling life<\/a>. That\u2019s what Seligman once believed, too, when he wrote his previous book, Authentic Happiness<\/em>. But now, a decade later, he has a new theory\u2014that well-being,<\/em> not happiness, is the key to a good life. <\/strong>He argues that happiness rests too heavily on having a positive mood, which isn’t a reliable indicator of a meaningful life. How does Seligman explain the importance of well-being? He says it’s an interplay of multiple factors that enrich your life, with none being more important than the others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: Pursuing happiness<\/a> can actually make you less<\/em> happy<\/a>. One study shows that people who value happiness the most have 50% fewer positive emotions, 35% less life satisfaction, and 75% more depressive symptoms than people who prioritize other things in life. This evidence supports Seligman\u2019s multifaceted concept of well-being and suggests that instead of pressuring yourself to be happier, you should pursue other enriching aspects of life. By doing so, you may find that joy and satisfaction come naturally.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Five Elements of Well-Being<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

According to Seligman, there are five key elements of well-being<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Positive Emotions<\/strong>\u2014Temporary pleasurable experiences such as joy, excitement, and warmth that we enjoy having.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Engagement<\/strong>\u2014A state of flow, which we experience when we’re completely absorbed in an activity. This usually happens when we’re doing an activity that’s challenging, enjoyable, and involves our strengths. For example, you might be in flow while performing music, practicing a sport, playing video games, working on your car, or creating artwork.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Meaning<\/strong>\u2014A sense that we belong and contribute to a purpose larger than ourselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Positive Relationships<\/strong>\u2014Having close, social connections with others<\/a>. Having positive relationships counteracts loneliness, stress, and depression because humans are social by nature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Accomplishment<\/strong>\u2014A feeling of success for having mastered and achieved our goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seligman asserts that well-being is a more worthwhile measure of a meaningful life than happiness because it calls for people to build up all five of these pillars in their lives instead of just focusing on feeling<\/em> good<\/strong>. You might pursue positive relationships even if they don\u2019t always bring you positive emotions, like when you attend an event you\u2019re uninterested in to support a friend. Overall, the more you build up these pillars of well-being, the more you\u2019ll flourish and lead a rich, satisfying life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well-Being Is Good for Your Health<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Seligman writes that having more positive emotions and high well-being improves your health and protects you from illnesses<\/strong>\u2014whether it\u2019s cardiovascular disease, cancer, or the common cold. <\/strong>He cites research that suggests that people with high well-being have an 18% lower risk of dying from any cause than people with low well-being. According to Seligman, the most notable trait contributing to this better health is optimism<\/em>, which is a positive outlook on life<\/a> that increases your well-being.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People who are optimistic tend to be less vulnerable to diseases for several reasons:<\/p>\n\n\n\n