Emily Esfahani Smith — The Power of Meaning

Emily Esfahani Smith, The Power of Meaning — The True Route to Happiness, 2017, 235 blz. \ Gekocht: november 2018, Van der Velde 3 \ Uitgelezen: november 2018 \ ★★★☆☆ Van http://emilyesfahanismith.com/the-book : > This wise, stirring book rounds up the latest research—and the words > of great thinkers across generations—to argue that the search for > meaning can immeasurably deepen our lives and is far more fulfilling > than the pursuit of personal happiness. > > There is a myth in our culture that the search for meaning is some > esoteric pursuit—that you have to travel to a distant monastery or > page through dusty volumes to figure out life’s great secret. The > truth is, there are untapped sources of meaning all around us—right > here, right now. Drawing on the latest research in positive > psychology; on insights from George Eliot, Viktor Frankl, Aristotle, > the Buddha, and other great minds; and on interviews with seekers of > meaning, Emily Esfahani Smith lays out the four pillars upon which > meaning rests. > > Belonging: We all need to find our tribe and forge relationships > in which we feel understood, recognized, and valued—to know we > matter to others. > > Purpose: We all need a far-reaching goal that motivates us, > serves as the organizing principle of our lives, and drives us to > make a contribution to the world. > > Storytelling: We are all storytellers, taking our disparate > experiences and assembling them into a coherent narrative that > allows us to make sense of ourselves and the world. > > Transcendence: During a transcendent or mystical experience, we > feel we have risen above the everyday world and are connected to > something vast and meaningful. > > To bring those concepts to life, Smith visits a tight-knit fishing > village on the Chesapeake Bay, stargazes in West Texas, attends a > dinner where young people gather to share their experiences of > untimely loss, and more. And she explores how we might begin to > build a culture of meaning in our schools, our workplaces, and our > communities. > > Inspiring and story-driven, The Power of Meaning will strike a > profound chord in anyone seeking a richer, more satisfying life.