Harmony with Self, Others, and the World as Key to Happiness

Key points

Research shows that inner harmony is among the most common lay definitions of harmony.

Harmony with self, others and the world is a core aspect of mental health and well-being.

We can cultivate a sense of harmony alongside our goals and ambitions.

Happiness is a byproduct of how we live our lives.

A decade into the birth of positive psychology, right as the field was bursting with research on human flourishing, psychologist Antonella Delle Fave decided to return to the basics—to the very definitions of happiness . Together with an international team of colleagues, Delle Fave asked people from seven countries first, and from 12 countries some years later, to share their lay definitions of happiness. The findings were striking: for most people, happiness meant inner harm