Blooming from within

This TED talk, offered by Katarina Blom (nearly…) is a good reminder that the best things in life do not come to us handed on a plate. They tend to come from within. In a world a bit preoccupied with ‘happiness’ and ‘wellbeing’, there feels untold pressure to be happy and well. All the time.

Viktor Frankl, the extraordinary author of ‘Man’s Search For Meaning’ had quite a lot to say about a well lived life. A survivor of the WW2 concentration camps, he noticed that those that survived felt that they had something to live for beyond the camps - and had managed to forge positive relationships with others whilst inside. Meaning - and an acceptance of both the light and dark of life - was what mattered most.

So, I offer this video with the caveat that I do not suggest you go out in search of ‘happiness’ per se. What I like about this video is that in order to bloom, we often need to recognise what is going on inside, not outside of us. And importantly, it is usually the quality of our relationships, the meaning that we give to our own particular experience, that dictate a broader feeling of happiness and wellbeing, than any other particular variable.

Money and fame just don’t cut it. (Who knew?!)