Are we responsible for our own happiness? Can we think or act in ways to manufacture a happier life? Or is our happiness level now likely to determine how happy we are throughout our lives?
In this blog post I will delve into a model for happiness devised by the Harvard psychology professor, Tal Ben-Shahar, known as the SPIRE model. I’ll use myself as a test case for some things that have worked and some that still need more attention.
In the pursuit of happiness, understanding the various aspects that contribute to our overall sense of wellbeing is crucial. The SPIRE model offers a comprehensive framework that explores five fundamental dimensions: Spiritual Wellbeing (S), Physical Wellbeing (P), Intellectual Wellbeing (I), Relational Wellbeing (R), and Emotional Wellbeing (E). As we delve into each dimension, we can examine their significance in fostering happiness and providing insights into how we can cultivate a balanced and fulfilling life.
Spiritual Wellbeing (S)
Like many people in America today, I am no longer a member of the religious community that I grew up in. These days, even many people’s parents aren’t regular attendees at their place of worship. And for a lot of us, that’s fine. We, and/or our parents, left the religion for good reasons: hypocrisy, scandal, misogyny, intolerance of the LGBTIQ community, and so on. But being part of a religious community isn’t the same as having spiritual wellbeing.
Spiritual wellbeing points to a person’s connection to something greater than themselves. It involves seeking meaning and purpose in life, exploring one’s values and beliefs, and engaging in practices that nurture the spirit. This can include membership in spiritual traditions, or it can be something as simple as taking a deep interest in nature and natural spaces, or taking up mindfulness practices. All of these, practiced with care, can have a profound impact on our overall happiness and life satisfaction.
Physical Wellbeing (P)
Physical wellbeing is an easy one to understand. If our body is healthy and strong, we feel good more easily. When I get out of shape or, worse, injured or sick in some way, I tend to feel less happy. Practices that promote a healthy lifestyle, such as regular exercise, nutritious eating habits, and sufficient rest are the bedrock of this aspect of happiness.
These days, especially when many of us live in front of a computer screen half of the day and with a smartphone screen at hand the rest of the day, it’s easy to disconnect from our bodies. We can feel like eyes and hands interacting with the world virtually. But the truth is, we have a mind-body connection that will lead to suffering in the mind if we ignore the body.
Even simple steps like adding a daily walk can be a powerful start to better physical wellbeing, or getting a standing desk, or getting a cheap yoga matt and committing to 10 minutes a day, 3 days a week. If you’re like me, you’ve tried a lot of “easy” health tricks that fell by the wayside over time. So far, the best things for me have included an element of external help: getting a dog has forced me to take one or two walks a day, planning hiking trips with friends has been helpful for pushing me to build my hiking endurance.
Intellectual Wellbeing (I)
When I first taught a course in Buddhism at the University of Montana in Missoula in 2006, one of my students was a retired guy complete with the white hair and beard. This man, Larry, beamed with curiosity and a joy of learning. I felt honored to have him as a student and even more honored to get to know him during the class and after.
He personified the lifelong learner, ever-challenging himself and learning new skills. It’s easy to get in a rut at any stage of our life. But if we can think about what we’d like to know more about—it can be nature, economics, politics, religion, astronomy, or anything else—and then make a plan to slowly start on the path of knowledge, we will break out of our rut. As with other aspects of happiness, this might require us to break out of some of our old habits, but we’ll quickly be glad that we did.
Relational Wellbeing (R)
Relational wellbeing is a huge one and one that many of us had troubles with during the pandemic. This looks at the quality of our social connections and the support systems in our lives. We are, as Aristotle said, “social animals.” We need connections, even if it’s just a few strong ones.
Developing relational “fitness” is not something we learn in school, or even after. For many of us, it comes somewhat naturally early in life but becomes more difficult later on. Jobs, romantic relationships, and children can all take over our lives and we find ourselves forgetting about spending time with friends and colleagues. But all of these are needed for a strong sense belonging and happiness.
Emotional Wellbeing (E)
Emotional wellbeing encompasses understanding and managing our emotions effectively. This is another one we don’t learn in school. It involves developing emotional intelligence, cultivating positive emotions, and coping with stress and adversity. It’s worth noting that mindfulness practice can definitely help here as well as in our spiritual sphere. With mindfulness, we cultivate self-awareness, clarify our needs for self-care, and build emotional resilience. This sphere also overlaps with relational well-being insofar as our friends and family can be powerful mirrors for us to better see our emotions. They can also be thoughtful guides to help us through the tough times we will inevitably face.
I appreciate the SPIRE acronym because it breaks down my life into five clearly identifiable and important spheres. When life feels out of balance (as it often does), I can reflect on which of these areas I might be neglecting and then take small steps toward improvement.
Justin Whitaker, Ph.D., holds a doctorate in Buddhist ethics from the University of London. He has given lectures, and taught Buddhist studies and Philosophy at Oxford University, the University of Hong Kong, the University of Montana, and at Antioch University’s intensive study-abroad program in India. A certified meditation teacher, he is a regular contributor to Patheos.com, and Senior Correspondent for Buddhistdoor Global. Justin is the official blog writer for Sunflower Counseling MT in Missoula, Butte, Kalispell, Billings, and surrounding areas. He lives in Missoula with his family.