Fostering Flourishing

A theory of well-being and "the good life"

Rough Draft #8

Thesis:
The most important priority for "the good life" is to nurture and improve yourself and your relationships.

Explanation:

1. Value
2. Good
3. Causes
4. Factors
5. Cultivation
6. Practice
7. Conclusion

Value

What's most important? What matters most?
What is intrinsically valuable? What has intrinsic value?

Premise #1: Consciousness

Consciousness is the origin of all value.

Conscious living beings and their conscious experiences are intrinsically valuable.

Life is the root intrinsic value.

"Consciousness is the most important thing in the universe. It is the carrier of all value: actual and possible." — S.H.

Good

What is good? What's a good life?
What is best for consciousness and conscious experience? What is best for life?

Premise #2: Flourishing

Flourishing is the ideal state of life and living — to be well and to live well.

Flourishing is good for consciousness and is the best conscious experience.

Flourishing is synonymous with well-being, well-living, thriving, and "the good life".

Causes

What determines the quality of consciousness and conscious experience? How do you determine the quality of your life and your living?
How do you determine how good your life is and how well you are living it? How do you evaluate the quality of life?

Premise #3: Systems

The interrelated, interconnected, and interdependent systems of life and conscious experience determine the quality of life.

Flourishing is a function of the interplay of these systems, emerging from the synergy of their connections, conditions, contexts, and consequences.

The quality of your life is evaluated by the quality of the network of these relationships.

Factors

What are the most fundamental factors of flourishing? What are the most important dimensions of well-being?
Which systems are the most significant determinants of flourishing? Which elements have the most significant effect on the quality of life?

Premise #4: Social, Mental, Physical

The quality of your life is most determined by the quality of your relationships, mind, and body.

The social, mental, and physical systems of life are the most significant determinants of well-being.

Your relationships, mind, and body are the most fundamental factors of your flourishing.

To flourish is to thrive socially, mentally, and physically.

"Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being." — The W.H.O.

Cultivation

How can you foster flourishing? How can you cultivate well-being?
How can you live a good life? How can you live well?

Premise #5: Nurture

The best way to cultivate well-being is to nurture and improve your relationships, mind, and body.

Fostering flourishing is the proactive prioritization and intentional practice of nurturing and improving yourself and your relationships.

Practice

How do you nurture and improve yourself and your relationships?
What are the best practices to nurture and improve yourself and your relationships?

Premise #6: Love

Loving others and yourself is the best way to nurture and improve yourself and your relationships.

Love is the synthesis of:

• Presence, awareness, attention, concentration, engagement
• Connection, openness, curiosity, understanding, acceptance, trust
• Gratitude, appreciation, admiration, recognition, respect, thankfulness
• Compassion, care, kindness, benevolence, altruism, empathy
• Equanimity, tranquility, calmness, peace, harmony, serenity

You can nurture yourself and your relationships by prioritizing and practicing these skills.

Conclusion

Flourishing is:

• "The good life"
• To be well and to live well
• Social, mental, physical well-being
• Thriving socially, mentally, physically

The most fundamental factors of flourishing are: your relationships, mind, and body.

The quality of your life / conscious experience is most determined by the quality of your relationships, mind, and body.

The best way to improve the quality of your life is to nurture yourself and your relationships.

The best way to nurture yourself and your relationships is to love others and yourself.

The best way to love is to be present, aware, attentive, engaged, connected, open, curious, understanding, accepting, trusting, grateful, appreciative, respectful, thankful, vulnerable, communicative, compassionate, caring, kind, benevolent, altruistic, empathetic, calm, peaceful, serene, and equanimous.

The best way to live is to love.

The best way to live better is to love better.

The best way to love better is to train and practice the skills of presence, awareness, attention, engagement, connection, openness, curiosity, understanding, acceptance, trust, gratitude, appreciation, admiration, recognition, respect, thankfulness, vulnerability, communication, compassion, care, kindness, benevolence, altruism, empathy, calmness, peace, harmony, serenity, and equanimity.

The best way to foster flourishing is to create and cultivate moments and experiences of love.