The Happy Skeptic

These days when we call someone "a skeptic" it has, many times, a pejorative ring. That guy doesn't believe in, or stand for, anything, we're implying. So, it may come as a surprise to many, that Skepticism is a legitimate philosophical school and purportedly a path to happiness.

Pyrrho (360-270 BC) is considered by most to be the first philosopher of Skepticism. After examining the propositions of all the major philosophical theories of his day, and comparing them one against another, he found it impossible to determine which one(s) were true or correct and which ones were false or incorrect. Pyrrho then took it a step farther when he asserted that we cannot really know the inner substance or truth of anything, we can only know its appearance. In other words, he advocated a sort of ancient phenomenological approach. You can know when you're hungry or horny, but you can't know whether the claims made by any philosophies or religions are true or not.

What does all this have to do with happiness? Alot. Basically, Pyrrho contended that the best way to live, the way to be truly happy, is to give up ideas, theories, etc., and simply to suspend judgement and live in a state of "ataraxia," i.e., freedom from worry. Sextus Empiricus, the author of Outlines of Pyrrhoism, the best account of Pyrrho's skeptical philosophy says, " By suspending judgement, by confining oneself to phenomena or objects as they appear, and by asserting nothing definite as to how they really are, one can escape the perplexities of life and attain an imperturbable state of mind."

Pyrrho is like an ancient Greek Bobby McFerrin. "Don't worry, be happy he says." But he goes a bit further than Bobby when he says, "And don't go claiming that certain ideas or belief systems are either true or false." Thus he was the first advocate of "noncognitivism" which tell us that we can't know truth cognitively, so quit asserting, arguing and fighting about it -- whether that disagreement be in the halls of academe, in the pulpit or on the battlefield! His ideal of a peaceful, stress-free life that comes when we give up meaningless judgments is often compared with the ideal life advocated by the Stoics and Epicureans, and even to enlightenment as discussed by certain schools of Buddhism.

Living in a state of "knowledgeable ignorance" is different than just being dumb as a stump. It is based on reasoning and understanding, rather than naivete or limited mental capacity. The true Skeptic says since we really can't know the ultimate truth of anything, let's just quit arguing, live simply, and enjoy life. Sounds like a good plan to me!

Haiti & Happiness

When disaster strikes others, we, at times, begin to feel guilty about our own happiness. Even if we cannot do anything to directly alleviate their suffering, we operate under the erroneous assumption that we should at least suffer along with them. As if adding more suffering to the world is somehow a noble and good thing!

I'm not suggesting that we should be cold, callous and cavalier when faced with the suffering of others. By all means, do whatever you can to ease their pain. And, if you believe it will do any good, pray, send healing energy their way, or sacrifice chickens. It can't hurt anything, except perhaps the chickens.

But the most powerful thing that all of us can do, regardless of our competing beliefs, is encourage and maintain happiness in our own lives, and in the lives of those around us. Happiness allows us to access the best within us. It helps keep us healthy, creative, and full of life. And it is in that condition that we truly can be the most help.

It is not disrespectful to be happy when others are sad; it is disrespectful to the Universe not to be. We have so many blessings, the only appropriate and intelligent response is gratitude, joy and appreciation. Increasing the overall level of happiness in the world is always a good thing. It empowers us and others and makes all of us more capable of relieving suffering in whatever small ways we can.

So, don't let your emotions be controlled by external events. Choose happiness. In good times, you may not even have to choose it, it blossoms naturally. But in trying times, in times of trauma, disaster and distress, you must step up to the plate and consciously choose to be happy. Otherwise, you fall victim to a general malaise that sets in when people feel powerless to influence their own lives, powerless to promote positive change.

You always have power -- the power to be happy, and the power to share that happiness with others. You are not able to directly help someone trapped beneath the rubble in Port au Prince, but that does not mean you should sink into despair and turn your back on the people you can help right here, right now.

Tragedy is by definition a terrible thing. We don't need to compound it by victimizing ourselves through abdicating our power. We can make a difference, not only in our own lives, but also in the lives of others. And it all begins within. It all begins with choosing happiness again and again and again. And moving forward with a smile in your eyes.

Does Your Job Make You Happy?

A new survey by The Conference Board just came out, and job satisfaction here in the U.S. is at an all-time low. Less than half, a mere 45%, of workers say that they are satisfied with their jobs. In 1987 when The Conference Board began their survey 61% of workers expressed job satisfaction. In the ensuing 22 years, what's happened?

Well, perhaps the number one factor is the continuing economic recession. While you might think that most people would be happy just to have a job, that's not the case. Because so many people have been laid off, downsized, or screwed (whatever euphemism you care to use), by there employers, there are even more under-employed workers than there are unemployed. The under-employed are doing jobs for which they are over-qualified, and which hold little challenge, and lower pay. Hence, rampant dissatisfaction.

In the inaugural 1987 survey, nearly 70% of those surveyed said that their work was interesting. This year, barely more than half, 51%, said they found work interesting. No interest = no happiness.

Furthermore all other measures of job satisfaction decreased both from 1987 levels. These include feeling secure in their job (59>47%), liking their co-workers (69>57%), satisfied with their commute (63>56%), and satisfied with their boss (60>51%).

The overall picture is grim -- about half the workers in America don't like what they spend most of their time doing! If you're one of those millions upon millions, what can you do about it?

1) Follow your passion. Don't like what you're doing? Find out what you do like. No, don't find what you "like," find what you love! What gets you completely jazzed? What makes your heart sing? Where does your energy want to go? I'm not saying that you should just walk in tomorrow and quit your job. Listen to the voice of experience: I've done the quit and run routine (numerous times), and it makes for sort of a bumpy landing! No, explore your passion, develop the skills necessary, and keep your eyes open for possibilities to turn passion into profit. I've done that, too, and it can make the transition amazingly smooth. When the time is right to make the leap, you'll know it. And your old, unsatisfying job will be just another line on your resume.

2) Gut it out. For a whole variety of reasons, leaving your job and following your passion may not be feasible right now. So, buck up, Skippy, and do what you need to do at work, and then concentrate the majority of your time and energy on making the rest of your life more fulfilling and exciting. Your job sucks, but your friends and family may be absolutely first rate. You may have a killer hobby (i.e. passion) that brings you untold hours of happiness. You may create an amazing, happy life in which your job is just a small dark corner. And while this may not be ideal, it may be the best you can do ... for now.

3) Be on a constant job hunt. If even strategy number two won't give you the temporary quality of life that you need, devote as much time as possible to finding your next, more fulfilling, job. Make it a game. The Great Freakin' Job Hunt Game! Brainstorm ways in which you can use your present job as a stepping stone to your next position, either inside or outside the company you work for now. Network incessantly. Read the classifieds everyday, search Internet job sites, talk with friends, join your college alumni association -- there are more ways to look for jobs than there are hours in the day. And remember: Reward yourself for incremental steps. Don't wait until you have the perfect position to celebrate -- find joy in every small accomplishment.

4) Make your current job better. Impossible, you say. Not really. If the work itself bores you to tears, can you do it in a new, more interesting way. If not, what else is there about your job that you can change to make yourself happier? Or, what is there about your job, besides the work itself, that you can gain satisfaction from. Can you develop true friendships with some of your co-workers? Can you maximize the perks, so that it softens the pain of the daily grind? Can you find the gallows humor in your grim situation? Can you steal enough pens to start an office supply business online?

5) Appreciate what you've got. Back to a happiness strategy that we've talked about on numerous occasions -- gratitude. At least you've got a job! And you're probably not cleaning turds out of toilets either. And no matter how crappy your job is, you don't have nearly the stress that President Obama has with his. And then look at the rest of your life. My bet is that you've got a lot to be thankful for. If you can't change it right now, accept it, appreciate it, and you will be in a much more powerful position to initiate positive change in the near future.

So, the bad news is that most people aren't satisfied with their work, don't like their jobs. The good news is that they don't have to wallow in dissatisfaction. In this crazy life, change is truly the only constant. And happiness always begins within, with the decision to change your mind, change your behavior, change your life.

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Are you one of the folks who can't stand their job? I currently have three openings in my life coaching practice, and your initial consultation is FREE! Just give me a call at 574/532-9288, or email me at DTEastman@aol.com to find out more.

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