7 Ways to Boost Eudaimonia Well-Being

​Discover modern perspectives and tips to help you achieve a more fulfilling life.

Another way to understand happiness is with the concept of eudaimonia, which combines eu (good) and daimon (spirit). Eudaimonia has been defined as a life well-lived, or human flourishing. A systematic review on eudaimonia found that most definitions include the following four elements (Huta & Waterman, 2014):

• Authenticity
• Excellence
• Growth
• Meaning

Ways to Increase Eudaimonia Well-Being

​We’ve talked a lot about eudaimonia, but perhaps you still need more help to create it. Here are a few actionable steps that you can take to promote eudaimonia:

1. Express your values and stick to them

We all have different values. If something is truly important to you, try your best to stand by it, even when others don’t agree. This will also help you feel true to yourself (see #6).

2. Write down your biggest goals

I know this sounds like a daunting task but hear me out. This isn’t your usual career goal or where you want to see yourself in 20 years. These are goals that reflect your core values. Sure, they can be related to your career, but think about it at a broader level. For example, some of my big goals are ‘to help people who are struggling’ and ‘to stand up for marginalized groups’. 

3. Develop and refine your skills and capabilities

No matter who you are, you are good at something (or many things). You have traits that can help you achieve your goals (re: #2). Maybe you’re good at giving advice, or your detail-oriented, or you have an ear for music. Whatever it is, focus your efforts on developing the skills that bring you joy. 

4. Focus on the quality, not quantity, of your relationships

This might seem obvious, but social connections play a major role in well-being. Of course, you’ll form new relationships as you start different chapters of your life but remember not to neglect the people you cherish and truly care about. This can be as simple as expressing gratitude or calling them now and then to check-in. Also, sometimes relationships are no longer serving us, which may mean it’s time for those to end.

5. Do the things you genuinely want to do ​

​As you read earlier, you might engage in something because it’s personally rewarding (i.e., intrinsic motivation) or externally rewarding (i.e., extrinsic motivation). Find things you love to do, and not only have to do. Yes, life is full of responsibilities and activities that are extrinsically motivated, but even a few side hobbies that bring you joy can be helpful in the long run. 

6. Be authentic and true to yourself

Have you ever felt not quite like ‘yourself’ after saying or doing something? Me too. We all have those moments. It’s not a comfortable feeling because it feels like you’re lying to yourself. It’s no wonder that authenticity is such a big part of eudaimonia.

7. Do Positive Activities

What are some things you can do in daily life to promote eudaimonia? A study by Steger and colleagues (2008) outlined the following eudaimonia activities:

• Volunteering one’s time
• Giving money to someone in need
• Writing out one’s future goals
• Expressing gratitude for another’s actions
• Carefully listening to another’s point of view
• Confiding in someone about something that is of personal importance
• Persevering at valued goals despite obstacles

References

• Hursthouse, R. (1999). On virtue ethics. Oxford University Press.
• Huta, V., & Waterman, A. S. (2014). Eudaimonia and its distinction from hedonia: Developing a classification and terminology for understanding conceptual and operational definitions. Journal of Happiness Studies, 15(6), 1425–1456.
• Steger, M. F., Kashdan, T. B., & Oishi, S. (2008). Being good by doing good: Daily eudaimonic activity and well-being. Journal of Research in Personality, 42(1), 22–42.