5 Greek Words That Perfectly Describe What True Happiness Is

Responsible for the birth of Western civilization, it seems only right that the Greeks would know a thing or two about true happiness. Money can’t buy happiness as modern-day Greeks are all too well aware so what is the secret to achieving the ideal state of mind?

Read on for 5 Greek words that will teach you what true happiness is.

Self-control: Almost. Moderation: Not quite. Deep awareness of one’s true self: Working on it. It seems I’ve got quite a way to go in achieving sophrosyne, or a healthy state of mind.

Find out what your nepenthe is and stockpile as much of it as you can. I’d like to think people find nepenthe in the laughter of children, a beautiful sunset or a random act of kindness but to be honest all I can think of is rum.

‘Human flourishing’ is the key here. In order to thrive and blossom as a person you have to ensure that you’re always growing, always learning new lessons, always changing.

This may be a somewhat cynical addition to the list but it’s got to help, hasn’t it? To see beauty in all things and experience a world more beautiful than the real world truly is must really lighten your mood.

Arcadia was the name of a real Greek province during antiquity. A land of unspoiled wilderness far from city life, Arcadia was the poetic ideal of a life lived in harmony with nature. Your own personal Arcadia may look very different to this but wherever your Garden of Eden may be and whatever it may look like, true happiness may be achieved by simply walking towards it.