What is flourishing?

It’s a pretty profound question, really. Fortunately, we’re not the first to ask.

Flourishing is multi-dimensional. There is no single, simple soundbite kind of answer. But, here are some of the most concise definitions we have to offer or pass along:

  • Wholeness.

    In possibly every language, words like peace, flourishing, health, & harmony mean wholeness.

  • Connection.

    The ability to connect meaningfully & lovingly to self, others, & the natural world in the present moment, most of the time.

  • Capacity.

    “The degree to which one is able to express & manifest their essence." — Carol Sanford

Can it be measured?

In one of the great unassigned group projects of our species, artists, scientists, researchers, philosophers, farmers, spiritual teachers, & so many more, unbounded by time & place, contribute to our collective understanding of wellbeing & flourishing.

Mysteries remain. Cultural & historical biases affect the questions we ask. But, if we are what we measure, shouldn’t we try to measure our flourishing?

What could happen if we began to make our primary metric flourishing instead of profits? What if a place were judged, instead of on their GDP, or even their Walk Score, on their Flourishing Score?

We’ve made a Flourishing Self-Assessment as a synthesis & interpretation of our observations to date.

 

(Actually, regularly taking the Flourishing Self-Assessment is the best way we know to really absorb the whole of the concept.)