Happiness Curriculum Framework, Entrepreneurship Mindset Curriculum

Happiness is the underlying aspiration behind every human activity. Indeed, there is unanimous consensus among human beings. Is happiness something to be understood, experienced & achieved or does it just come to us at its own time? Do possibilities of happiness lie within us or outside? These are questions that concern adults and children alike. 12 According to A. Nagraj (1999), a state of no-conflict, synergy, or a state of being in acceptance is happiness.’ He also stated that when one is in harmony within and with the world outside, one experiences absence of struggle or synergy, and feels the need to make this state sustainable and continuous. Further, an inner state of happiness promotes factors that allow individuals, communities and societies to thrive and flourish.
Happiness at the outset can be seen to come from the fulfilment of our desires. Many of our desires are to do with fulfilment through the five senses such as when we play a game, listen to pleasant music, eat a tasty meal, smell a flower, etc. The satisfaction we derive out of such actions is in the form of pleasure.
In addition to such sensory pleasures, we also experience happiness and satisfaction, when our desire for feelings such as security, love, affection and care are fulfilled in all our relationships. From a developmental perspective, as children grow up, their cognitive, psychomotor and affective abilities develop further. As per Piaget’s theory of cognitive and affective development (1983), theoretical and hypothetical thinking, and abstract reasoning start to develop during their developmental years. There develops a strong desire in them to seek knowledge, to understand the world and to find meaning and purpose in life.

• Nagraj (1999) proposed a model for happiness, in which he addresses the four dimensions of human living as an integrated form of the material, behavioural, intellectual & experiential aspects. These correspond to our senses, feelings, learning (understanding) & awareness. Put together, these form a ‘happiness triad’. In other words, human beings seek fulfilment from all these aspects of living, which correspondingly results in happiness, peace, satisfaction, etc that together constitute ‘human happiness’:

The Triad for Happiness:

1. Through our senses:
   This is the pleasure we get via inputs through the 5 senses of sight, sound, touch, smell and taste. We can observe/experience that happiness through our senses like eating good food, watching a film, or listening to music is highly enjoyable but shorter in duration.
2. Feelings in relationships:
   We intrinsically desire feelings like affection, care, gratitude, respect in all our relationships, be it friends, family and society. These feelings establish the value of a relationship and thus they are called ‘values’. This kind of happiness is deeper happiness. We expect these feelings to be fulfilled. These expectations can’t be fulfilled by any material or physical things, but by feelings only. It is when these expectations are met that we feel happy. Also, when we internally feel values of affection, trust, respect, gratitude for someone, happiness from such feelings stays with us for a longer time than that derived through the senses. This is Deeper Happiness. Their impact on our inner state is long and helps us ‘be’ in a relationship.
3. Sustainable Happiness/ Learning (change in behaviour according to constructive understanding) & Awareness:
   This is to do with being aware of our thoughts, being mindful of our actions and being free from internal conflict. This happiness is what we experience when we solve a problem, learn something new, understand a concept or some meaning that stays with us for a much longer period. Hence, this is Sustainable Happiness, which involves clarity of thought, deeper understanding of self, being able to focus, being mindful, finding cause, purpose and interconnectedness in our living, etc.