Eudamonia

Flourishing - which I equate with feeling fully alive - is not just a feeling of happiness or contentment but a condition of growth and development. It is achieved through the choices we make and the actions we take rather than being a result of our emotional state. The ancient Greeks, including Aristotle, referred to this concept as eudaimonia. Whereas the hedonic view equates happiness with pleasure, comfort, and enjoyment, the eudaimonic view equates happiness with the human ability to pursue complex goals which are meaningful to the individual and society. Usually, we speak in this context of a virtuous person.