6 Universal Truths For Being Happy Together On Earth

The following is adapted from One People One Planet.

I believe our life on earth can be a beautiful experience, but I am well aware of the challenges it brings. Along with the beauty and joy we often feel, we all experience heartache, loneliness, discouragement, failure, and troubled relationships. These experiences can be very painful and difficult to overcome.?

In addition, recurring problems seem to cycle through every generation in nearly every country: intolerance, racial discrimination, civil unrest, hatred among political parties, and conflict between nations. It doesn’t seem like we learn from our history. But what if we had a credible solution that actually worked to help us overcome the human hardships we face on earth??

I am excited to share a path with you that can help all of us increase our joy and live peacefully together on this planet—and it works for everyone. This path consists of six enduring principles that have been around for thousands of years.?

These principles were first introduced and taught by some of the most influential leaders the world has ever known. The Hindu sages discovered them more than 4,000 years ago; Buddha reinforced them 2,500 years ago; Jesus taught them 2,000 years ago; and Muhammad reintroduced them 1,500 years ago. In our own time, recent research in the field of positive psychology has shown that these principles actually do improve the quality of our lives.

It doesn’t matter who we are, where we live, how we were raised, what we believe, or how much education we have obtained. Following these six principles can help all of us experience greater personal joy, more satisfying relationships, and healthier communities. This shared path can unite us rather than divide us, which is pretty exciting to me.

Find the Path to Happiness and Civility

The six universal principles introduced by our great teachers provide a strong path to happiness and civility in our lives. Following this path leads to joy, peace, and satisfying relationships. If we veer from this path, we are more likely to experience sorrow, unhappiness, and troubled relationships.

As you learn about the six principles, you will see that happiness and civility are inseparably connected. The principles produce greater happiness and also greater civility in our relationships.?

This is crucial, because civility cannot be legislated, mandated, or enforced by governments—it comes from internalizing civil values in our lives. In other words, as we become happier, we also become more civil, and becoming more civil reinforces our happiness.

1: Give Up the Ego

The first principle is to give up the ego. We all possess “two selves” in this life. One is our “true self,” which has tremendous potential to learn, grow, and obtain genuine happiness. The second is our “ego,” which develops based on our experiences, feedback from others, successes, and failures. In other words, it is a fabrication we carry around with us that isn’t who we really are or could become.?

This “egoic self” sets bounds and limitations on our lives and can hijack our happiness. Giving up this artificial ego opens our lives to greater growth and more authentic joy.

2: Refrain from Judging

Giving up the ego is important, but it’s just the first step. Next, we must learn to refrain from judging.

We construct images of other people in the same way we construct images of ourselves. These perceptions are often based on rather superficial cues: color, race, nationality, physical features, education, livelihood, place of residence, and so on. The problem is, our perceptions of others are always incomplete, often inaccurate, and sometimes dead wrong.?

These biases we develop can lead to personal alienation, divisions between groups, and tension in communities. Overcoming our tendencies to judge leads to more satisfying relationships and greater happiness.

3: Do Good Deeds Daily

As we give up our egos and refrain from judging, we are more inclined to engage in good deeds in our relationships and our communities. Good deeds obviously benefit the receivers of the kindness, but they also benefit the givers.?

Numerous studies show that serving others can significantly improve our emotional health, physical health, and even our longevity. In addition, doing good deeds helps us realize we have value and something to contribute to the world, which increases our feelings of self-worth and overall life satisfaction.

4: Forgive One Another

Another important part of living more joyfully and with more civility is forgiving those around us. The more relationships we develop in life, the more likely we are to offend and be offended by others. Making mistakes is a normal part of our human experience. Holding grudges against people who harm us, however, can canker our souls.

When we hold grudges and refuse to forgive, it’s like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die. Forgiving one another is a critical component for healing ourselves emotionally and increasing our personal peace.

5: Share Our Good Fortune

Craving for possessions can lead to sorrow when we don’t have them, but obtaining them creates a different set of problems: attachment, greed, hoarding, lust, and fear of losing what we have.?

Here’s the thing: None of our great sages taught that having material possessions, or even great wealth, is wrong. What is wrong is an intense attachment and love for these things. Research confirms that attachment to material possessions can produce stress and frustration, while generosity is related to vitality, self-esteem, and overall quality of life.

6: Care for Our Needy

We are all connected as a human family and our actions cause ripples of reactions around us. Hence, if we take care of the needy, we are taking care of ourselves and our communities.?

When we mentor the poor in basic principles of self-reliance, household income goes up, nutrition improves, children are able to go to school, families are happier, and the economy of the community improves. Plus, when the poor start developing modest means, they often become generous givers themselves.

Become Happier and More Resilient

I have seen these six principles help convicted felons who want to transform their lives from dark despair to genuine happiness and harmony. I have seen them work for women who have been rescued from the slave trade and are now living lives they never dreamed possible. I have seen them work for people living in poverty around the world who have improved their lives and their communities. Most of all, I have seen them work for everyday men and women who simply want to be happier, healthier, and live more rewarding lives.

When we strive to apply these six principles in our lives, we find that they build on each other. As we give up our mortally constructed ego, we are less judgmental and more open to others. As we refrain from superficial judgments, we are more inclined to do good deeds for people. As we devote time to serving others, we are more forgiving when offenses occur. As our relationships grow stronger, we are more likely to detach from our possessions and share what we have. As our capacity to share expands, we find those among us who truly need our assistance.?

If we continue to cycle through this process, the principles become a more permanent part of our lives. Our challenges will not go away, but we will be happier, have greater support in life, and be more resilient when hardships arise.

For more advice on how to increase your joy and live more peacefully, you can find One People One Planet on Amazon.

Michael Glauser is an entrepreneur, business consultant, and university professor. He has built successful companies in the retail, wholesale, and educational industries and has worked with hundreds of businesses—from startups to multinational enterprises—in leadership development, communication, team building, and organizational strategy.

Today, Mike serves as Executive Director of the Center for Entrepreneurship in the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University. He’s also the Director of the SEED self-sufficiency program, helping people around the world to improve their standard of living and benefit their communities through entrepreneurship.