A decade into the birth of positive psychology, right as the field was bursting with research on human flourishing, psychologist Antonella Delle Fave decided to return to the basics—to the very definitions of happiness. Together with an international team of colleagues, Delle Fave asked people from seven countries first, and from 12 countries some years later, to share their lay definitions of happiness. The findings were striking: for most people, happiness meant inner harmony and harmony in relationships.

“In 2011, when the first study was published, there was little attention in positive psychology on these crucial dimensions,” Delle Fave recalls. “Now, I wouldn’t be surprised if harmony will at some point be considered a basic psychological need.”

Harmony is at the heart of well-being

Across cultures and philosophical traditions, from the ancient Greeks to Confucian teachings, harmony—with self, others, and the world—has long been heralded as an integral aspect of well-being. Etymologically, at the heart of the word harmony is the notion of concord and relationality: a dynamic coming together of different components that, through their mutual support and dependence, allow things to flourish. Emerging research in psychology continues to highlight harmony’s role in a good life, with scholars describing it as a core quality of mental health and as the “golden thread” running through all aspects of well-being.

Harmony may be key to life altogether.

“Thousands of........

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