Twelve questions to look at your life with honesty: the Harvard human flourishing questionnaire

In 2017, Tyler VanderWeele published a simple proposal in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences: a twelve-question questionnaire that measures, in five minutes, a person's flourishing across its six dimensions. It is not a personality test. It is not a clinical diagnosis. It is a tool for reflection that has been applied to more than two hundred thousand people in twenty-two countries, and which Harvard offers openly for use in research, in schools, in religious communities, and, yes, also at home.

We bring it into English and adapt it slightly to the context of this stage of life. The instruction is simple: answer them yourself, in silence, with a coffee or tea by your side. Not to add up a global score—that is not the goal—but to see where each part of your life stands right now. Some areas will shine. Others will ask for care.

How to respond

• Each question is answered from 0 to 10.

• 0 is the lowest response; 10, the highest.

• Do not overthink: write down the first thing that comes to mind.

• Jot down the twelve numbers on a piece of paper. Then we will look at what they say.

The twelve questions

Happiness and life satisfaction

1. Overall, how satisfied are you with your life as a whole nowadays? 0 = not satisfied at all · 10 = completely satisfied

2. In general, how happy or unhappy do you feel? 0 = extremely unhappy · 10 = extremely happy

Physical and mental health

1. How would you describe your physical health at this moment? 0 = very poor · 10 = excellent

2. How would you describe your mental and emotional health at this moment? 0 = very poor · 10 = excellent

Meaning and purpose

1. Overall, to what extent do you feel the things you do in your life are worthwhile? 0 = not at all worthwhile · 10 = completely worthwhile

2. “I understand my purpose in life.” 0 = strongly disagree · 10 = strongly agree

Character and virtue

1. “I always act to promote good, even in difficult situations.” 0 = not like me at all · 10 = completely like me

2. “I am able to delay immediate happiness for a greater joy later on.” 0 = not like me at all · 10 = completely like me

Close social relationships

1. “I am content with my friendships and relationships.” 0 = strongly disagree · 10 = strongly agree

2. “My relationships are as satisfying as I would like them to be.” 0 = strongly disagree · 10 = strongly agree

Financial and material stability

1. How often do you worry about being able to meet normal monthly living expenses? 0 = worry all the time · 10 = do not worry at all

2. How often do you worry about safety, food, or housing? 0 = worry all the time · 10 = do not worry at all

How to read your responses

The Harvard team suggests looking at the result by dimensions, not as a global score. Combine the two questions from each dimension and calculate their average. You will have six numbers between 0 and 10:

• Happiness and satisfaction → average of questions 1 and 2.

• Physical and mental health → average of questions 3 and 4.

• Meaning and purpose → average of questions 5 and 6.

• Character and virtue → average of questions 7 and 8.

• Close relationships → average of questions 9 and 10.

• Material stability → average of questions 11 and 12.

A flourishing life does not need a 10 in everything. It needs us not to abandon any of the six dimensions.

To give you an idea: the average in Spain and other European countries usually hovers between 6 and 8 in each dimension, except for material stability, which is often lower. The important thing is not to compare your score with an average, but to compare your score with itself. Which dimension is weakest in your life right now? What is the reason for this? What small change can you start this month?

Five questions to examine the result

Once you have your six scores, we propose five more questions:

1. In which dimension do you feel you have grown the most over the last five years?

2. In which one have you lost ground?

3. Which one would demand attention this year, if it were time to care for just one?

4. Who knows you well enough to help you look at this map with honesty?

5. If you were to ask yourself these questions again in five years, how would you like your numbers to have changed?

Why this fits the Thenomba journey

The twelve questions touch precisely on the four dimensions most cared for in the Senior journey: meaning, character, relationships, and learning. Physical health and financial stability are looked after by other professionals. But four of the six are cultivated, above all, with good readings, good conversations, and a supportive community.

If you have taken the questionnaire and feel that any of those four dimensions is calling for attention, this is one of the best times to begin caring for it. That is exactly where Thenomba accompanies you.

Questionnaire adapted from the Human Flourishing Measure, developed by Tyler J. VanderWeele at the Harvard Human Flourishing Program. The translation is our own and has been revised for the Spanish senior context. English version and complete references at hfh.fas.harvard.edu/measuring-flourishing .

Cover image generated with artificial intelligence.