PsyNet
The five 'Hows' hehind sustainable Happiness
Since early last year, we have introduced in this column the happiness exercises suggested by Prof Sonja Lyubomirsky in her book, "The How of Happiness". You may find it relatively easy to experience momentary happiness while practising such exercises. To sustain the feeling of happiness, Prof Lyubomirsky recommends mastering the following five "hows".
Positive Emotions: Frequent positive emotions are the hallmark of happiness. The happiness exercises described before can always produce surges of positive emotions, which would not only make us feel good but also boost creativity and improve inter-personal relationships. And all these would also enhance our resilience and well-being.
Optimal Timing and Variety: Monotonous repetition of happiness activities would only lead to boredom. For practising happiness exercises, suitable timing and frequency are essential. Changing the formats of practising would bring us a sense of freshness and the greatest satisfaction.
Social Support: Many research findings have confirmed the importance of social support. Support in terms of information, assistance or support for emotions would motivate us to persist in practising happiness exercises and pursuing a happy life.
Motivation, Effort and Commitment: Determination and effort are important for continuous practice of happiness exercises. Motivation is a catalyst if we want to live happily. Our passion would motivate us to practise hard and reinforce our determination and effort.
Habit: Another important factor is to turn happiness exercise practice into a habit by using different skills, such as savouring coffee in breakfast or taking a positive view in a difficult situation.
"Operation Happiness" of DCP (OPS)
As Deputy Commissioner (Operations) (DCP OPS), Mr Tang Kam-moon is in charge of the operational planning of the Force. For happiness, however, he doesn't have any plan or make a special effort to pursue one. His recipe for happiness is simply "choosing what I like."
On how to derive happiness from heavy workload, Mr Tang said: "The key to being a happy police officer is having a passion and interest in the job. This will bring enthusiasm and a sense of mission, which will strengthen resilience and turn difficulties into challenges, giving us satisfaction with our work."
Mr Tang is fond of hiking to train up his physique. Likening hiking to police work, he said: "The destination of hiking is just like that of a career. Different trails are like different stages of the career. There are paths with beautiful sceneries or rugged terrains but hiking lovers would not flinch and would take them in their strides. They take them as part of the journey leading to another striking view of the natural beauty and, eventually, to the final destination. The process would bring happiness but a journey without challenges would be boring."
For Mr Tang, police work is like a challenging hiking adventure, with ups and downs, as well as times of happiness and frustration. For difficult times, Mr Tang's wisdom is "to focus on bigger goals and persist in making an effort, and remain convinced that the present difficulty is just a temporary interlude. Assess your situation, understand your own limitations, and flexibly adopt other alternatives if there is a blind alley ahead."
Mr Tang believes that everyone needs "personal space". The key thing is choosing an activity that suits one's interest instead of following the trends in society. Besides hiking, Mr Tang finds his space in angling from which he enjoys tranquillity and finds a lot of fun. Angling also gives him a vast space where his mind can wander freely with serenity. Mr Tang also enjoys gatherings with his friends to reminisce about the good old days, where he can take a temporary break from his work and strike a work-life balance.
