HAPPINESS RELOADED Dr Nash Popovic Personal Well Being Centre University of East London

Happiness formulas PA – NE + LS = SWB PA – NE + LS = SWB PWB (Riff): PWB (Riff): self-acceptance self-acceptance personal growth personal growth positive relations with others positive relations with others Autonomy Autonomy environmental mastery environmental mastery purpose in life purpose in life 15

The dimensions of human live Existence (being) Agency (doing) External Internal 20

Existence Agency External Internal Hedonic happiness Eudemonic happiness 20

Hedonic happiness Delightful (not pleasure) Delightful (not pleasure) State State Pursuit of happiness Pursuit of happiness Effortless Effortless Immediate experience Immediate experience Eudemonic happiness Meaning, worthwhileness Meaning, worthwhileness Process (progress) Process (progress) Happiness of pursuit Happiness of pursuit Effort Effort Long term goals Long term goals 25

ExistenceAgency External Internal Hedonic happiness Eudemonic happiness Peace of mind Feeling goodMeaning, worthwhile Personal development 25

ExistenceAgency External Internal Hedonic happiness Eudemonic happiness Peace of mind Realisation Expectation Feeling good Three good things Savouring Flow Meaning, worthwhile (contribution) Personal development cognitive experiential behavioural 30

Feeling good Not only pleasant feelings Not only pleasant feelings Feeling good is more about appropriate feelings, so you can feel sad and feel good at the same time. Feeling good is more about appropriate feelings, so you can feel sad and feel good at the same time. Even fear and anger can sometimes feel good, and pleasant feelings – if inappropriate can affect negatively your peace of mind Even fear and anger can sometimes feel good, and pleasant feelings – if inappropriate can affect negatively your peace of mind Not confined to carnal pleasures - playing with children, reading a book, even spiritual experiences Not confined to carnal pleasures - playing with children, reading a book, even spiritual experiences Depth Depth 30

Three good things today (Seligman at al, 2005) Before going to sleep, think of, or write down, three good things that happened that day (e.g. nice weather, you smiled at somebody, somebody smiled at you, you felt healthy or achieved something, some good news). Do this for a week. 35

What is the figure and what is the background in your life? The positive or the negative? What the ‘three good things’ intervention does to us 35

Savouring The capacity to attend to, appreciate and enhance the positive experiences in one’s life. Bryant & Veroff (2007) 40

Flow Complete concentration Complete concentration An effortless control over your actions An effortless control over your actions Action and one who act merge Action and one who act merge No sense of self (or self- consciousness) No sense of self (or self- consciousness) No sense of time No sense of time Being absorbed (rather than absorbing) Being absorbed (rather than absorbing) 40

Peace of mind Not having internal conflict Not having internal conflictRealisationExpectation Expectations (desires we are attached to) Expectations (desires we are attached to) We lose peace of mind when expectation is greater than realisation, in: We lose peace of mind when expectation is greater than realisation, in: The past (regret, guilt, shame) The past (regret, guilt, shame) The present (self-rejection), The present (self-rejection), The future (worrying) The future (worrying) So, peace of mind can be achieved by either increasing realisation or reducing expectation. So, peace of mind can be achieved by either increasing realisation or reducing expectation. 45

Personal Development Three dimensions of personal development: Cognitive (developing knowledge, understanding, reasoning, analysing abilities, but also skills) Cognitive (developing knowledge, understanding, reasoning, analysing abilities, but also skills) Experiential: enriching one’s experience quantitatively (variety) or qualitatively (depth, subtlety) Experiential: enriching one’s experience quantitatively (variety) or qualitatively (depth, subtlety) Conative (will, behaviour): self-regulation, or self- discipline Conative (will, behaviour): self-regulation, or self- discipline 50

Meaning And that ‘feeling that one’s life has some meaning and purpose is associated with happiness’. (Argyle, 1987, p.215) And that ‘feeling that one’s life has some meaning and purpose is associated with happiness’. (Argyle, 1987, p.215) Meaningful actions can even transcend death (and therefore reduce the fear of death) Meaningful actions can even transcend death (and therefore reduce the fear of death) Usually involves some form of transcendence (beyond your own interest) and contribution such as: Usually involves some form of transcendence (beyond your own interest) and contribution such as: Helping others Helping others Fighting for a cause Fighting for a cause Creating something of value (e.g. a piece of art) Creating something of value (e.g. a piece of art) Discovery, invention Discovery, invention Passing knowledge Passing knowledge 55

Existence Agency External Internal Hedonic happiness Eudemonic happiness Peace of mind Realisation Expectation Feeling good Three good things Savouring Flow Meaning, worthwhile (contribution) Personal development (Cognitive, experiential, behavioural) PRACTICE 55