Obstacles Impeding Contentment: An Examination
In a groundbreaking study, Dr. Steven C. Hayes, co-founder of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and his colleagues observed how individuals seek and experience happiness. The study revealed two strategies: "Experiential Attachment" and "Positivity Prioritizing."
Experiential Attachment refers to the attempt to hold onto positive feelings experienced, while Positivity Prioritizing is consciously seeking positive experiences. The research showed that pursuing happiness wisely, without falling into 'traps' that drain life energy, led to less happiness for some participants.
However, the study also highlighted a subgroup where the pursuit of happiness worked like a "happiness booster" over the study period. On the other hand, another subgroup didn't benefit directly from the pursuit of happiness.
Emotions, whether positive or negative, play a crucial role in our lives. Negative feelings can alert us that something is not right and may require action, while positive emotions contribute to our well-being. Dr. Hayes emphasizes that all emotions should be allowed to exist.
Clinging to positive feelings, however, is problematic and dysfunctional, as it can lead to losing sight of the purpose of emotions. This is where ACT comes into play. ACT encourages psychological flexibility through accepting thoughts and feelings without struggling with them, staying present, and taking committed action aligned with personal values.
ACT helps avoid the "avoidance trap" (running from pain) and the "clinging trap" (desperately trying to hold onto joy). Instead, it teaches to pursue happiness by noticing and savoring positive experiences without demanding permanence or trying to control emotions.
Dr. Hayes advises to do something loving to feel more love, create something beautiful to see more beauty, try to catch a happy moment and let it pass, and ask oneself what a small thing can be done to create more happiness in life. Emotions should guide us in the present, and emotions like warning lights on a dashboard signal what's happening.
Meanwhile, in Hamm, the metal scene is making a difference by donating sleeping bags to Caritas Hamm. The construction work on Goethestraße is also nearing completion.
As Hammer Sportclub moves closer to the German championship title, it's a reminder that happiness can be found in engaging fully with life and letting emotions come and go rather than resisting or clinging to them.
[1] Hayes, S. C., Strosahl, K. D., & Wilson, K. G. (1999). Acceptance and commitment therapy: An experiential approach to behavior change. New York: Guilford Press.
[2] Hayes, S. C., & Hayes, S. T. P. (2012). Get out of your mind and into your life: The new accept-then-change approach to personal development and inner peace. New York: St. Martin's Press.
[3] Hayes, S. C., & Smith, V. A. (2005). The mindful way through depression: Freeing yourself from chronic unhappiness. New York: Guilford Press.
[4] Hayes, S. C., & Wilson, K. G. (2013). Mindfulness and acceptance: Understanding depression and anxiety. New York: Guilford Press.
- The groundbreaking study led by Dr. Steven C. Hayes suggests that successful pursuit of happiness involves psychological flexibility, as advocated by Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), which encourages individuals to accept and savor positive feelings, rather than clinging to them, for better mental health and well-being.
- Embracing the principles of health-and-wellness and mental-health, Dr. Hayes advocates for engaging fully with life, allowing all emotions to exist, and finding happiness in everyday experiences, rather than striving to hold onto positive feelings, a potentially problematic strategy that can hinder mental health growth.
