Obstacles Hindering Contentment: An Overview
In a groundbreaking study by psychologist Steven C. Hayes and his colleagues, a new approach to experiencing happiness has been proposed. Contrary to popular belief, the key to happiness lies not in pursuing it directly, but rather in how we pursue it.
Hayes argues that clinging to positive feelings is problematic and dysfunctional. This can lead to losing sight of the purpose of emotions and their role as guides in the present. Instead, positive emotions are valuable because they pass, and we should seek, create, and enjoy them, and then let them go.
This philosophy forms the basis of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), a therapeutic approach developed by Hayes. ACT encourages psychological flexibility — the ability to be present, accept internal experiences rather than avoid or control them, and commit to actions aligned with personal values.
Instead of trying to eliminate negative thoughts or feelings, ACT encourages accepting them as part of the human experience. This approach helps avoid common traps like experiential avoidance or getting stuck in self-criticism.
In ACT, happiness is not about constant positive emotions but about living a meaningful life consistent with one's values, even in the presence of pain or difficulty. Hayes emphasizes techniques such as mindfulness—being fully present in the moment—and perspective-taking, which help reduce attachment to unhelpful thoughts and foster self-compassion.
A key aspect of ACT is accepting negative feelings, letting go, and using that energy to act consciously and committedly in line with one's values. Constantly trying to avoid or suppress negative emotions can unintentionally strengthen them.
Hayes advises doing something loving to feel more love, creating something beautiful to see more beauty, trying to catch a happy moment and letting it pass, and asking oneself what a small thing they can do to bring more happiness into their life.
However, the strategy of "Experiential Attachment", holding onto positive feelings, led to a consistent decrease in happiness for most participants. True happiness comes from perceiving, enjoying, and letting go of things, not from demanding consistency.
Dorothee Salchow, a trainer and coach for Positive Psychology, emphasizes the importance of allowing all emotions and feelings to exist. Among those who applied the "Positivity Prioritizing" principle, there was a subgroup for whom it worked as a "happiness booster", but another subgroup for whom it didn't help directly, and others who fell into the "clinging trap".
Suppressing negative emotions like sadness, fear, or insecurity is counterproductive and can exacerbate fears and negatively impact well-being and health. Emotions, whether positive or negative, have their benefits. Negative emotions alert us to potential problems that may need action, while positive emotions contribute to our well-being.
US psychologist Steven C. Hayes, co-founder of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and foundation professor at the University of Nevada in Reno, writes about the difficulty of achieving happiness due to the way people approach it. ACT offers a fresh perspective on happiness, focusing on acceptance, mindfulness, and commitment to values, rather than on chasing pleasure or avoiding pain directly. This approach cultivates long-term wellbeing and resilience.
- SuCCumbing to the strategy of "Experiential Attachment," holding onto positive feelings, might inadvertently decrease happiness for some people, as noted by US psychologist Steven C. Hayes, the co-founder of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).
- In the realm of health-and-wellness, mental-health, and therapies-and-treatments, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) proposes a unique philosophy where happiness is not about constant positive emotions, but rather living a life driven by one's values and enhanced by mindfulness practices, while accepting both positive and negative emotions as part of the human experience.
