Week 6-NOC-Jul24-Sustainable Happiness.pdf

Sustainable Happiness T EL P by N Prof. Atasi Mohanty Rekhi Centre of E...

Sustainable Happiness T EL P by N Prof. Atasi Mohanty Rekhi Centre of Excellence for the Science of Happiness Module 06: Positive Psychology & Sustainable Happiness ❖ Positive character strengths for Sustainable Happiness ❖Positive Mindset & Character strengths- ▪ Good character is something everyone looks for in others , whether L they are employees, students, friends, or potential dating partners. E ▪ Often called character strengths, these are the good qualities that T people possess—a collection of positive traits that show people's P strengths—rather than a compilation of their faults and issues. N ▪ Positive psychology looks for strengths of character in people and help them build on those attributes in their lives. ▪ The work of positive psychologists like Seligman appears to show that the happiest people are those who have discovered their unique strengths (such as kindness & curiosity) and virtues (such as humanity & wisdom), and use these strengths and virtues for a purpose that is greater than their own personal goals (Seligman 2001). ▪ To achieve happiness or well-being, these personal strengths and abilities must be developed, thereby achieving balance and satisfaction in life. ▪ Seligman distinguishes three aspects of the concept of "happiness”: L pleasure, commitment and meaning. E ▪ People who believe they have a happier and fuller life are those who orient their lives towards these three aspects. T ▪ Wellbeing is considered in positive psychology the equivalent to P happiness , or “subjective well- being”, a state defined by each individual N with two components: the emotional component and the cognitive component. ▪ The objective of positive education is, therefore, to promote well-being by helping students/individuals identify and apply their different strengths. ▪ The confluence of the emotional education with positive education contributes to the happiness of individuals and their personal and social well-being, developing the integral personality of students to face daily challenges and emotional intelligence when working with values.  T EL N P  T EL N P  T EL N P The science of positive psychology has revealed several character strengths that are particularly connected with higher levels of happiness. Research studies show these few strengths might be considered “the happiness strengths ”: ✔ Zest- Engaging in physical exercise has been shown to increase energy L levels and improve endurance. E ✔ Hope- Take a moment to think about the upcoming year and imagine T your best possible self coming forward. Imagine that you are engaging in activities that are pleasing and you are working towards goals that are P important to you. ✔ Gratitude- Think of a person who has had a particular impact on you that N you have not properly thanked. ✔ Reflect on how you have positively benefited from their actions and then write them a letter expressing your gratitude. ✔ Curiosity- Can you find one thing surprising about this humdrum activity? ✔ Love- Engage in loving-kindness meditation. ✔ Find a comfortable space to sit quietly and practice wishing yourself and others happiness and peace. Over 75 percent of people have one of these strengths in their top five. ❑ The Reasons of being happy with- ⮚ Zest- When you use your zest strength you are being enthusiastic and excited about what’s going on in your life. You are doing behavioral activation—because you are lifting your L energy levels by taking action with your body and mind. E ⮚ Hope- To be hopeful means to be good at thinking about the future T and the various goals you want to accomplish. P Hopeful people are great at considering many different pathways to reach their goals and they have the confidence and motivation that N they can get there! ⮚ Gratitude- When we express gratitude we cause an immediate shift in our thinking and feeling. We feel positive emotions and think outside of our autopilot mind. Gratitude moves us outside of ourselves to connect with other people and thus can be viewed as a mechanism for building positive relationships. ⮚ Curiosity- The exercise of the curious part of our mind leads us to pursue the new and the different. It brings us to explore our world, ourselves, and other people. This, in turn, leads us to new discoveries and personal growth…and greater L well-being. E ⮚ Love- The strength of love involves both the giving and receiving of warmth T and closeness with others. P This is foundational for building healthy, positive relationships, which are viewed by researchers as one of the best pathways for boosting our happiness. N ⮚ Altruistic behaviors, encompass actions aimed at ensuring the well-being of others, without expecting anything in exchange. ⮚ Generosity is an important source of happiness; equitable behaviors are conceived as fairly treating others. ⮚ Virtues lead to personal growth, positive coexistence with others, psychological well-being, and the adaptation to the environment (Seligman et al., 2004), ❖Positive & Creative organizations - ⮚Creativity is the production of novel and useful ideas by an individual or small group of individuals, while organizational innovation is the successful implementation of creative ideas within L an organization. ⮚ Innovation is the successful implementation of a creation. T E ⮚ An innovation process consists of two main activities: creativity and P innovation. ⮚ Creativity involves the generation of novel and useful ideas while N innovation entails the implementation of these ideas into new products and processes. ⮚ Creativity and innovation at work are the process, outcomes, and products of attempts to develop and introduce new and improved ways of doing things. ⮚Creativity and innovation can occur at the level of the individual, work team, organization, or at more than one of these levels combined but will invariably result in identifiable benefits at one or more of these levels of analysis. ▪ If the organization intends to enhance work engagement among the employees, support from the organization leading to develop a positive attitude of the employees and help employees to execute their job operations uniquely because they feel valued L and cared for by their organization. E ▪ The organization should provide adequate psychological support T to their employees to make them engage creatively. P ▪ Organizations should take measures to motivate the employees intrinsically to keeps employees indulged in the work more N creatively. ▪ Concisely, work engagement and creativity would only be achieved when employees are satisfied and regarded well by the management. ▪ Thus, the organization should take all appropriate steps and provide adequate resources to support their employees and keep them motivated to achieve a creative environment.  T EL N P ⮚Encouraging creativity in organizations requires the development of a creative culture that encourages and supports employees to pursue new ideas in pursuit of clearly defined goals. ⮚ This culture is an ecosystem consisting of three interconnecting cogs: the management culture of the organization, the L environment in which employees operate, and individual creativity. E ❖ Building a Creative Climate- a combination of the T organization’s culture, its leadership, its people and the way in P which they’re organized. ✔The management should consider the following seven N questions: ✔Is the Operating Environment Conducive to Creative Thought? ✔Is the Culture One Where Staff Are Encouraged to Think for Themselves? ✔ How Engaged Are the Staff? ✔ How Strong Is the Self-Belief of the Staff? ✔ How Tolerant Are People of Each Other? ✔ Do Your Managers Manage or Do They Facilitate? ✔ How Challenging Is the Work People Do? ✔Example for self-study- Case Study: Apple’s Innovative Culture L ❖ Organizational Creativity- E ▪ There are three key inputs into building creative efficacy in T organizations. P ▪ Characteristics of the individuals operating in the organization N relating to their way of thinking; their expertise in the relevant domain; and their personality. ▪ Characteristics of teams relating to their composition and the way in which they interact; the task they are working on; and the problem-solving approach they use. ▪ Characteristics of the organization relating to its culture and the way it is structured and resourced. Philip Dennett’s (2022) concept of a creative ecosystem consisting of three interconnecting cogs given in this Fig. T EL N P ⮚Creativity results from a combination of being engaged in challenging work coupled with the desire to find something new and novel. ⮚The critical components of this state of “flow" are- L ✔ Having clear goals ✔ Immediate feedback T E P ✔ Balance between skill and challenge ✔ Singlemindedness ✔ Exclusion of distractions ✔ No worry about failure ✔ Being unselfconscious ✔ Time is distorted N ✔ The activity becomes an end in itself ▪ A leader should also understand the kind of thinking that is required at different stages of the creative process. ▪ For example, at the ideation stage where the team is attempting to develop new ideas the leader should encourage divergent thinking. L ▪ This is when a team whose members have diverse experience are more E likely to excel. T ▪ Once the team has allowed each individual to present their ideas the P creative process moves on to the evaluation stage. N ▪ The convergent thinking style is used here. ▪ Researcher Teresa Amabile (1988) sees creativity as a 5-step process- ✔ Problem presentation. ✔ Compilation of relevant information. ✔ Determination of novelty. ✔ Validation of response. ✔ Assessment of progress against goal The Creative Organization T EL N P  T EL N P ▪ Creativity is associated with superior performance ▪ it’s also true that creativity is at the heart of business innovation, and innovation is the engine of growth. L ▪ Creative leaders outperform their peers on key financial metrics E ▪ Creative leaders are also more innovative. T https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?&q=creative+o P rganization+examples&qpvt=creative+organization+examples&mid=1 81C65C379CC329722F2181C65C379CC329722F2&&FORM=VRDGAR N https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?&q=creative+o rganization+examples&qpvt=creative+organization+examples&mid=F E484380742A4193C87BFE484380742A4193C87B&&FORM=VRDGAR https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?&q=creative+o rganization+examples&qpvt=creative+organization+examples&mid=E 8FB550CA8B50B9A91F1E8FB550CA8B50B9A91F1&&FORM=VRDGAR ❖Nurturing talent & Career growth: ❖In the business arena, where competition is fierce and innovation is integral, cultivating talent growth stands as one of the cornerstones for organizational success. L ▪ Talent growth refers to the process by which individuals within your E organization improve their skills, acquire new knowledge, and T develop professionally to contribute more effectively to the company's goals. P ▪ Nurturing talent within your organization is a strategic investment N that yields long-term benefits. ▪ Talent nurturing encompasses a set of practices and processes that are designed to attract, develop, motivate, and retain employees. ▪ Organizations that show employees that leadership opportunities are possible foster a more leadership-minded workforce. ▪ Engaged employees are more innovative, productive, and collaborative. ▪ Nurturing talent means actively developing skills and abilities within your team to help them reach their full potential. ▪ In the workplace, talent nurturing involves mentoring staff for personal development while creating an environment that supports their professional journey. L ▪ Nurturing talents drives innovation, boosts productivity, and keeps a E company competitive by fostering skilled employees who lead the T industry forward. P ▪ Innovative recruitment tactics are crucial for identifying the real talent. N ▪ Showcasing flexibility demonstrates trust in potential hires before they even join team meetings—or virtual happy hours. ▪ Create a Culture of Continuous Learning; this encourages employees to pursue knowledge and skill acquisition proactively. ▪ Offer Challenging Opportunities; growth often happens outside of comfort zones; ▪ Push your employees’ boundaries through challenging projects and allow them to apply their skills in new, real-world contexts. ▪ Implement Mentoring Programs; it can provide guidance, support, and knowledge sharing that are invaluable for personal and professional growth. ▪ Provide Constructive Feedback; it helps individuals recognize their L strengths and pinpoint areas needing improvement. E ▪ Cultivate an environment where feedback is delivered empathetically T and used as a tool for development rather than criticism. P ▪ Develop Leadership from Within; identify potential leaders early on N and provide them with the training and experiences necessary to grow into management roles. ▪ Recognize and Reward Growth; acknowledging progress and celebrating achievements acts as a powerful motivator for continued development. ▪ Implement rewards, whether monetary, promotion, or public recognition, to incentivize your team to keep pushing their limits. ▪ Leverage technology to streamline the learning process. ▪ Use online platforms for easy delivery of educational material and allow mobile access for learning on-the-go. L ▪ Data analytics can also play a role in tracking progress and E personalizing development plans. T ▪ Providing opportunities for professional and personal growth is a vital P aspect of nurturing talent within the organization. ▪ Investing in employee development demonstrates the organization's N commitment to its employees' success and well-being, fostering loyalty and dedication. ▪ Highly engaged employees contribute significantly to increased productivity and performance, positively impacting the organization's bottom line. ▪ A reputation as an employer of choice attracts top talent and creates a competitive advantage in the job market. ❖What Is Career Growth? ▪ Career growth refers to the process of moving toward an ultimate professional goal. ▪ It refers to a person’s advancement in their professional path within L an organization. E ▪ Career growth is all about the journey employees take to move up T and forward in their professional lives; about expanding their skills, P taking on more responsibilities, and increasing their value within any company. N ▪ It includes an employee’s idea of what their career should look like and the steps they need to take to get there. ▪ The journey from a junior position to a leadership role perfectly illustrates the core of career growth. ▪ It's a win-win: the employee achieves personal and professional development, while the company gains a skilled leader who contributes to its future success. ⮚Career growth is specifically about moving up in an organization – think promotions, taking on more significant roles, and getting a raise. ⮚On the other hand, career development refers to the individual steps that bring someone closer to their long-term goals. L ⮚Career development includes a focus on personal growth, picking up E new skills, and building a professional network. T ⮚Career growth looks at the big picture of an individual's career path P and how they can progress within or outside of a given company, while career development is the ladder that helps them get from one N milestone to the next. ⮚Career Growth Stages- There are Six stages: 1.Follower. Learning the ropes and understanding organizational culture. 2.Collaborator. Working effectively with others and contributing to team success. 3.Instructor. Sharing knowledge and guiding others, often in an informal leadership role. 4. Manager. Overseeing teams and projects, making critical decisions. 5.Influencer. Shaping organizational strategy and inspiring change. 6.Leader. Driving the organization's vision, and mentoring future leaders. L ⮚Types of Career Growth- E ⮚Career growth can take different forms depending on individual T goals, industry norms, and opportunities within your organization. P ▪ Contributing thoughts and solutions in meetings, moving from a N passive participant to an active voice, and shaping discussions. ▪ Broadening the scope of the current role to include new tasks and challenges, enhancing skill set and understanding of the industry. ▪ Being promoted to a higher position within the organization as a reward for growing expertise and contributions. ▪ Getting involved in the decision-making processes for projects, influencing outcomes, and learning strategic thinking. ▪ Switching to a new department or company for a role that offers more authority and a different professional title. ▪ Moving from a role as an individual contributor to a managerial position by overseeing a direct report and stepping into leadership and people L management. E ▪ Expanding the team with additional members and honing leadership and T project management skills. ❖How to Facilitate Career Growth for Your Employees P ▪ #1. Assess Organizational Needs-Organization’s needs lets employers tailor N career growth opportunities to align with the individual aspirations of employees; ▪ #2. Determine Employee Aspirations-Supporting your employees’ aspirations lets you create a more motivated workforce that's aligned with the company's direction. ▪ #3. Define Clear Career Paths-Providing a visible roadmap helps employees understand how they can progress, what opportunities are available, and what steps they need to take to achieve their career goals. ▪ #4. Encourage Initiative-Recognizing and rewarding employee initiative boosts individual confidence and contributes to the organization's adaptability. ▪ #5. Implement Regular Performance Evaluations-Establishing a regular review process/SWOT analysis lets you create opportunities for open L dialogue between employees and managers and fosters an environment E of continuous improvement. T ▪ #6. Foster a Culture of Feedback-Normalizing feedback makes it an P integral part of the work process and helps everyone continuously refine their skills, adjust their behaviors, and align their efforts with the N company's objectives and values. ▪ #7. Start a Mentorship Program-can strengthen the organization's talent pool and foster a culture of continuous learning and collaboration. ▪ #8. Offer Professional Development Opportunities-Supporting continuous learning and development leads to a workplace culture of ambition and innovation, which makes your organization more competitive and adaptable in the long run. ▪ #9. Encourage Cross-Departmental Collaboration-can enhance individual career growth by broadening employees’ experiences and, overall, benefit the organization by improving communication and teamwork skills. L ▪ #10. Support Work-Life Balance Initiatives-Employees who feel their E work-life balance is respected are more engaged, loyal, and motivated to T contribute to the company. P ▪ #11. Create Leadership Development Programs-ensures that your N organization has a pipeline of skilled, motivated individuals ready to step into leadership roles as they become available; makes succession planning easier, contribute to the organization's long-term success and stability. ▪ #12. Recognize and Reward Achievements-Recognition boosts morale and motivates employees to continue performing at their best; reinforces positive behaviors and outcomes and fosters a culture of engagement. ▪ #13. Promote From Within (Whenever Possible)-Internal promotions can boost morale and loyalty, as employees see tangible results from their hard work; ▪ Also benefits the organization by ensuring continuity, preserving institutional knowledge, and reducing the time and costs associated with external hiring L processes. E ⮚Career Growth Benefits For Employees- T ▪ Enhanced Job Satisfaction. Employees who experience career growth tend to P feel more fulfilled and content in their roles, which leads to higher overall job satisfaction. N ▪ Increased Earning Potential. Career growth typically comes with higher salaries, bonuses, and other financial incentives that directly benefit employees' earnings. ▪ Skill Development. Pursuing career growth opportunities allows employees to acquire new skills and refine ones they already have. ▪ Better Marketability. Employees who demonstrate career growth are preferred candidates on the job market, which makes finding future jobs easier. ▪ Professional Recognition. Advancing in one’s career can lead to greater recognition within the industry, enhance professional reputations, and open doors to new opportunities. L ▪ Improved Job Security. Employees who actively grow in their E careers and contribute to their organization's success are seen T as more valuable, enhancing their job security. P ▪ Expanded Professional Network. Career growth often involves N interacting with a broader range of professionals and, in turn, gaining more opportunities for future collaborations. ▪ Increased Autonomy and Responsibility. As employees climb the career ladder, they typically gain more control over their work and decisions. ▪ Better Work-Life Balance. With career growth, employees usually gain more flexibility in their schedules and work arrangements, improving their work-life balance. ▪ Opportunities for Leadership. Career growth can lead to leadership roles, providing employees with the chance to lead teams, mentor others, and make impactful decisions. ▪ Personal Fulfillment. Achieving career milestones is personally L rewarding and contributes to an individual’s sense of E accomplishment and self-esteem. ⮚Career Growth Benefits For Employers- P T ▪ Attracts Top Talent. Organizations known for career growth opportunities are more attractive to skilled professionals looking N for places where they can develop and excel. ▪ Boosts Employee Retention. When employees see clear paths for advancement within their company, they are more likely to stay. ▪ This reduces turnover costs and helps retain valuable talent within the company. ▪ Enhances Employee Engagement. Employees working towards career growth are more engaged and motivated, which leads to higher productivity and better work quality. ▪ Fosters a Culture of Learning. Promoting career growth creates an environment where continuous learning and improvement are valued, so the company remains competitive. ▪ Improves Company Reputation. Being recognized as an employer L that invests in their employees' growth enhances the company's reputation and makes it a preferred choice for job seekers and E clients alike. T ▪ Encourages Talent Development. It's often more cost-effective to P prepare existing employees for leadership roles than to recruit externally, so career growth opportunities can save on hiring costs N and leverage existing institutional knowledge. ▪ Drives Innovation. Employees encouraged to grow are more likely to bring fresh ideas and innovative solutions to the table and help drive the company forward. ▪ Increases Workforce Flexibility. With a focus on career growth, employees develop a wider range of skills, and the workforce becomes more adaptable and capable of tackling diverse challenges. ▪ Builds Strong Leadership. Investing in career growth helps cultivate a pipeline of future leaders who are well-prepared and aligned with the company's values and goals. ▪ Enhances Team Dynamics. Career growth opportunities can lead to L more satisfied and motivated employees, improving team E collaboration and effectiveness down the line. T ▪ Nudging- P ▪ “ A nudge is … any attempt at influencing people's judgment, N choice or behavior in a predictable way which works by making use of [people's] boundaries, biases, routines and habits as integral parts of such attempts” (Mongin & Cozic, 2018 ). ▪ Nudges should preserve the decision-maker's liberty and autonomy, and is epitomized by Sunstein's updated definition of nudges as: “Private or public initiatives that steer people in particular directions but that also allow them to go their own way” (Sunstein, 2018 ).  T EL N P  T EL N P ⮚ TYPES OF NUDGES- ▪ 1- Pro-self nudges is aimed at benefitting the nudged person. ▪ “Pro-self,” nudge defines that “ It helps individuals steer away from irrational behavior … which decreases their long-term well-being.” L ▪ Examples of pro-self nudges are the food arrangement in the cafeteria, E aimed at promoting the customer's health, and a default allocation to a T retirement fund, aimed at increasing the worker's savings. P ▪ 2 Pro-social nudges is primarily aimed at increasing the welfare of N society by steering the nudged persons away from behaviors that would reduce the common good. ▪ These nudges are called “pro-social,” or “pro-others,” or simply “social” nudges as well. ▪ Examples are nudges to foster tax compliance and energy conservation through social comparison, such as households receive feedback on the lower energy consumption of their eco-friendly neighbors. ▪ 3. Nudging or marketing- Many real-world marketing techniques appear to work just like nudges: they preserve the consumer's freedom of choice (e.g., a particular arrangement of items on a shelf or web page); L ▪ but in fact exploit his cognitive biases (e.g., the automatic E renewal of a subscription, which exploits inertia and T forgetfulness). P ▪ For example, Amazon advertises certain products as “Amazon's choice” or “frequently bought,” targeting inertia and social N conformity, and uses decoys in terms of displaying inferior products together with the product of interest. ▪ Corporate power to persuade and influence consumers raises questions regarding the moral permissibility of nudges. ▪ Few common themes in employees’ experiences of engaging with an intervention aimed at facilitating awareness of and application of signature strengths with behavioral nudging (positive nudging) in the workplace context. ▪ These themes could be : (1) Nudges are key to turning strength awareness into behavior change, ▪ (2) Active application of signature strengths is dependent on relevance for self, and L ▪ (3) Positive nudges trigger a range of positive emotions. E ▪ Thus, nudge can be defined as “any aspect of the choice T architecture that alters people’s behavior in a predictable way without forbidding any options or significantly changing their P economic incentives. N ▪ Nudging is linked to dual process theory such as there are two cognitive systems for processing information, either impulsive or automatic that consists of uncontrolled, effortless, fast, associative, unconscious thinking, called as System1 thinking; or ▪ System 2 thinking called as reflective or controlled, effortful, slow, deductive, and self-aware, and represents a more deliberate way of thinking /processing to take a decision.  T EL N P ⮚Examples: ▪ Nudging human mind for compliance… Framing: People react differently to a particular L choice or option E based on how it is presented P T N ⮚How are the choices made in nudges? …by a subconscious logic, based on ‘inner call’ …by going beyond linear thought processes & using gut reaction, feeling & instinct L …by using experience & covert knowledge T E …by viewing relationships & connections automatically / reflexively P ⮚Activity Plan N Process – Making it Easy (removing barriers to the desired choice), Possibilities – Making it Available (design the right choice set) Persuasion- Making it Attractive (work with existing beliefs) Person – Making it Motivating (tap into active goals)  T EL N P  T EL N P ❖Strength-Based Approach for Employee Wellbeing T EL N P ✔The strength-based approach allows a person to see themselves at their best – the value they bring by just being themselves. They are encouraged to capitalize on their L strengths rather than focus on negative characteristics. ✔The strength-based approach examines not only the individual, E but also their environment; for example, how systems are set T up or power imbalances between a system or service and the P people it is supposed to serve. ✔In addition, the strength-based approach identifies constraints N that might be holding back an individual’s growth. These constraints might be social, personal, and/or cultural issues. ✔Rapp et al. (2008) suggested six standards for identifying a strengths-based approach, such as – Goal orientation Strengths assessment Resources from the environment  Meaningful choice ⮚Change happens depending on how each person handles their own: L Attitudes about their dignity, Capacities, Rights, Quirks, Similarities E ⮚Identify and leverage strengths in the workplace P T 1. Encourage self-awareness through self-assessments Encourage employees to reflect on their strengths and areas for N development.... 2. Maximize strengths through customized learning pathways Employee strengths can always be deepened.... 3. Create high performing ‘dream teams’- Once you’ve identified individual strengths, bring people together with complementary strengths.... 4. Performing strengths-based feedback... ⮚Strengths-based leadership can act as an important job resource that contributes to employee performance by increasing employees' work engagement. ⮚Organizational decision makers to invest in leadership development to L support their leaders in playing to the strengths of their employees E and to develop high-quality relationships with all of them. T ⮚Thus, leaders should improve the abilities to identify, develop, and P use their own and employees’ strengths to increase employee psychological well-being. N ⮚ Facilitating employee strengths use is also quite important for fostering employee psychological well-being. ⮚ Employees high in core self-evaluation are more inclined to play to their strengths at work (Ding & Lin ,2020). ⮚Organizations should design and implement training programs cultivating core self-evaluation to enhance employee strengths use and in turn, psychological well-being. ❖Habits of Mind & Life skills for Sustainable Happiness T EL N P  Happiness is not solely determined by external circumstances such as wealth or success. Instead, it is heavily influenced by our thoughts, behaviors, L and habits. E By consciously adopting positive habits, we can rewire our T brains and create a more positive and joyful outlook on life. P Sustainable happiness comes from within. N It is the result of intentional habits and choices that we incorporate into our daily lives. Habit 1: Gratitude Practice- Gratitude is a powerful habit for becoming happier. It involves intentionally focusing on and appreciating the positive aspects of your life.  Keeping a gratitude journal, expressing gratitude to others, or simply taking a moment each day to reflect on what you are grateful for can shift your perspective from what’s lacking to what you already have, fostering feelings of contentment and L fulfilment. E Habit 2: Mindfulness and Present Moment Awareness. T Practicing mindfulness involves being fully present and engaged P in the current moment, without judgment. N Habit 3: Cultivating Meaningful Relationships. Meaningful connections with others are vital for our happiness and well-being. Building and nurturing relationships based on trust, empathy, and mutual support can bring immense joy and fulfilment into our lives. Take the time to prioritize your relationships, listen actively, and show genuine interest in others.  Engaging in activities or joining groups where you can meet like-minded individuals can also help foster meaningful connections. Habit 4: Prioritizing Self-Care. L Taking care of ourselves is essential for sustainable happiness. E Engaging in self-care activities allows us to recharge, reduce T stress, and maintain a healthy work-life balance. P It involves setting boundaries, practicing self-compassion, and making time for activities that bring us joy and relaxation. N Prioritize self-care by incorporating activities such as exercise, hobbies, spending time in nature, or engaging in creative outlets into your routine. Habit 5: Embracing Growth and Learning. Continual growth and learning contribute significantly to our happiness. Engaging in activities that challenge us and help us develop new skills or expand our knowledge can foster a sense of accomplishment and fulfilment.  Embrace a growth mindset and be open to new experiences. Thus, Sustainable happiness refers to practices and lifestyles that not only increase your happiness levels but are also beneficial to others and the environment. EL It’s about finding a balance that supports emotional well-being T without compromising future generations’ ability to experience the same. P For example, engaging in mindfulness and positive outlook N practices fosters personal happiness that is lasting rather than temporary. Sustainable happiness is foundational to our well-being because it supports a consistent state of contentment, resilience, and overall satisfaction with life. It’s not just about personal benefits but also includes promoting the well-being of others and caring for the natural world, which in turn supports communal and environmental health.  Broadly, adopting sustainable happiness skills can transform your approach to daily life, leading to deep- seated fulfillment and better quality of life for both yourself and those around you. L Six Core Skills for Sustainable Happiness- E Mindfulness T Practicing mindfulness means maintaining a moment- P by-moment awareness of your thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment. N This requires regular attention and can be nurtured through meditation, where you focus on your breath or sensations in your body. By being mindful, you train yourself to respond to situations with clarity and calmness, which can lead to better decision-making and reduced stress.  Positive Outlook Developing a positive outlook involves seeing the good in any circumstance and maintaining optimism. When you purposefully identify and savor positive aspects of your L life, you’re engaging in a key sustainable happiness skill. E Research suggests that a positive outlook can enhance your ability T to be hopeful and resilient, helping you bounce back from adversity P more effectively. Purpose N Finding your purpose is about identifying what is deeply meaningful to you and aligning your actions with those values. Your purpose guides your behaviors and gives you a sense of direction. Engage in activities that align with your values to cultivate a sense of purpose, which can contribute to long-term happiness by providing a motivational framework for your goals and actions.  Relationships are a powerful aspect of life that can greatly contribute to your happiness. By nurturing human connections and practicing generosity, you actively enhance your well-being and L forge deeper bonds with those around you. E Human Connection- T Happiness can be significantly boosted by fostering P strong relationships. Invest time: By investing time and energy N into building relationships, you create a supportive network. Active engagement: Engage in active listening and share personal experiences to strengthen bonds. Quality over quantity: Prioritize deep, quality relationships over having many acquaintances. Generosity-  Acts of generosity are a cornerstone of sustainable happiness. Altruistic behavior: Engaging in acts of kindness without expecting anything in return. Gratitude: Express gratitude when you are on the receiving end of L generosity to foster a mutual appreciation. E Multiplicative effect: Your generosity often encourages others to T act in kind, creating a positive feedback loop within your community. P Gratitude N Focusing on gratitude can significantly improve your psychological health by reducing toxic emotions. Start with a simple daily exercise: Keep a gratitude journal and note down at least three things you’re grateful for each day. Reflect on your past week and acknowledge someone who helped you in a meaningful way. Engaging in these practices encourages a mindful appreciation of life’s gifts.  Building Long-Term Resilience Mindfulness Practices: Establishing a regular mindfulness routine, such as daily meditation or yoga, can strengthen your emotional resilience over time. L Optimistic Thinking: Practice reframing negative situations to find E the hidden opportunities or lessons. This skill helps in maintaining T an optimistic outlook despite challenges. P Finding Purpose: Continually exploring and refining your sense of purpose can give you the guidance and motivation necessary to N progress through adversities. Expressing Gratitude: Regular gratitude expression can be incredibly powerful in reaffirming life’s worth, especially during tough times, and solidify your emotional and mental fortitude. Self-Reflection: Periodically reflect on how each skill enhances your well-being and contributes to a sense of purpose. Feedback: Seek feedback from peers on whether they’ve noticed improvements in your relational harmony and optimism.  T EL N P  Learning New Habits T EL N P  Learning & working towards a more sustainable future- T EL N P  T EL N P  T EL N P  T EL N P  T EL N P ❖Sustainable Consumption, & Conservation of Resources ⮚Sustainable consumption and production refers to “the use of services and related products, which respond to basic needs and bring a better quality of life while minimizing the use of natural L resources and toxic materials as well as the emissions of waste E and pollutants over the life cycle of the service or product so as T not to jeopardize the needs of future generations”(SDG12, UNESCO). P ⮚One of the greatest global challenges is to integrate N environmental sustainability with economic growth and welfare by decoupling environmental degradation from economic growth and doing more with less. ⮚To ensure sustainable consumption and production practices necessarily entails to respect the biophysical boundaries of the planet and to reduce current global consumption rates in order to fit with the biophysical capacity to produce ecosystem services and benefits. ⮚Resource decoupling and impact decoupling are needed to promote sustainable consumption and production patterns and to make the transition towards a greener and more socially inclusive global economy. L ⮚UNEA 4. Resolution 1 specifies that a circular economy is one of E the current sustainable economic models, in which products and T materials are designed in such a way that they can be reused, P remanufactured, recycled or recovered and thus maintained in the economy for as long as possible, along with the resources of which N they are made, and the generation of waste, especially hazardous waste, is avoided or minimized, and greenhouse gas emissions are prevented or reduced (UNEP/EA.4/Res.1 ). ⮚Sustainable Development Goal 12 encourages more sustainable consumption and production patterns through various measures, including specific policies and international agreements on the management of materials that are toxic to the environment.  T EL N P ✔UNEP's Economy Division has a project on Global Opportunities for Sustainable Development Goals (GO for SDGs) which aims to strengthen the capacity of countries to achieve SDG 12. ✔SDG 12 on Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) and UNEP's EL implementation of SCP and circular economy are fully aligned. ✔Currently, UNEP is developing an SDG 12 Hub which will provide P T visualization and coordination across SDG 12. ✔This links to UNEP's One-Planet Initiative for Sustainable Consumption N and Production. ✔The One-Planet Initiative and the SDGs are fully aligned in terms of the monitoring approach. ✔ Additionally, the newly developed SCP Hotspots Analysis Tool (SCP- HAT) is an online application with data on the environmental and socio-economic performance of 171 countries over the last 25 years. ✔It allows countries to quickly identify and analyze hotspots at country and sector level and provides key country information in the context of most relevant policy questions. ✔ Sustainable consumption evolves as a new paradigm to EL address this challenge. ✔The basic philosophy involves satisfaction of consumer T demand without jeopardizing the Earth’s carrying capacity P and life support system of the Earth. N ✔ While exploring ways in depth to promote sustainable consumption behavior (SCB), changing lifestyle and consumption habit has been identified as a key determinant. ✔Thus, changing lifestyle and consumption habit has increasingly been focused in academics and research agenda as an important way to provide valuable insights in the domain of SCB over the last two decades. ✔This requires consumers to rethink their individual consumption patterns and assess the environmental impact of everything that they are consuming. ✔ Consumers should be making consumption choices based on how L much water, energy, land and raw materials the products and E services they are acquiring have used. T ✔This will mean, for instance, deciding to eat less processed food and P red meat, driving and flying less, buying less clothes, toys, gadgets and other unnecessary good and services. N ✔What is required for Sustainable Consumption to be achieved? ✔Behavioral Change ✔Transformational action ✔Sustainable consumption requires transformational action on the part of the consumer that will result in a fundamental change in the way that goods and services are produced and consumed. ✔Producer responsibility - to ensure that their products are sustainably produced, durable and long lasting. ✔Consumer Education and Awareness-Consumer education is critical to ensure sustainable consumption. L ✔Producers should be obliged to make information about their E products public so that the consumers can make responsible T choices. P ✔ Having this information enables the consumer to make responsible N choices and enable them to use their buying power to influence the way products are made. ✔This would make producers rethink their ethical production practices and introduce these practices into their branding. ✔This needs a collective effort where consumers can start to make conscious and environmentally friendly choices and use their collective buying power to demand sustainably produced goods.  T EL N P ✔Green/sustainable consumption is a form of consumption that is attuned with the safeguard of the environment for the present and future generations. ✔ It ascribes consumers’ concern to address environmental issues L through embracing environmentally friendly behavior, such as the E use of renewable energy, carrying out organic activities, reduce, T recycle, reuse, which leads to zero impact on climate. ✔There are three principal areas of developed Green consumption: P Green energy, Green food, and Green clothing. N ✔Green energy or renewable energy originates from natural sources, such as sunlight, wind, hydro, tidal, plants, algae, geothermal, and biomass can be naturally reloaded. ✔Green consumption focuses on the natural source of energy rather than non-renewable. ✔Green energy does not dispense greenhouse gas and has a slight or no impact on the environment. ✔Green food is organic food that does not require chemical fertilizers and chemicals to grow. ✔Food like milk, eggs are considered green when it is acquired from animals reared in a natural setting without injecting drugs and L antibiotics. E ✔Green clothing is considered organic if its manufacturing process T does not consist of any non-biodegradable products, a fabric made P up of natural fibers without using chemicals that affect the N environment. ✔Fabrics made of recycled products; reused products can be considered green. ✔As the textile industry has contributed a lot to environmental degradation from the waste coming out from looms and factories, must aim towards green clothing using sustainable methods in order to make greener environment (Anonymous, 2020a, 2020b). ✔Bearing in mind global and local inequalities in the distribution of resource use and benefits, achieving transformative change requires bold governmental action, both domestically and in international fora. ✔We need fundamental shifts in production and consumptions patterns, L careful attention to value and supply chains, and the fostering of circular E resource use and circular economies. T ✔To better balance the three dimensions of sustainable resources P governance—social justice, environmental health, and economic development—we must rethink our economic, social, political, and N technological systems that currently enable damaging production practices and wasteful resource consumption. ✔Decision making must be inclusive and account for the needs, rights, and knowledges of historically marginalized communities and groups. ✔Governance structures must recognize and support pre-existing sustainable practices at local and regional levels, as well as nourish the emergence of more sustainable patterns of resource use and management.  T EL N P  T EL N P  T EL N P