The Happiness Quotient (HQ)
We all have heard Intelligence Quotient (IQ) and Emotional Quotient (EQ) however current days made us learn the importance of our well-being, and hence there is new bee i.e. Happiness Quotient HQ). Emotions have the tendency to fluctuate through the highs and lows, but we have the ability to enhance our own sense of well-being.
“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.” Herman Cain
The Happiness quotient (HQ) is a concept that measures approximately, the measure of happiness each person has achieved in his life. It starts by describing the creation of a positive mindspace, one that nurtures the positive emotions that increase happiness.
All of us are inherently goal driven and are consciously or unconsciously optimising towards these targets. The idea of pushing for specific outcomes is one that permeates every aspect of our lives, whether we realise it or not.
We keep on waiting on practically habitual basis and do not enjoy the present moment. We expend an inordinate amount of time and energy waiting because we truly believe that the change we anticipate will enhance the quality of our lives. And, we stubbornly cling to this position even though life’s circumstances don’t really alter out well-being as profoundly as we think they should.
From an economic perspective, one would not be remiss to say that the last three decades have seen governments in India pushing for development and the average growth rate since liberalisation has been about 6.5 per cent. And while the economic success of India in the past few decades must be celebrated, indicators of well-being in the country show that making strides for macroeconomic success is not synonymous with personal well-being. The National Mental Health Survey 2015–16 revealed that nearly 15 per cent Indian adults need active intervention for one or more mental health issue and one in 20 of our citizens suffer from depression. It is estimated that in 2012, India had over 2,58,000 suicides, with the age group of 15–49 years being the worst affected.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), India is the most depressed country in the world with approximately 6.5 per cent of the population suffering from some form of a serious mental disorder, with no discernible rural-urban differences. Though figures may vary, based on the surveying method, one thing is clear: Indians are clearly unhappy. As such, it should be clear that while the economic growth machine is running, it is now necessary for the Government to start considering indicators that are laggards, especially those that can help contribute to greater levels of well-being.
In the past, learnings from religions such as Buddhism on well-being may have been shunned because of their sectarian nature, but thankfully, modern psychology, atheistic mindfulness and the field of humanistic positive psychology are now validating what was previously considered merely religious dogma through empirical research. This, and other developments in the field of emotional intelligence, can be leveraged to create a scientific pathway for the Government to re-prioritise and optimise for happiness and the well-being of its constituents.
The introduction of positive psychology practices, such as savouring, gratitude and so on, and socio-emotional learning into educational curricula are seeds that are likely to give exponential returns over a generation. By focussing on and prioritising emotional understanding and regulation early on, schools can equip children with the tools needed to create a comfort zone with thoughts and emotions, rather than view them antagonistically.
In the short to medium-run, linking administrative outcomes to improvements in India’s ranking in the World Happiness Report, which currently stands at 144 out of 156, can yield fast results. Such expedited successes are not unheard of. Soon after coming to power in 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made improving India’s ranking on the Ease of Doing Business Index a priority, and this led to administrative optimisation to this end. The result, India’s ranking on the index jumped from 139 in 2010 to 63 in 2019.
Happiness has likely never been a priority because along with being low on the voting agenda, there has been no defined method to optimise for it. While the first may not change, the route to enhancement is now clearer and backed by science. For the ruling dispensation, the shift to this would not be seismic, but a logical expansion of our own philosophy, which too, it uniquely indigenous.
While Buddhism spoke of enlightenment in the abstract, psychology has been able to track and break down the causes of success of these methods. By pushing for the science based on an Indian philosophy, the Government can show its commitment to empirical methods while boasting of its cultural past.
Source: https://www.dailypioneer.com/2020/columnists/what-is-our-happiness-quotient-.html