Workplace Resilience Leads to Greater Happiness

Recently, in performing research for a project, I stumbled across an interview of Oprah Winfrey, where she introduced a book she co-wrote with Arthur C. Brooks, called, Build the Life You Want: The Art and Science of Getting Happier. The book discusses how to use science to work towards a happier life.

According to author Arthur C. Brooks, unhappiness is not the enemy. “If we didn’t have hard experiences, we wouldn’t know what life is all about. We wouldn’t understand resilience or have challenges that help us learn and grow.” (NextBigIdea). Instead of denying negative feelings, he recommends we learn to manage these emotions.

Arthur gives his readers great advice, given that according to Psychology Today, in order for humans to work at our best, we cannot be happy all the time. Trying to focus on being happy all the time can lead to a pattern of behavior called Toxic Positivity, where individuals suppress their emotions, which can undermine their ability to develop resilience.

Resilience is defined as the ability to work through challenging circumstances and learn from them. According to Indeed, resilience in the workplace:

· Aids in Job Satisfaction

· Improves employee self-esteem

· Increases employee engagement

· Frames challenges as lessons

· Improves communication

· Supports innovation

· Increases Productivity

· Creates Leaders

· Encourages Adaptability

According to Arthur C. Brooks, Work is one of the four pillars of a happier life. Along with faith, family, and friendship, investments in work help to build the life you want. Resilience, or the ability to deal with negative emotions, helps focus your efforts where they matter: earning your success and serving others. It is through these actions one feels satisfaction in their work, which in turn, leads to a happier life.