: “In 2020, Hong Kong ranked 78th in the world in terms of happiness. Other than hoping for objective betterment of our society, what else can we do to improve our subjective wellbeing and pursue a happier way of living?”

: “Living a hectic pace of life, we seldom have the time or room to slow down and savour the pleasant things around us, even though in reality they happen quite often. Try to recall three things for which you are grateful at the end of each day. These could include a favour from others, an opportunity you have obtained or even something as small as a lovely smile from a child or some delicious food you have tasted. You may be surprised by how many pleasant moments that you have experienced.”

: “Can we acquire happiness by getting rid of negative emotions?”

: “Any emotions, be they so-called ‘positive’ or ‘negative’, are indeed important pieces of information that enable us to understand ourselves better, thereby taking corresponding actions to satisfy our unmet needs. For instance, anxiety—at the right level—helps us better prepare for possible scenarios, sadness slows us down so we can rest well to take care of ourselves, and anger makes us mindful of an imminent threat to our rights and empowers us to stand up for ourselves.

However, over-suppression of our emotions, or extreme catharsis, do not do us any good and may bring even greater distress. We may try to explore different ways to channel our emotions, such as talking to someone with whom we feel safe, engaging in a physical workout to release our tension, or expressing our inner feelings through different creative means—such as writing, painting and music. Only when emotions are properly expressed can we address our needs and have the room to embrace better things in life.”

: “But what if our mood becomes so bad that we don’t even have the motivation to do things that we used to enjoy?”

: “Sometimes we may need professional help to re-learn the ability to be happy, especially when emotional distress continues and jeopardises our daily-life activities and health. Remember, seeking help is not a weakness, but a brave first step to facing adversity. The Families Clinics have introduced Clinical Psychology (CP) services since 2016, with Clinical Psychologists providing professional consultation and counselling to civil service eligible persons. Please feel free to discuss any issues with your attending doctor at any of the Families Clinics for a referral to CP service.”

The International Day of Happiness, which takes place annually on 20 March, is a resolution initiated by the United Nations (UN) to promote happiness as a fundamental human right, as well as the ultimate goal of achieving world development. On this day, the UN also publishes the annual “World Happiness Report”, which announces the world rankings of different regions, based on their happiness indices derived from various criteria such as citizens’ subjective wellbeing, social infrastructure and environmental hygiene.

Besides, 10 October is the World Mental Health Day advocated by the World Federation for Mental Health to promote global education and awareness of mental health. A wide range of activities is held in different places around the world in celebration of this global event—and Hong Kong is no exception.

Want to know more tips on how to improve your mental wellbeing? Stay tuned with the local “Mental Health Month@HK” Facebook page for updates!