The flow model: When happiness is hard to refute

FOR some reason, humans are compulsively negative or incurably pessimistic. One good example of pessimism can be found in among newspaper columnists who must overly extend our pessimism to doubt the sincerity of our fellow pessimists.
Why is this so? According to former CIA analyst Morgan Jones, “being negative and contrary is such a universal human trait that it’s downright extraordinary when a new idea meets with instant approval.” Simply put, if you’re not negative, you’re abnormal.
In his book “The Thinker’s Tool Kit” (1998) Jones says “criticizing comes to us naturally . . . when we evaluate the merits of something, especially when something is new or unconventional.”
Jones says to overcome pessimism we only have to force ourselves to identify first the positive. Only then are we allowed to indulge joyously in negatives. This is the “sandwich approach” in human resources where you must act like a professional manager who knows how to gently kick a worker out of his job.
“Tony, I like you as a person. You’re a wonderful fellow and a hardworking guy who helped brought this company where it is today.
Unfortunately, I hate to tell you that this will be your last day because credible witnesses can prove that you savoured the boss’ Starbucks™ coffee and refilling it with Café Puro™ during an errand,” says one HR manager.
Then you as the “wonderful fellow” without having the chance to express your grief will have no choice but to leave the HR manager’s room where you sneakily pick up a newspaper to search for some job wanted ads even if they offer only a five-month cycle.
And then you’ll find these job ads near an equally depressing news story with screaming headlines like “Facebook addiction linked to leukaemia” and “officials earn millions for live-out prisoners.”
As I wrote this piece Sunday morning, the story that punched me right
in the eyeballs was headlined: “Passive smokers’ lives shorter, says MMDA,” although I’m not sure whether I read it right because of too much smoke inside the garden as my wife was cooking grilled bangus (milkfish) with lots of tomatoes, ginger, onions and other spices favored by Arabian states.
But I’m sure you read about it. Researchers did a study showing that smokers live an average of ten years less than non-smokers. What is ignored in similar studies is the fact that smokers are carelessly messy with their paper work.
This is very alarming to me because President Noynoy Aquino is also a smoker, which could raise a troublesome constitutional issue because if he signs the Reproductive Health bill into law he will surely pull his nicotine hands to mess up the law with tar.
“This doesn’t look like a signature.” I can imagine the findings of a handwriting expert. “It looks like somebody smeared a stick carbon figure on the RH Law.” This alone could be an issue the Catholic Church would bring before the Supreme Court.
Of course, I’m joking. The point that I would like to make here is that smokers, including President Aquino, deserve to be happy. That brings us to the question—what makes us happy outside of smoking cigarettes?
The best answer can be found in the Flow Model of psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, who after interviewing over a thousand people about what made them happy discovered five common denominators.
Csikszentmihalyi who has a notoriously difficult-to-spell-and-pronounce name says that happiness or “flow” occurs when people are intensely focused on an activity of our own choosing, such work is neither under-challenging (bore-out) nor over-challenging (burn-out), with a clear objective, and one that receives immediate feedback.
But I beg to disagree. Why is my wife happy despite the fact that she doesn’t fall in any one of those five factors? Isn’t that silly?
What I’m getting at is that, for most of our close to 30 years of marriage, Bonnie just didn’t have the time to complain about family life like Sharon Stone, knowing that her female contemporaries way back to their corporate years are still absurdly single even up to this very minute when I checked their Facebook accounts.
Maybe the reason for Bonnie is my good sense of stability, companionship, and responsibility for us maintaining an ideal household. Now, I’m afraid she would want to double her happiness by getting a Labrador retriever.
Rey Elbo is an aspiring humour columnist with a serious outlook in human resources and total quality management consulting. Send feedback to elbonomics@gmail.com or follow him on Facebook and Twitter for his random management thoughts.

Source: http://www.manilatimes.net/business/the-flow-model-when-happiness-is-hard-to-refute/

The wines of Yats Wine Cellars are designed for the matured wine lovers looking for wines that are interesting, not necessarily impressive, and at a fair price that is usually below those of a comparable big names, and from a matured vintage from 20 years or older. There are over 2000 selections of wine at Yats that fit that description.

If Philippines is part of an upcoming travel and holiday plan, wine lovers might want to visit Clark Freeport Zone just 70 minutes from Manila. This bustling new city that is slated to replace Manila as the new capital of the Philippines has the largest wine shop called Clark Wine Center. Vintages span over a century and the selection of old- and new-world wines covers all major wine regions are all available at this top-rated wine shop near Manila. Pampanga Philippines is a fast growing province. Growth in major cities such as San Fernando, Angeles City and Clark Freeport Zone has given rise to a strong demand for luxury goods, upscale dining and quality living. Absence of a good wine shop for fine vintage wine has caused considerable inconvenience to the affluent community which is forced to drive down to Manila to purchase their wines.

Yats Wine Cellars is generally regarded by Asian and Philippines wine lovers as the best wine supplier in the Philippines. This Wine Shop in Clark Philippines releases very rare wines for wine lovers in Asia.

Wine lovers from Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Thailand and Indonesia travel to Philippines Clark Freeport to purchase these limited rare bottles of fine vintage wine.

Leading Philippines wine supplier known for its line of fine vintage wines, Yats Wine Cellars was established in 2000 to address the requirement of a growing population of wine enthusiasts in the Philippines. Yats Wine Cellars caters to the discerning client who requires these qualities in their wines: (1) excellent value, (2) large selection of labels and vintages to choose from and (3) wines properly aged for full enjoyment.

http://www.ClarkWineCenter.com

Getting to this wine shop in Pampanga Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone Philippines from Manila
Getting to the Clark Wine Center wine shop from Manila is quite simple: after entering Clark Freeport from Dau and Angeles City, proceed straight along the main highway M A Roxas. Clark Wine Center is the stand-along white building on the right, at the corner A Bonifacio Ave. From the Clark International Airport DMIA, ask the taxi to drive towards the entrance of Clark going to Angeles City. From Mimosa, just proceed towards the exit of Clark and this wine shop is on the opposite side of the main road M A Roxas.

Best place to buy wine in Clark Pampanga outside Manila near Subic and Angeles City Philippines is Clark Wine Center.

Click here to contact Clark Wine Center in Clark Pampanga for inquiries and orders.

Clark Wine Center
Bldg 6460 Clark Observatory Building
Manuel A. Roxas Highway corner A Bonifacio Ave,
Angeles Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga 2023
0922-870-5173 0917-826-8790 (ask for Ana Fe)

Wine@Yats-International.com

YATS Wine Cellars
Manila Sales Office
3003C East Tower, Phil Stock Exchange Center,
Exchange Rd Ortigas Metro Manila, Philippines 1605
(632) 637-5019 0917-520-4393 ask for Rea or Chay

Wedding couples looking for wedding reception venues and beach wedding venues can log on to this Philippines Wedding Venue web site for free information and assistance:

http://www.PhilippinesWeddingVenue.com

While in Clark, it might be a good idea to enjoy an evening of wine-and-dine in the fine dining Yats Restaurant and Wine Bar that features an award winning 2700-line wine list. Highly recommended fine dining restaurant in Manila for special occasion is Yats Restaurant & Wine Lounge located in the famous Mimosa Leisure Estate in Clark Pampanga. Situated near this popular restaurant in Clark is the Mimosa Golf Course as well as the Mimosa Clark Casino. This top rated restaurant near Angeles City Pampanga in Clark Philippines is frequently used for private parties and corporate functions such as board meetings and other gatherings. It is located in Mimosa Leisure Estate of Clark Freeport Zone. For more information, visit http://www.YatsRestaurant.com

YATS Leisure Philippines is a developer and operator of clubs, resorts and high-class restaurants and wine shops in Clark Angeles Philippines http://www.YatsLeisure.com

Looking for famous tourists spots, places to visit and see, relax and unwind in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines? You may want to check out these sites also:

http://www.LondonPubClark.com

Besides good restaurants to wine and dine near Manila, Subic or in Angeles City Pampanga, Clark Philippines, those requiring assistance for hotel and resort bookings in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines may log on to http://www.HotelClarkPhilippines.com for more information and reservations.

The lifestyle in Clark Pampanga is quite unique. For more information about shopping, sports, golf, leisure, hotel accommodation, where to see and visit, what to do, where to wine and dine and good places to hang out, relax, have a drink with friends, child-friendly establishments, log on to
http://www.ClarkPhilippines.com

Wine lovers looking for a special bottle or something that is of great value and special discounts might log on to this web site to shop for fine vintage wines
http://www.YatsWineCellars.com

Those visitors who plan to relax and unwind in Angeles City, Subic, Pampanga, Clark Philippines might make an effort to book a room at the famous beach and lake resort Clearwater Resort & Country Club. This famous hotel in Clark Pampanga is frequently visited by families with children looking for a good place in Clark to see, a good holiday destination for the family to relax and unwind in the beautiful outdoor facilities. For more information, log on to www.ClearwaterPhilippines.com