It is an everyday observable fact that when we are sick, we go to the doctor. When we have been wronged, we get an attorney. When we need grooming and want to look prettier, we go to the barber shop or the beauty parlor. Regrettably, when we are unhappy or want to be happier, there is no place to turn and no professional assistance is available—unless and until depression sets in and the risk of suicide escalates. Unhappiness is a flashing red light telling and warning you that all is NOT well. Ignoring it until it turns solid red is not the thing to do!

We need a new way of thinking and dealing with everyday human unhappiness. One new approach (by the Tripple-H-Project) is to pro-actively promote happiness practices in the work place, on university campuses, and at civic gatherings — including one-on-one happiness coaching services.

Research shows that instituting happiness practices in the workplace increases productivity by 31 % and innovation by 300 % (according to Harvard Business Review); reduces turn over by 51 % (according to Gallup); and lowers sick leaves or absenteeism by 66 % (according Forbes). Similarly, when happiness is spread throughout the community at large, it fosters group cohesion and helps in building common values.

Dr. Laurie Santos of Yale and Dr. Tal Ben Shahar of Harvard have been teaching “happiness courses” in their respective institutions. To everyone’s amazement, these courses become the most popular ever, in the history of these two institutions—as reflected by the record-setting students’ enrollment. The popularity of these happiness courses is not so much due to intellectual curiosity on the part of the students but largely because of their personal needs. This is not at all surprising, since the usual college age of 18-24 is also the phase of life with the highest incidence of suicide—making the need for a happiness coach on every college campus worth considering.

Unhappiness lowers productivity at the workplace, harms students’ concentration at school, fosters estrangements from the family, and can disrupt the cohesion of a community at large. Persuaded by these facts with additional support from his own many years of research, Dr. Alphonsus Obayuwana, a physician-turned happiness coach, founded the Triple-H Project LLC.