One of the most important questions for people of at any age is how do you become truly content? This is the issue that positive psychology and its research is attempting to solve.
The never-ending search for happiness and continuous pursuit of an enjoyable life has led to the development of a whole industry that is dedicated to ensuring our wellbeing through a myriad of strategies, guidelines, solutions and advice for living an optimistic and happy life.
Recent developments in the world like the coronavirus epidemic and the murders of unarmed Black people by the hand of the police have led many to a state of despair and sadness. Many of people who feel the sting of these incidents are trying to find ways can promote positivity in our community and within our own lives, highlighting those things that make our lives more significance. Positive psychology can play a part in your mental health.
Positive psychology refers to the study and study of the positive aspects of life that include happiness, well-being satisfaction, contentment and the capacity to succeed in our everyday lives. The field investigates what goes into creating a life that is full of significance, in meaning that allows the person to thrive.
Positive psychology is focused on the influence of things such as optimism, hope and joy however it goes further than simply addressing positive emotions. The psychology field encompasses traits such as self-esteem, character strengths, and overall well-being. It also explains how these characteristics can be utilized in our work, life as well as interpersonal relationships and how these aspects can contribute towards living an enjoyable life.
What is three levels of positive psychology? Three Levels of Positive Psychology?
Positive psychology doesn’t just mean experiencing a sense of well-being , but rather the people who promote this science frequently speak of”the “Three Levels of Positive Psychology”:
Subjective level: The subjective level is centered around feelings of joy, wellbeing as well as optimism and similar emotions or experiences that are connected to your day-to-day life.
Individual level: The individual level blends the subjective emotions of wellbeing with traits or traits which make you a balanced person, like forgiveness or love and courage.
Group level: The group level is focused on positive interactions with your fellow members, and includes qualities like altruism, social responsibility as well as other virtues that build the bonds of friendship.
The reason Positive Psychology is Important
Positive psychology’s primary objective is to inspire people to identify and develop their character strengths rather than directing their energy into addressing weaknesses. Positive psychology highlights the necessity for individuals to shift their perspective from a negative one towards a more positive outlook in order to enhance the living quality.
According to theory of Positive Psychology positive thinking is among the primary motivations for life. Every person experiences positive and negative outcomes , yet it often easy to concentrate on the negative results while ignoring ways that we can harness the effects of positive experiences to alleviate the negative. Through the course of time, the field of psychology has been focused on psychological deficiencies and anomalies that make a few individuals more different than others. The diagnoses are the reason for negative behaviors and patterns of behaviour. These diagnoses encompass the mental health issues that many suffer from, including depression and anxiety.
Positive psychology research, but, is more focused on scientific explanations for positive thinking and behaviors. Positive psychology doesn’t deny the presence of flaws and flaws in our thinking and behaviour however, it suggests that equal attention must be given to individuals’ strengths and qualities.
Positive psychology is crucial as it can help us understand what causes people to lead happier lives could lead to better strategies to manage mental illness, changing bad habits, and increasing the quality of our lives and happiness. For instance, instead of studying the fundamental traits that are associated with addiction, a positive psychologist could examine the resilience of people who have achieved a positive recovery and encourage this resilience among patients who are likely to follow.
Positive Psychology as well as the PERMA Model
The promotion of well-being is a major goal of positive psychology. Well-being levels that are higher are associated with higher productivity, longer life span and happier relationships. In this respect, Seligman proposed the PERMA model to describe and define the concept of well-being in a broad sense. PERMA stands that refers to the five aspects of well-being. It is now widely accepted as a model within the area of positive psychology. Below is a brief explanation into this theory: PERMA theory:
Positive feelings:
Feeling positive can have an enormous impact on overall wellbeing. Positive emotions could result from the cultivation of feelings of forgiveness and gratitude over the past, having fun at the moment and being optimistic about the future.
“E” – Engagement
For a better quality of life It is equally essential to cultivate an attitude of involvement. This can be achieved by soaking yourself completely in engaging in something you enjoy and are skilled in. The feeling of being engaged creates an experience called “flow,” a feeling that you experience when your abilities are adequate for a specific task with a specific objective to be achieved. The idea”flow “flow” was invented by Mihaly csikszentmihaly. He is prominent name in the field of positive psychology.
Relations:
As social beings, we tend to rely on relationships with others to flourish and the help we get from these relationships can provide life with an identity and purpose.
“M” – meaning:
Feeling positive emotions by itself does not suffice to live a fulfilled life. Seligman believes to find meaning as the best kind of happiness. Meaning can be obtained through putting your own strengths to something greater than youfor example, an organization or cause that is social in nature that makes a significant contribution to a community that you are involved in or fulfilling a charitable obligation.
A – Accomplishment:
There’s no doubt that when we reach our goals and are successful in achieving them, we feel satisfaction. If the desire to reach these goals isn’t present and we don’t feel a feeling of wellbeing is hard to achieve.
Experience the personal benefits of Positive Psychology
Positive psychology suggests that focusing on positive aspects of activities or events can create conditions that lead to a more positive and more fulfilled lives.
Happiness can’t be solely built by amplifying positive moments or living a life full of passion you can also live life with meaning and purpose. So, you can increase your involvement by engaging in hobbies you’re passionate about, and using your talents to be successful in your field and choosing an occupation that’s appropriate to the interests you’re enthusiastic about.
What can you think of as an example from Positive Psychology?
According to Seligman’s advice You can increase your feeling of genuine happiness by focusing your efforts on doing more things that make you feel happy and able to take pleasure in your everyday routines and feel more positive emotions. It is also important to enhance relations, and work on strengthening your relationships with your family and friends. ones.
If you’re concerned that you’re not finding purpose in your life or relationships, Seligman also recommends that you pursue your own interests or volunteer work and find new ways that you can be fulfilled through your actions that impact people’s lives. In the end, you must be focused on meeting your goals while maintaining an appropriate balance between your goals and other aspects that are important in your life, like the importance of self-care and relationships.
How can Positive Psychology used?
Positive psychology is also the subject of criticism and has been accused of spreading false beliefs about positive thinking. As a result, the principles of positive psychology are sometimes dismissed as bearing more in common with self-help tactics than scientifically-proven theories.
Positive psychology methods are being used in different areas of therapy, with evidence-based results that prove its efficacy. The concept of wellness therapy, created through the work of the psychologist Giovanni Fava from the University of Bologna and focuses on the self-observed wellbeing of the patient rather than only on the self-reported distress of the patient.
Carol Kauffman, director of the Coaching and Positive Psychology Initiative at the Harvard University’s McLean Hospital, outlined four strategies to integrate positive psychology into traditional therapeutic methods In the Harvard Mental Health Letter. These techniques typically involve changing the therapeutic focus away on negative experiences and emotions towards more positive ones, creating a language of strength as well as making sure that you balance positive and negative aspects of specific events or situations and implementing strategies that encourage hope, for example, finding the skills needed to solve the issue and changing the focus to those abilities.
While the fundamentals of positive psychology indicate that success is based on your strengths, it’s essential to focus on your weaknesses to achieve an equilibrium that is healthy, to ensure that you live an enlightened life. If you’re looking for more details on positive psychology, and how to take a customized and personalised approach to living the best life, consider the ease of working with an online licensed psychotherapist.
