Positive psychology is the study of resources, strengths and happiness to help individuals feel more satisfied in life, especially at work.
Seligman’s PERMA model is one of the best-known and established theories in positive psychology, comprising hope, optimism, positive emotions and meaning in life as well as gratitude and compassion.
1. Cultivating a Positive Attitude
Positive psychology holds as its core principle the promotion of an optimistic attitude. Cultivating this state takes time but can have enormously positive effects in your life; you could start by reflecting upon your strengths and virtues or adding gratitude into daily routine.
Many of the most widely practiced techniques and exercises of positive psychology center around teaching perspective and gratitude. These principles help individuals build relationships, cultivate a sense of meaning in their lives and achieve success at work. Positive psychologists often promote gratitude journaling – writing down all that one is thankful for as well as how one achieved them.
This practice has been linked with increases in happiness and reduced levels of depression, as well as helping identify areas for improvement and create goals to address them. Furthermore, people with a positive attitude tend not to envy other individuals, understanding that we all travel our own unique path; should a colleague land their dream job ahead of you for example, this should instead inspire feelings of happiness rather than envy on your part; you should feel happy for them and excited by the success they will find ahead!
2. Developing a Positive Relationship
An effective relationship is central to our happiness and well-being. By applying positive psychology techniques, you can learn to communicate more effectively with loved ones while also creating healthy boundaries within relationships (respecting “alone time”) while respecting one’s right for privacy and space.
Martin Seligman has noted that positive psychology should not be seen as in opposition to traditional psychology; rather it complements it. According to him, we need to abandon pessimistic determinism theories which have long dominated psychological research in favor of building human flourishing.
Studies suggest that those with higher levels of wellbeing tend to enjoy greater levels of meaning in life. One exercise suggests considering ways your life could be enhanced by adding something new like an activity or altruistic service, and seeing its impact on your overall level of contentment. This approach can help prioritize wellbeing while giving life meaning and purpose.
3. Developing a Positive Attitude at Work
An upbeat attitude at work is vitally important to increasing productivity, job satisfaction and overall life fulfillment and satisfaction. Yet cultivating this attitude may be challenging in an atmosphere of negativity and stressful work environments.
One effective strategy for cultivating a positive attitude at work is focusing on your strengths. Another is practicing gratitude; but most importantly, remembering that you cannot control other people, only how you react to them. Another effective approach for developing a positive outlook on the job involves keeping yourself relaxed by listening to upbeat music or reading inspirational books or articles; additionally it can be beneficial to avoid watching news programs as these often contain negativity and tragedy.
Positive psychology departs from traditional psychological approaches that prioritize mental illnesses like depression and anxiety by emphasizing character strengths, positive emotions, resilience, meaning and achievement. Furthermore, it encourages acts of kindness such as volunteering that enhance happiness while building community spirit.
4. Developing a Positive Attitude at Home
Positive psychology is a field devoted to scientific investigation of resources, strengths, and happiness. While some have criticised positive psychology for fostering Pollyannaish personalities, numerous studies show that everyone can find happiness and well-being within themselves.
Positive psychology has gained so much traction because it helps individuals take control of their moods and thoughts. Allowing negativity or pessimism into your mind not only causes temporary discomfort; you risk giving up opportunities to grow into your greatest self.
To foster a more positive mindset, add positive experiences into each day. Simple things such as writing down your high points of each day or rewarding yourself with small treats (e.g. a donut from the bakery) may do the trick; alternatively you could also set weekly or monthly high points – like movie night with friends – which enable you to step back from life’s hectic pace and remember what makes you happy.
5. Developing a Positive Attitude at School
Establishing a positive attitude at school is a key component of successful learning. Students who feel unwelcome in their surroundings may struggle with academics and have a negative influence on other classmates. Teachers should strive to foster an atmosphere in which all children feel secure while encouraging expression and authenticity among all pupils.
Positive psychology can be described as an academic movement which studies resources, strengths and happiness scientifically. It emerged as a response to pessimistic theories of human functioning that were popular at one point. Positive psychology’s origins lie within humanistic traditions of psychology as practiced by Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow.
Positive psychology aims to assist individuals in overcoming any barriers that prevent them from realizing their full potential, such as life stresses, inhospitable environments and developmental obstacles. One effective method for doing this is helping individuals to identify their signature strengths and virtues as well as giving them tools needed for developing a positive outlook.
6. Developing a Positive Attitude at College
Positive attitudes make it easier to keep on track with your goals. Feeling confident increases the odds that you’ll reach out for help and support when necessary, as well as increasing motivation to overcome obstacles and achieve success.
Building a positive attitude at college is essential to staying on top of your game. Take some time to recall instances in which your negative attitudes might have compromised your performance, then write out ways you could change them moving forward to enhance future performances.
Positive psychology is still relatively new and some critics may accuse it of being Pollyanna-style psychology, yet its research holds merit and researchers are drawing more critical attention to their efforts. But positive psychology goes well beyond simply encouraging happiness or optimism; its purpose is to promote human flourishing – for instance one key finding indicates that people with meaningful lives experience less depression, anxiety and worry than those without.
7. Developing a Positive Attitude at University
Falling into negative thinking patterns and dwelling on one’s issues can be easy, but adopting a more optimistic perspective will enable you to take charge and make life better. By applying the tips and techniques discussed here, you can start developing stronger self-confidence at school, work, and at home.
Study results indicated that people with high sense of meaning experienced less stress and anxiety, as well as treating themselves more kindly when experiencing negative events.
Positive psychology often steers clear of hard determinism, which views individuals as victims of their genes, class, race, sex or material wealth, instead embracing responsibility, free will and the ability to choose (Seligman 2005a). This trend is generally welcomed but more careful consideration should be paid when selecting research methods including cross-sectional survey data collection methods.
8. Developing a Positive Attitude at College Graduation
Positive psychology provides many techniques and exercises to help you live a more joyful, healthier lifestyle. It teaches how to focus on your strengths, relationships and gratitude as well as achieve meaningful goals through goal-setting. Positive psychology can be applied both professionally and personally and is an excellent way of combatting negative emotions such as depression or anxiety.
Positive psychology seeks to address the strong negativity bias that has pervaded psychology since postwar era. It should be noted, however, that positive psychology does not aim at breaking up traditional psychology into two separate fields; rather it simply adds another dimension by exploring and exploiting what’s good in people’s lives (Seligman 2005a).
Discovering positive psychology can have an incredible effect on your life and impact, so consider enrolling in PCOM’s Master of Applied Positive Psychology program to better understand its power to transform lives and organizations alike. It specializes in supporting individuals, families, communities and organizations thrive.
