Positive psychology: what is it, positive psychologist, criticism, methods, concepts, impact on human life

An amazing formula for happiness, if you look into this topic in more detail, is right in front of us. All you need to do is enjoy life, support and help other people, try to live life to the fullest, develop and show your best qualities as often as possible. All this relates to the field of positive psychology - a direction that not only takes academic research and its results as a basis, but also uses practical methods to achieve well-being and happiness. In this article we will talk about it.

What is "prosperity"?

The word “prosperity” was not chosen by chance, since before that the main words were happiness and well-being. Happiness did not fit because of its subjectivity. After all, a homeless person can be happy if he only received warm clothes and money for lunch, but he cannot be called prosperous or prosperous. The word “well-being” is used quite actively in positive psychology, as it well reflects people's understanding of quality life and optimal functioning. Prosperous people are those who are most prosperous in important areas of human life. This is approximately 20 percent of the population, although this figure varies depending on the country and rating system.

Today, positive psychology studies factors of well-being and prosperity, positive aspects of personality (character strengths, positive emotions, emotional intelligence, state of flow, awareness, etc.). Classical psychology differs from positive psychology in that the orientation of the first is aimed mainly at solving problems and getting rid of pathologies, while the second, on the contrary, studies the good that is in a person, ways of activating and realizing the potential to achieve possible well-being in an individual situation and prosperity.

Introduction to the PERMA Model

The PERMA model is a widely accepted and influential model in positive psychology. Seligman proposed this model to help explain and define well-being more deeply.

According to Seligman, "PERMA" is an acronym for the five dimensions of well-being:

P - Positive emotions. Although seeking only positive emotions is not a very effective way to improve your well-being, positive emotions are still an important factor. Part of well-being is enjoying the present moment, that is, experiencing positive emotions.
E - Engagement. A sense of engagement, where we can lose track of time and become completely immersed in what we enjoy and are good at, is an important element of well-being. It's difficult to have a strong sense of well-being unless you're truly engaged in what you're doing.
R - (Positive) relationships. Humans are social creatures, and we rely on connections with others to truly thrive. Deep, meaningful relationships with others are vital to our well-being.
M - Value. Even someone who is deliriously happy most of the time may not have a developed sense of well-being if they do not find meaning in their life. When we commit ourselves to a cause or recognize something greater than ourselves, we experience a sense of meaning that simply has no substitute.
A - Achievement. We all thrive when we achieve success, achieve our goals, and improve ourselves. Without the drive to achieve, we are missing one piece of the puzzle of true well-being.

This model gives us a comprehensive framework for understanding well-being, as well as a framework for improving well-being.

If you want to enhance your own sense of true happiness and well-being, all you need to do is focus on:

Experience more positive emotions. Do more of what makes you happy and brings pleasure into your daily life.
We are working to increase engagement. Pursue a hobby that interests you. Develop your skills and, if necessary, look for a job that better suits your passions.
Improve the quality (and/or quantity) of your relationships with other people. Work on building more positive and supportive relationships with friends, family and significant others.
Search for meaning. If you don't find this in your job, look for volunteering opportunities. Personal hobbies, entertainment or as a mentor to others.
Focus on achieving your goals, but don't focus too much. Try to balance your ambitions with all the other important things in life.

These five aspects of the PERMA model are measurable. They are also vital to your overall sense of well-being. This model advances the older model of genuine happiness by looking at more than just happiness or positive emotions. Of course, positive emotions are important—after all, they are part of the PERMA model itself. But focusing only on positive emotions won't help you develop a comprehensive sense of well-being, including engagement, meaning, success and positive relationships with others.

Happiness itself will most likely not lead you to prosperity, but prosperity will.

Image by batoadrovic from Pixabay

POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY VERSUS POSITIVE PSYCHOTHERAPY

Although their names are similar, positive psychology and positive psychotherapy are two different approaches. One approach is based on positive psychology theory developed by Seligman in 1998. The other is the cross-cultural approach, developed in 1968 by Nosrat Peshkian. It includes psychodynamic and humanistic influences.

Seligman's positive psychology and Peshkian's positive psychotherapy are somewhat similar. They both assume that people are inherently healthy. They also try to encourage personal development. However, there are still some key differences between these approaches.

Seligman's approach does not deny negative experiences. But Peseshkian's approach views all negative experiences in a positive light. He sees them as opportunities for growth.
Seligman's approach is largely Western. Peshkyan's approach is more transcultural.
Seligman's approach distances itself from his humanist influences. Meanwhile, Peshkian's approach embraces his humanistic and psychodynamic background.

Main directions

Currently, there are three schools of positive psychology:

Center for Positive Psychology

The Positive Psychology Center (PPC) is located in the United States of America. The first stage of the center’s work was the creation of a classification of the individual’s strengths and positive traits (similar to the “classification of pathologies”, which is the DSM-IV nosological system). In 2004, Seligman and Peterson published a list of 24 positive human traits, divided into 6 groups:

Virtues of wisdom and knowledge: creativity, curiosity, openness, love of learning, perspective.
Virtues of courage: courage, diligence, integrity, vitality.
Virtues of humanity: love, kindness, social intelligence.
Virtues of justice: citizenship, fairness, leadership.
Virtues of temperance: mercy, moderation, foresight, self-control.
Virtues of Transcendence: Appreciation of beauty, gratitude, hope, sense of humor, spirituality

Seligman and Peterson's list was compiled based on which character traits are most valued by different cultures and religions.

Based on responses to the VIA-Survey questionnaire, it was revealed which character traits are most conducive to overcoming depression and achieving happiness. These character traits are:

Hope
Gratitude
Curiosity
Love.

The VIA-Survey can be used in psychotherapy by asking clients to evaluate their strengths using the VIA-Survey and then try to use those strengths in a variety of new ways (eg, try a new way every day of the week). It is also recommended to note in your diary each day three happy events that happened that day, and also write down what actions led to these happy events.

What influence does direction have on the human psyche?

A positive perception of the world allows a person to mobilize internal resources. Directing your energy toward solving a problem rather than immersing yourself in a negative influence increases your chances of successfully overcoming a crisis situation. The ability to find positive moments helps to avoid despair and maintain a stable sanity.

Positivity contributes to another important component of human relationships - the creation of new social connections. People who have a positive attitude and overcome difficulties with a smile find it much easier to establish contacts. In a small social group (class, work team, sports team), an individual has a higher social status. He has a greater chance of creating a successful career and a prosperous family.

"Think positively"

The cult of positive thinking, which psychology professor Barbara Held calls the “tyranny of positivity,” is more popular now than ever. Even people who are seriously ill or going through a life crisis are expected to “learn from” their situation and become stronger. Not only do we experience stress and experience our own personal tragedies, but we also have to glow with enthusiasm.

What remains for those who cannot think positively non-stop? Feeling guilty for not being happy enough, and another reason for self-criticism. But our lives are not filled only with rosy events. We all make mistakes, we are sad, we quarrel with loved ones, we are disappointed, we get sick - and no amount of affirmations will change this. The point is to learn to see the bad without embellishment.

“I respond to pain with screams and tears, to meanness with indignation, to abomination with disgust. In my opinion, this, in fact, is called life.” A.P. Chekhov

Stoic philosophers teach to enjoy life without the filter of rose-colored glasses and to be grateful for what you have. Seneca writes that everything in life is “loaned” to us, and fortune can take it away at any moment. “Anything that can happen at any other time can happen today.” In other words, memento mori - remember death. This helps to appreciate life in all its manifestations.

The meaning of themes such as flow and prosperity

Speaking of prosperity, this is a concept that we have already touched on in this article, but have not yet defined. We also mentioned the topic of flow, albeit indirectly, which is also an important concept in positive psychology.

Understanding these concepts is vital to understanding the field of positive psychology. Read on to find out more about them.

Prosperity

Flourishing is one of the most important concepts in positive psychology because it encompasses and extends to many other positive concepts.

In short, “thriving” refers to the state we are in when we pay attention to every aspect of the PERMA model and develop a stronger sense of well-being. We thrive when we develop our talents and strengths. Developing deep and meaningful relationships, experiencing pleasure and enjoyment, and making meaningful contributions to the world.

We thrive when we find satisfaction in life along with the achievement of more traditional goals associated with success, when we truly live the “good life.”

Positive psychologist and professor Dr. Lynn Soates describes thriving as follows:

Prosperity is the result of seeking and engaging in an authentic life that brings inner joy and happiness through the achievement of goals. Connecting with life's passions and enjoying achievements through the highs and lows of life.

Additionally, Soates emphasizes that thriving is not a trait, a characteristic, or something you “either have or don’t have.” Rather, thriving is a process that requires action. While it may be frustrating that it's not easy, it's reassuring to know that truly anyone can thrive!

Image by Victoria_Borodinova from Pixabay

Flow

Another prominent theme in positive psychology is flow.

The concept of flow was first scientifically researched and defined by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (our second “founding father” of positive psychology).

In the last few decades of the 1900s, Csikszentmihalyi noticed that many artists fell into a certain state while working. This state was characterized by particularly intense focus and great concentration on the task at hand. To the point of losing track of time for several hours.

He continued to study this topic and noticed it in others. Professional athletes, musicians, writers, and people from a variety of artistic and creative professions have often reported losing themselves in their work in similar ways.

As he collected more descriptions of this phenomenon, he observed six factors that characterize the experience of flow:

Intense and focused concentration on the present moment.
Merging action and awareness or being fully present in your actions.
Loss of reflective self-awareness (lack of self-attention).
A sense of personal control or free will in a situation.
Distorted sense of the passage of time.
Experiencing an activity or situation as inherently beneficial.

Those who enter a state of flow become completely immersed in what they are doing. This immersion occurs when the tasks facing us are significant and roughly equal to our skills.

When we have a high level of skill and a low level of difficulty, we get bored. High challenge and low skill level, we are overwhelmed. When we have “low skill and low complexity,” we are apathetic. Only when both our skills and our challenges are high do we enter a state of flow.

Entering flow is an inherently rewarding and often enjoyable experience. Flow also appears to be associated with greater happiness and well-being, more academic (and subsequently career) success, and more positive and healthy relationships.

Image by Oluwaseyi Aiyeobasan from Pixabay

Notes

Seligman M.
Using the New Positive Psychology to Realize Your Potential for Lasting Fulfillment. - New York: Simon and Schuster, 2002. - 275 p. — ISBN 0-7432-2297-0.
↑
↑ Peterson C., Seligman MEP
Character strengths and virtues: A handbook and classification. - Oxford University Press, 2004. - ISBN 0-19-516701-5.
Park N., Peterson C., Selimgan MEP
Strengths of character and well-being // Journal of social and clinical psychology. - Vol. 23. - P. 603-619.
(unavailable link). Access date: November 4, 2012.
. medportal.ru
. Copper News (July 27, 2012). Date accessed: August 27, 2020.
. Higher School of Economics (2020). Date accessed: August 27, 2020.
Schneider, K.
Toward a Humanistic Positive Psychology. Existential Analysis: Journal of the Society for Existential Analysis. - 2011. - pp. 32-38.
Seligman, Martin E.
The Optimistic Child. Houghton Mifflin Company. - 1995. - P. 295-299.
Barbara S. Held.
.

How Adlerian individual psychology influenced our vision of personality

In Adlerian psychology, all personality problems are interpersonal problems. Adler never considered himself a student or follower of Freud. He was much more interested in our relationships with other people, rather than unconscious traumas and complexes. Therefore, he called his own theory “individual psychology” - from the word individuum, that is, “indivisible.” The personality here acts not as a field of endless struggle between consciousness and the unconscious, but as a single whole

If Freud focused on the past, Adler emphasized the importance of goals for the future. It is our goals that determine how we live today.

Adler was indeed friendly with Freud for some time and in 1910 even headed the Vienna Psychoanalytic Society. But their views quickly diverged. Adler did not like Freud's focus on sex and unconscious motives for behavior. Freud considered individual psychology too simple and superficial, and called Adler himself nothing less than a traitor to psychoanalysis.

Some believe that it was Adler, not Freud, who had the greatest influence on the development of modern psychotherapeutic approaches. In his book The Discovery of the Unconscious, psychiatrist Henry Ellenberger wrote: “It is difficult to find another author from whom so much has been borrowed without giving him any credit as Alfred Adler.” Abraham Maslow and Viktor Frankl, Carl Rogers, Rollo May, Karen Horney and Erich Fromm - all these famous psychologists took a lot from Adler.

Negativism of memories

Memory stores all events that had a negative or positive impact on the individual. Traumatic memories are hidden in the subconscious: a person may not be aware of them, but the influence of the memories does not stop.

Negative influence reduces cognitive functions: a person sees all events in a negative light and loses the ability to notice positive aspects. His life becomes empty, he loses the meaning of life, he is afraid to make plans for the future.

Positivist scientists are of the opinion that the development of depression occurs due to the predominance of negative memories over positive ones. Negativism prevents a person from focusing on living the moment. He gets stuck in negativity, and over time his adequate perception of reality is distorted. Failures are perceived as commonplace, self-esteem drops, and the person learns to live with depression, considering it a normal condition.

To relieve symptoms of depression, the patient should work with traumatic memories rather than avoid them. Positive revision of events that caused a negative perception of the world helps to create a new vision, focus on the present and not be afraid to make plans for the future.

Benefits of Positive Thinking

Focusing attention. Positive thinking allows you not to waste energy on negativity, but helps you concentrate on solving problems. That is, you get back into your usual routine faster. You are wondering what you can do instead of staying depressed for a long time. Negative emotions - regret, irritation - stop going around in your head. From now on, you are focused on the experience gained and direct your thoughts in the direction of finding solutions.

Self-control. The ability to think positively drives away gloomy thoughts. This prevents you from doing reckless things that you might regret. When you are in a bad mood or angry, sometimes you act stupid or lose control of yourself. In most cases, responding negatively to a situation only makes it worse. The worst action is to bury yourself deeper into problems.

Thoughts are material

You receive from the universe what your attention is focused on. If you have negative thoughts and are fixated on bad events, then your life will be filled with nothing but problems. And with positive thinking, you always attract positive situations into your life.

And with positive thinking, you always attract positive situations into your life.

Positive thinking creates reality, not just directs your thoughts in the right direction. By learning to think positively, you will plunge into a positive life, because such thoughts contribute to positive actions that lead to the achievement of your goals.

Having developed positive thinking in yourself, you will be able to see what others are not able to see, look at the situation from a different perspective. This will happen because you change your mindset and redirect your focus.

For example, in any trouble that happens you will always notice not only one negative, you will be able to look at the situation from the other side, learn to focus on the positive aspects of what is happening

Benefits of Positive Thinking

If a person is always negative, he will be able to see only the bad in current events, missing the positive aspects, even if they are obvious. Having formed a worldview, things that are outside its boundaries are perceived very difficult. The point is that you will constantly be in a state of mental peace and regard all the events that happen in your life as nothing more than just an experience, even a very bitter one.

The benefits outlined above are not a complete list of the benefits you get by mastering positive thinking. In some ways, you will become almost fearless by developing a certain mindset and learning to think positively.

Fearlessness comes from knowing that no matter what happens to you, at any time in your life, you will be able to accept it without losing your positivity.

Living without fear and having the determination to live against all odds is an invaluable quality in our time. Once you master it, you will become stronger as a person, and nothing can break you on the way to your desired goals.

Exercise to develop creative thinking

Try a simple exercise.

Assignment:
imagine in front of you the most ordinary brick, white or red.
Now write down on paper ten ways to use it in non-standard ways. What else can a simple brick be useful for, other than for construction? Write any answers that come to your mind. Example answers:

you can sell it
you can sit
can be placed under a car wheel,
use for self defense...

General goal:
In the future, also reflect on any negative situation that has happened or may happen in your life.
Instead of a brick, you can use any object that catches your eye for the exercise.

Ask yourself:

- What benefits will I get from failure in this case?

Over time, you will learn to find positives in seemingly completely negative situations, which will help you avoid negative thinking.

Active sports will help you throw out suppressed aggression and negative emotions.
Yoga promotes deep relaxation and healing of the body. Any physical exercise gives us a good mood and a boost of vitality. Try to be outdoors more often, in the fresh air.
The contemplation of flowing water, the feeling of a warm breeze and the sounds of birds singing heal the soul no worse than psychotherapy.
Try to combine walks in nature with deep, relaxed breathing.
It can be symbolically scattered to the wind. If you have been sincere with yourself, after this exercise you will feel freedom and lightness.

This will be a way to get rid of negative thinking. If you are worried about something, do it to the maximum!

In foreign psychological practice, there was a case when a man came to a psychotherapist who considered himself... a giraffe. He did not have any mental disorders, but nevertheless, the unfortunate man could not rationally explain why he felt this way. The psychotherapist used a trick, telling the client “in secret” that all people are actually giraffes, it’s just that no one has the courage to admit it. As a result, the man felt understood and calmed down, his life improved.

Based on this example, you can take your experiences to the most absurd form in order to eventually laugh and restore inner peace. It's good to have someone nearby who will laugh with you.

A physical way to combat negative thinking

The physical way to eliminate negative thinking is based on the method of negative reinforcement.

This method is as effective as it is difficult because you will have to constantly monitor your thoughts.

Put a thin rubber band on your wrist (they usually tie up stacks of banknotes).
As soon as you think about something bad, pull the rubber band to the side and suddenly let go.
The painful sensation will remind you that you are thinking incorrectly.

The main secret of success is that if you cannot change the situation, then you need to change your attitude towards it.

Developing new life attitudes requires constant monitoring of your thoughts, try to notice when you have negative thinking.

PS The result you get in the end will more than compensate for all your efforts. Make an effort to combat negative thinking, this will definitely help defeat it. About a healthy balance of positive and negative thinking here:

Criticism

According to Kirk Schneider, positive psychology cannot explain past negative events, such as the actions of the Nazi Party or Stalin's repressions. In addition, Schneider pointed to research where a positive illusion distorts reality. Positive moods can become incapable of psychological growth and tend to hold onto racial prejudice. Negativity, sometimes manifested as mild to moderate depression, is, in contrast, correlated with less distortion of reality. Therefore, negativity can play an important role in the dynamics of human flourishing. Seligman recognized the view of positive illusion in his work.

Ian Sempel in The Guardian, Fr. Sempel cites Stephen Wolin, a clinical psychiatrist, that positive psychology research is simply a repetition of older ways of thinking, and that there is not much scientific research that can support the effectiveness of this method.

Barbara Held has argued that although positive psychology makes contributions to the field of psychology, it has its limitations. She suggested understanding topics such as the negative side effects of positive psychology, the negativity in the positive psychology movement, and the current division in the field of psychology caused by the differing opinions of psychologists about positive psychology. She also raised the issue of the simplistic approach some psychologists take in applying positive psychology.

Notes

Seligman M.
Using the New Positive Psychology to Realize Your Potential for Lasting Fulfillment. - New York: Simon and Schuster, 2002. - 275 p. — ISBN 0-7432-2297-0.
↑ 1 2 3 Forest J. et al.
La psychologie positive et l'approche basée sur les forces : : // Le magazine de l'Ordre des psychologues du Québec. - 2011. - Vol. 28, No. 1 (juillet).
Fredrickson BL
The value of positive emotions // American Scientist, 2003. - Vol. 91. - P. 330-335.
Positive Psychology Center
↑ 1 2 Peterson C., Seligman MEP
Character strengths and virtues: A handbook and classification. - Oxford University Press, 2004. - ISBN 0-19-516701-5.
Park N., Peterson C., Selimgan MEP
Strengths of character and well-being // Journal of social and clinical psychology. - Vol. 23. - P. 603-619.
Center of Applied Positive Psychology (unspecified)
(unavailable link). Retrieved November 4, 2012. Archived October 15, 2012.
Press conference dedicated to the opening of the VI European Congress on Positive Psychology (unspecified)
.
medportal.ru
. Copper News (July 27, 2012). Retrieved August 27, 2022. Archived August 27, 2022.
Master's program "Positive Psychology" (undefined)
. Higher School of Economics (2020). Retrieved August 27, 2022. Archived August 27, 2022.
Schneider, K.
Toward a Humanistic Positive Psychology. Existential Analysis: Journal of the Society for Existential Analysis. - 2011. - pp. 32-38.
Barbara L. Fredrickson, Marcial F. Losada.
Positive affect and the complex dynamics of human flourishing // The American Psychologist. - October 2005. - T. 60, issue. 7. - pp. 678-686. — ISSN 0003-066X. - doi:10.1037/0003-066X.60.7.678.
Seligman, Martin E.
The Optimistic Child. Houghton Mifflin Company. - 1995. - P. 295-299.
Sample, Ian
.
How to be happy (English), The Guardian
(19 November 2003). Retrieved July 5, 2022.
Barbara S. Held.
The Negative Side of Positive Psychology
(undefined)
.

Criticism

Positive Psychology: Helpful Techniques

Let us repeat: despite the fact that positive psychology itself causes quite heated debate, useful practical advice can be derived from this theory. They will help you change the way you think, become more optimistic, stronger and feel happier.

Look for the positives in everything

Let's say you have to give an oral presentation on your work, and the thought of speaking in front of an audience is terrifying. Before your emotions overwhelm you, step back and think about the situation with a cool head. You will make a report in front of your colleagues. What does this mean? For example, that the boss values your opinion and trusts you. What benefits can be derived from this? You have the opportunity to establish yourself on a positive side and promote your ideas.

When you see the benefits, you will feel a surge of strength and optimism.

, which will help you cope with the task.

Identify your strengths

Instead of dwelling on your weaknesses, spend your energy and resources on cultivating your talents and strengths.

. If you have a clear affinity for programming, taking courses like this will help open the door to your dream job. Perhaps what you thought was a disadvantage will work for you. Meticulousness and pickiness can be turned into punctuality, which is highly valued in many areas of work.

Keep an emotional diary

Set an alarm on your smartphone and record your emotions and feelings on paper several times a day. This will make it easier for you to analyze your condition and improve.

Write a letter of gratitude

Dedicate it to a specific person. It is best to hand over the letter in person or speak the contents out loud. This will help you get rid of negativity and feel happier.

Keep a gratitude journal

If every day before going to bed you write down three things for which you are grateful for the past day, then within a couple of weeks your life satisfaction will significantly increase

. It could be something ordinary, but pleasant: good weather, a delicious dinner, or help from a loved one.

Forgive the insults

Forgiveness is needed not so much for the person who harmed you, but for you yourself, in order to stop being burdened by negative emotions

. It's not always easy, especially when you have to forgive someone who has caused you a lot of pain. For difficult cases, Seligman offers a step-by-step methodology.

Recreate the events that happened in your memory, but at the same time abstract from emotions. Do not feel sorry for yourself under any circumstances and distance yourself from negativity towards others, turn into a dispassionate observer. Imagine yourself in the place of the offender, think about his feelings at the moment when he commits an act that offends you. It won't be easy, but you need to sympathize with him. The third step is an altruistic gesture. We need to forgive the offender

It is important that you do this not for yourself, but for him. Reach that state so that you can sincerely say: “Resentment and revenge are not for me.” The next moment is a symbol that you have truly forgiven

It can be expressed creatively: through drawing or writing. It will be good if you tell your loved one about your decision. The most important thing is not to fall back on negative emotions. This does not mean that you will be able to forget what happened, but it will be much easier for you to move on because your emotional response to the event will change.

We cannot say that we fully agree with this approach to resentment and forgiveness. Read our article about resentment to understand what it is like, what forgiveness is like, and what to do in various situations.

Research-backed ideas that are guaranteed to improve your quality of life

If you pretend you feel good, you will.
Emotions are no less contagious than viruses - you unwittingly adopt the way of thinking of those around you. If there are positive people around, then you will become one of them.
The hormone oxytocin, which is produced through hugs and other physical contact, really affects and improves well-being.
Happiness can be bought by spending money on other people. The more free acts of kindness you dedicate to others, the better you will feel.
The desire for a good and quality life increases satisfaction with life in general.
Developing character strengths and happiness work as a buffer against failure and negative life situations.

Positive psychology has become very famous and has even been used in the training of more than 1 million US Army soldiers.

Theory and concepts

The most important thing to understand about positive psychology is that it really is a science. It is a subfield of psychology, and although it is sometimes derided as "soft science" or "pseudoscience", it is still based on the scientific method of evaluating theories based on evidence. As University of Michigan professor and positive psychology legend Christopher Peterson said:

…Positive psychology should not be confused with untested self-help, perfect affirmation, or secular religion—no matter how good they may make us feel. Positive Psychology is neither a rehash of the power of positive thinking nor a sequel to The Secret. (2008)

Peterson continues to outline the theories and concepts that have emerged from the research. At least until 2008:

For the most part, most people are happy.
Happiness is one of the reasons for good things in life and also contributes to greater happiness.
Most people are pretty resilient.
Happiness, character strengths, and good social relationships serve as a buffer against disappointment and failure.
Crises reveal character.
Other people matter (in terms of what makes life worth living).
Work matters in terms of making life worth living. While we are busy and drawing meaning and purpose from it.
Money has diminishing returns on our happiness after a certain point. But we can buy a little happiness by spending money on other people.
Eudaimonia (well-being, a deeper form of satisfaction than happiness) is more important than hedonism (the sole focus on pleasure and positive emotions) for the good life.
"Heart" has more meaning than "head". This means that empathy and compassion are just as important as critical thinking.
Almost all good days have three things in common: a sense of autonomy, competence, and connection to others.
A good life can be taught.

Image by Natalia Danilchenko from Pixabay

"Don't doubt yourself"

Positive psychology is based on the premise that high self-esteem is an obvious good. But this statement does not have sufficiently compelling grounds. According to writer and journalist Will Storr, who has studied this issue in detail, self-confidence is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, people with low self-esteem are shy and lack confidence in their abilities. They don't like to stand out and therefore may miss out on good opportunities or suffer from impostor syndrome. On the other hand, a high opinion of oneself often leads to aggressive behavior and narcissism.

However, do not confuse cause and effect. High self-esteem does not contribute to improved performance in school and career advancement, but our successes reinforce self-esteem. No matter how much a person has self-confidence, this will not make him an excellent professional without the necessary education and work experience. Thinking that you can achieve anything you want just by believing in success is a harmful delusion.

Self-doubt is normal. After all, even Socrates doubted his own wisdom. Unshakable confidence, based not on objective merit, but on positive affirmations offered by coaches, reduces criticism of one’s own actions. High self-esteem increases the likelihood of failure, and those who have it do not recognize their own weaknesses or incompetence. “In addition, such people are more likely to give up difficult tasks, because the difficulties that arise painfully contradict their ideas about themselves,” emphasizes Will Storr.

Active listening method

This method goes like this - sit down and talk. For what? I hear this question often. This is how humans are designed that it is difficult for us to live without feedback from others. If a woman stands at the stove all day, she expects a kind word about herself, an assessment of her work. When a spouse goes to work, spending days on end there, he also expects feedback - in the form of wages.

We keep this in mind when raising children by diligently practicing active listening. But we completely forget when communicating with our partners. More and more often we say, and sometimes shout at each other: “You are this, you are that!” And where are the notorious open questions and descriptions of your feelings: “Darling, I’m upset that you came late, let’s discuss why you’re not in a hurry to go home”? Conversation, communication, open-ended questions help us not to think or write for our partner - something we, unfortunately, often suffer from.

Yulia Borisovna Gippenreiter introduced the concept of active listening into our lives. Simply put, this is a manifestation of maximum empathy for the interlocutor, “listening to him with the whole body” (one would like to add – and “with the whole soul”).

The following active listening techniques are distinguished:

A pause is just a pause, as it is. It gives the interlocutor the opportunity to think. After a pause, the interlocutor may say something else that he would have kept silent about without it. A pause also gives the listener the opportunity to step away from himself (his thoughts, assessments, feelings) and focus on the interlocutor.

The ability to step away from oneself and switch to the internal processes of the interlocutor is one of the main and difficult conditions for active listening, which creates trusting contact between people.

Clarification is a request to clarify or clarify something said. In ordinary communication, minor understatements and inaccuracies are thought out by interlocutors for each other. But when complex, emotionally significant topics are discussed, interlocutors involuntarily avoid raising painful issues. Clarification allows you to maintain an understanding of your partner’s feelings and thoughts in such a situation.

Retelling (paraphrase) is an attempt by the listener to briefly and in his own words repeat what has just been stated by the interlocutor. At the same time, the listener should try to highlight and emphasize the main ideas and accents in his opinion. Retelling gives the interlocutor feedback and helps him understand how his words sound from the outside. As a result, the interlocutor receives either confirmation that he was understood, or the opportunity to correct his words. In addition, retelling can be used as a way of summing up results, including intermediate ones.

Development of thought is an attempt by the listener to pick up and further advance the course of the interlocutor’s main thought.

Message about perception - the listener tells the interlocutor his impression of the interlocutor, formed during communication. For example: “This topic is very important to you.”

Self-Perception Reporting—The listener communicates to the interlocutor changes in his or her own state as a result of listening. For example: “It really hurts me to hear this.”

Comments on the flow of the conversation are the listener's attempt to communicate how he thinks the conversation as a whole can be understood. For example: “We seem to have reached a common understanding of the problem.”

Seligman's research

Experiments with positive effects on the psyche began with Seligman, thanks to whom positive psychology became an academic discipline. At an American research center, he worked with volunteers to create a classifier of positive personality traits. Based on survey results, Seligman identified 6 groups of positive traits that combine similar character traits:

wisdom and knowledge;
courage;
humanity;
justice;
abstinence;
transcendence;

The list of traits was replenished and refined as Seligman conducted surveys of representatives of different segments of the population, and the highest values for them were different. Comparing the results, he derived 4 main character traits that contribute to the achievement of happiness:

Love,
hope,
Gratitude;
curiosity.

To identify the dominant personality trait of the subject, Seligman created a questionnaire consisting of 240 questions and standard answer options. Based on the results obtained, you can not only identify character strengths, but also help a person develop them.

Peculiarities

Positive psychology arose on the basis of humanistic psychology. The authorship of the term is attributed to A. Maslow, the creator of the pyramid of needs, the innovator of the humanistic approach to personal motivation. A creative approach allowed Maslow and his colleagues to come up with the idea of stimulating mental health - as opposed to the idea of treating pathologies. The active development of the direction occurred in the period 1950–1960. In addition to Maslow, G. Allport and K. Rogers studied the role of positive influence on personality.

The main directions in the study of positive psychology were proposed by M. Seligman:

Positive emotions. Form a subjective feeling of happiness. These include: self-confidence, plans for the future, pleasure, satisfaction.
Positive character traits. They are responsible for creating a healthy social environment. Traits that are humanistic and focused on general rather than personal well-being (altruism, generosity, honesty, empathy) create an atmosphere of goodwill and opportunities for personal growth.
Social structures. These include those forms of social associations that help strengthen a person’s positive sense of self: a democratic system, a healthy work environment, a prosperous family, independent media, local organizations.

Positive psychology research continues into the 21st century. The greatest contribution to the development of the direction to date has been made by: E. Diener, C. Snyder, M. Csikszentmihalyi, K. Peterson.

How to get into positive thinking

So how can you increase the amount of positive emotions in your life and apply the theory of expansion and development to yourself?

Any spark of joy, satisfaction and love will certainly do its job. But only you know exactly what will work for you. Maybe it will be playing the guitar, walking with a loved one, or carving a wooden gnome for your favorite flower garden.

Nevertheless, it is worth paying attention to some activities that are suitable for many earthlings. Meditation

A recent study by Fredrickson found that people who meditate daily experience more positive emotions than those who do not meditate.

As expected, meditation had a beneficial effect on long-term skills

For example, three months after the end of the experiment, people who meditated daily had increased attention and determination, and their health improved. Meditation

A recent study by Fredrickson found that people who meditate daily experience more positive emotions than those who do not meditate. As expected, meditation had a beneficial effect on long-term skills

Meditation. A recent study by Fredrickson found that people who meditate daily experience more positive emotions than those who do not meditate. As expected, meditation had a beneficial effect on long-term skills

For example, three months after the end of the experiment, people who meditated daily had increased attention and determination, and their health improved

Letter. The study, published in the Journal of Research in Personality, examined two groups of 45 students. The first group wrote about strong positive feelings for three days. The other is on a regular topic.

Three months later, the members of the first team were in a better mood, they were sick less often and sought help from doctors. Just three days of writing about positive things resulted in improved health.

A game. Fit team sports into your life schedule. You plan meetings, negotiations, events and various responsibilities on your calendar, but why don't you find time for amateur sports?

Photo: chaoss / Photogenics

When was the last time you indulged in experimentation and discovered new things for yourself? When was the last time you planned entertainment? Is happiness less important than a Tuesday planning meeting?

Give yourself permission to smile and enjoy the benefits of positive emotions. Plan a futsal game with friends or a little adventure with your significant other. By doing so, you will experience satisfaction and joy, as well as learn and develop new skills.

How to improve your day?

It is very difficult for a person in a depressive episode to stop focusing on the negative aspects of life. Changing your worldview takes time and effort. It seems that the new day will be as gray and joyless as the previous ones, and nothing in the world can change that.

But the impact of positive psychology is impossible without the desire of the person himself. Lack of intrinsic motivation cannot be instilled from the outside. Therefore, you should try to start by trying simple techniques that can improve an ordinary day and make it special. Everyday techniques include:

Doing an unpleasant task. After completing an unpleasant task, a feeling of satisfaction appears. A small victory will set the tone for the day and set you up for success.
Adding serotonin. Depression reduces the level of serotonin, a hormone responsible for feelings of joy and satisfaction. You need to add it yourself by eating foods rich in serotonin: chocolate, bananas, green peas.
Water procedures. Water helps you cheer up and feel better. If you cannot take a bath or shower during the day, you should wash your face and wash your hands. And in the evening, try to organize complete relaxation using your favorite soap, shower gel, and flavored salt. Pleasant smells also have a beneficial effect on the psyche and increase overall tone.

Exercises can be used to improve your emotional state as soon as a feeling of apathy, psychological fatigue, or doubt arises.

Criticism of positive psychology

The apparent ease of the teaching of conscious optimism has its dark side. Not everyone can change their minds without the help of specialists. According to positive psychology critic Professor Barbara Held, this teaching is nothing less than the “tyranny of the positive.” Most find themselves in a trap: on the outside they have to show love and curiosity, but a million unresolved problems inside do not find a way out, destroying the personality psychologically and physically. The result is a huge number of smiles and the same number of suicides.

We have the right to think bad things, Held argues. The worst advice to a person experiencing suffering is to “think positively!” Not everything always depends only on the relationship between the individual and the environment.

Positive psychology is a great way to change your life for the better.

The goal pursued by positive psychology is to replace existing attitudes in a person’s mind with new, positive, optimistic ones. As a result, the worldview is built according to a new scenario.

Key thoughts of the new life:

everything in the world happens for real reasons;
there is no injustice. The world is fair and generous to everyone;
there will be enough necessary resources for everyone, there will be a place for everyone in the sun;
the world has no favorites, darlings or outsiders: everyone is equal before reality;
life is the highest value;
for everything that happens to a person, he himself is responsible;
everything changes, everything can be changed on your own.

Conclusions from positive psychology:

a person is responsible for his own happiness. No one is to blame for his problems;
developing your strengths is the way to overcome disappointments;
your favorite activity is the best way to feel needed by the world;
awareness in behavior, communication, habits is the key to high self-esteem;
Happiness comes from the habits of giving thanks, giving love, and believing in the best.

By instilling such a position in oneself, a person gains the strength to live, interest in the world, and healthy curiosity. Understanding your role in the world gives you happiness, peace of mind and easy awakenings in the morning.

Criticism

How does positive psychology differ from Pezeshkian psychotherapy?

Positive psychotherapy was founded by N. Pezeshkian in 1968. This is a very interesting and certainly noteworthy method, which is very difficult to describe briefly. Due to his background, Pezeshkian skillfully combined Eastern wisdom and the needs of modern Western society, for example, he used parables to heal his patients and sought to understand the psyche as a unity. Despite the similarity of the approach, positive psychology and positive psychotherapy differ significantly from each other. Firstly, from the very name of the method we can conclude that its main purpose is to help people with mental disorders (psychotherapy). Positive psychology mainly helps mentally healthy people

Secondly, Pezeshkian’s knowledge is, for the most part, his observations and insights, which are only partially confirmed scientifically (in 1997, an important study was conducted that confirmed the presence of a psychotherapeutic effect on a group of patients with mental disorders, but there was no randomization in it, which is one of the most important criteria for the scientific character of modern research). Today, positive psychotherapy does not receive further empirical development to the extent that it occurs in modern positive psychology, especially in the field of mentally healthy people (about 40 publications according to the English-language website of the Positive Psychotherapy Association against thousands of publications on modern positive psychology, data from the scientific database EBSCO publications).