Positive Psychology views individuals as capable of developing positive emotions, engagement, positive relationships, meaning, and accomplishment; by being proactive and establishing habits of thinking and behavior that enhance positive emotions and our connection to others.
Tips to Bring Positivity into Your Daily Life
Positive Psychology views individuals as capable of developing positive emotions, engagement, positive relationships, meaning, and accomplishment; by being proactive and establishing habits of thinking and behavior that enhance positive emotions and our connection to others.
Martin Seligman, a psychologist and past President of the American Psychological Association, stated, “One of the most significant findings in psychology in the last 20 years is that an individual can choose the way they think.” By self-reflecting on how we see the world, and how we see ourselves in the world, constructive thoughts and behaviors can be initiated and positive habits established. These habits of thought and behavior lead to a richer emotional and social life, and hence a more meaningful and rewarding life.
Altering our view of the world and how we interact with it might sound like quite a challenge, but it is a change that can happen in your everyday routine.
Below is a list of suggestions consistent with the practice of Positive Psychology. To start, do not try them all at once. Just start by doing one a day to see how they fit, the thoughts they create, and experience the emotions they instill.
- Judge less and empathize more. Approach life with fewer judgements and negative evaluations of others. Instead, be curious and foster an understanding of who you are dealing with. Try starting with what is right about the person or situation. The habit of being judgmental is rooted in all or none thinking, which is one of the most common thinking errors people make and establishes an “Us versus Them” view of the world. The habit of being judgmental sours your life.
- Practice gratitude, even when life is challenging. Hardship often leads us to forget our blessings and what is right in our life. Life is uneven and by practicing gratitude we remain grounded in foundational elements in our life. Research has shown that when individuals diagnosed with depression took the time to express gratitude to someone close to them, they scored as non-depressed for a period of six weeks. How we approach our relationships has profound impact on our emotional state.
- Perform an act of kindness each day. You are personally responsible for creating the aura that surrounds you. How you choose to treat people adds or detracts from that aura. The smallest acts of kindness can have significant impact for both you and those with whom you cross paths.
- Take time each day to find something beautiful and take a moment to appreciate it. Whether you look to a source that is visual, auditory, social, found in nature, or simply an idea that engages a deeper appreciation of the world, find a way to appreciate the beauty in everyday life. Challenge yourself to find the beauty in even the smallest of things.
- Avoid holding a grudge. Injuries and disappointments are a part of life. Experience the feeling and let it go. Holding on to past injuries just sets the stage to re-experience them every day. That negative experience then shapes your perspective in the present. Letting go is not always easy, but the benefits can be life altering.
We make choices every day. The principles of Positive Psychology provide a path that involves proactively shaping our thoughts and behaviors in a manner that builds more positive relationships and help us live a happier life. To find out more about Positive Psychology go to https://ppc.sas.upenn.edu/.
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