5 Principles of Positive Psychology to Boost Happiness
Finding out what makes people happy and healthy—such as when they accomplish a professional goal, find love, or are in awe of nature—is the goal of positive psychology. The field aims to give everyone what they require to lead the happiest life possible.
According to proponents of positive psychology, both the good and the bad aspects of life exist, and what’s good isn’t just the absence of the bad but rather the presence of happiness and meaning. The main aim is to learn more about what makes people happy and healthy, not ignore pain. Below, we will discuss the five pillars and examples of positive psychology to boost happiness.
1. Positive Deviance
The carrot and the stick are two strategies for encouraging people to achieve their objectives. In other words, your goals either direct you away from difficult situations or toward ones that will enable you to advance. Make a list of your objectives and consider whether achieving them will prevent you from attaining a poor outcome or help you achieve a good one.
Can you switch from “far away” to “toward” as your goal? For instance, it will be challenging to learn if you try to pick up new skills because you fear losing your job. This is because you will be busy and stressed. Shift your attention to the possibility that you might relocate and find a new, better job. This connects you to positive energy and transports you to a happier place.
When you review your goals, pay close attention to how you feel. You will feel uplifted, more open, and on the growth path when you are working “toward” your goals, in my experience. Away goals are more about ensuring your safety and survival. Make your objectives something you want to pursue. Positive emotions like courage and excitement will help you stay motivated.
2. Be Present
You can easily follow the other principles if you are more in the present. Only when you’re in the present, do you have the ability to choose where you want to go consciously. What can you do to live in the present moment more? Keep a close eye on your internal movements, including those of your stomach, chest, and other organs.
For a brief moment, you haven’t thought about anything else. Try it for ten seconds if you find it challenging to focus on the here and now for extended periods. You are advised to perform PQ reps or brief periods of being present at least 100 times daily.
You can carry out this activity while eating, walking, or even in the shower; this will enable you to savor your meals more and recognize your fullness. As many times as you can, keep the 10-second sessions going until you feel energized.
3. Grit
Grit is characterized as a strong desire for and dedication to achieving long-term goals. When times are tough, it is what keeps us going. According to research, grit predicts success more accurately than factors like IQ and level of effort.
Not only do more determined people perform better in life, but they are also more resilient and recover from setbacks more quickly. Grit is something you can work on and get better at, unlike intelligence, which largely remains constant as you age. You must examine your limiting beliefs, such as those that cause us to give up when you’re frustrated or those that prevent you from trying something new, if you are to become “grittier.”
Grit development depends on striking the right balance between effort and interest. You can develop grit by altering your perspective, viewing challenges and setbacks as opportunities for growth, and making baby steps in the right direction.
4. Strength and Virtues
Any action or thought you repeatedly practice makes you stronger. Look for activities that play to your strengths and that you are interested in and good at. It’s a good idea to work on it by taking online courses if you have a skill for writing, enjoy math, or have another personal interest.
Getting to know others in your field is also essential; you might discover fresh approaches to advance your career and learn new skills. You start to develop into your best self when you keep doing what you do well and pay attention to your highest ideals and emotions. You’ll develop the mental fortitude necessary to solve issues quickly over time.
5. Gratitude
When you express gratitude, you reflect on the positive aspects of your life. An excellent way to alter how your brain functions is to practice gratitude every day; it gets more straightforward as you focus on the positive aspects of your life.
Create a gratitude journal to remind yourself to reflect on and recognize your blessings. You’ll notice a better attitude after exercising your “gratitude muscle.”
Examples of Positive Psychology in Practice
Journaling
You can effectively apply positive psychology principles through journaling. You can think about and list all the positive aspects of your life by keeping a gratitude journal. Some people find it beneficial to keep a more structured journal, where they list three things each day for which they are grateful. You ought to experience an improvement in gratitude and self-esteem within a week.
Wellbeing Therapy
People are happier due to a type of therapy known as wellness therapy, which is comparable to “cognitive behavior therapy.” It is founded on six central principles: personal growth, discovering one’s purpose, autonomy, accepting oneself, forming healthy relationships, and environmental mastery. People who undergo this therapy learn what makes them feel good and how to improve their lives.
Make a Gratitude Visit
To express your gratitude, pay someone a gratitude visit. This entails identifying someone you are grateful for and expressing your appreciation in writing. Positive psychology is essentially wellness psychology with some added exercises; it emphasizes preserving people’s happiness, enhancing their abilities, and giving their lives purpose.
Conclusion
You can significantly impact our happiness and wellbeing by resetting our negative bias and initiating upward spirals. Although there are many applications and fields of positive psychology, many researchers and practitioners have concentrated on maximizing the five factors contributing to happiness and wellbeing.
Although these aren’t the only things that are healthy for you, you can think of them as the foundations or forces that increase the viability of people and human systems.