POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY IN EVERYDAY LIFE
Welcome to Experiencing the Positive! This is a site about positive psychology and how it can help you improve your life. Under the "Positive Traits" link you will find a list of positive traits and strengths. Check each one out to learn more about it. Other links will lead you to ideas about how to foster or increase the positive in your life. There is also a link to the VIA Character Strengths survey to help you identify your top strengths which you can make use of for greater happiness.
What is positive psychology?
Positive psychology is the scientific study of what makes life worth living. It was founded by Martin Seligman and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (pronounced ME-HIGH CHEEK-SENT-ME-HIGH). It looks at well-being, contentment, and satisfaction which were experienced in the past as well as current experiences of flow and happiness, as well as looking forward with hope and optimism (Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000). Positive psychology works with individuals and group positive traits, strengths, and virtues.
What positive psychology is NOT:
What is positive psychology?
Positive psychology is the scientific study of what makes life worth living. It was founded by Martin Seligman and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (pronounced ME-HIGH CHEEK-SENT-ME-HIGH). It looks at well-being, contentment, and satisfaction which were experienced in the past as well as current experiences of flow and happiness, as well as looking forward with hope and optimism (Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000). Positive psychology works with individuals and group positive traits, strengths, and virtues.
What positive psychology is NOT:
- The self-help section of the bookstore where you will find books written by people with doctorates, but may not have scientific rigor
- Motivational speakers who are charismatic individuals – may or may not have true scientific evidence behind their claims
- Dismissive of the challenges of life: The positive psychology approach does not dismiss mental illness, but seeks to balance treatment by working with client strengths instead of just talking about what’s wrong
- “Pollyanna” in its approach
- Just about being “happy”
- “New Age”