by Helen Golstein | August, 2018 | compassion
Self-compassion is key to my work for a number of reasons, one of them being the acknowledgment that positive psychology seeks to provide a deeper understanding of the whole breadth of the human experience. Emotions not electricity I also rarely use positive or negative when referring to emotions or feelings, because that does infer a judgement of them. For me, emotions are a sort of barometer of what is going on, and they can be helpful, appropriate, proportionate and a whole host of other things… but not negative or positive. Self-Compassion as core foundation I love self-compassion… for me self-compassion forms the very foundation of positive psychology. Self-Compassion acknowledges the full plethora of emotional experiences, the suffering, the joy and the value of kindness. Have you thought about the role of self-compassion? I am not sure what you think and feel about self-compassion. You may think it sounds like something you would like to have and at the same time think you wouldn’t even know where to begin. Equally you may already be clear about what it is and how you practice it in your life. Self-Compassion allows for authenticity You may also wonder what it’s got to do with how we nourish ourselves, the decisions and choices we make, and how we become more curious, creative and authentic when planning and achieving our goals. Why are we so critical? Developing the practice of self-compassion allows us to nourish ourselves from the inside out and let go of old stories that have the themes of self-criticism and unkindness threaded all the way through them. Professor Paul Gilbert’s work on...
by Stuart Dickson | July, 2018 | Pride
It’s summer 2018 and as we bask in the beginnings of an already glorious season, much of the nation dreams. Could football really be coming home? The swelling of national pride across the country indicates that there is more belief than for a long time. Whatever the outcome, national pride has to be a positive thing, a chance for celebration and unity. What creates National Pride? There are many occasions that can bring pride to a nation. An opportunity to stand tall, sing your national anthem and celebrate your heritage or chosen country of citizenship. The most obvious has to be in the field of sport, particularly the major events such as the Olympic Games and the World Cup (in various sports, not just football). For me, cheering on my country to success in these championships gives me such a thrill. The London Olympics in 2012 will forever be etched in my memory. It was a truly great summer, blessed with wonderful weather in time for the games. Our performance as a host nation was truly magnificent and the sense of pride across all corners of our country was incredibly uplifting. Additionally in 2012 we celebrated our Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. This set the tone for such a memorable summer, albeit a bit damp and cold at the beginning. Still, the people came out in their thousands. An estimated 90,000 attended the Diamond Jubilee Festival in Battersea Park. Aside from the Jubilee, royal weddings also create a strong display of national pride. Both William and Kate and Harry and Megan’s weddings were celebrated nationwide, creating a feel good factor, not...
by Inge Beckers | July, 2018 | Savouring
Apart from some exceptions, we, human beings, are not so good at ‘doing nothing’. On the contrary, we are generally very busy bees, especially in today’s society. We are continuously busy with anything and everything. One more useful than the other. The pressure to perform starts already in early childhood with potty training, and continues through good reports, passing entrance exams, finding a well-paid job and the ideal partner. In addition, we continuously receive information via social media and other channels. Even in our free time we always seem to be rushing around doing something important. In short, we live at a killer pace and have no time to do just ‘nothing.’ In doing so, we forget to follow the rhythm of nature, day and night, summer and winter, ebb and flow …………. As a result, our sense of rhythm and our balance disappears. If you are busy all the time, you are like a car that never comes out of its acceleration. At some point he will get overheated. For people we call this fatigue or burnout. Doing or being Now that summer is coming, the timing is perfect to get out of the rat race and possibly make room to do nothing and enjoy silence. Instead of doing: just being. Why don’t we do this anymore? Are we afraid of emptiness and silence? Are we afraid to reconnect with ourselves and our essence? The ‘doing’ mode is an action mode, a mode of getting things done. We notice something that is undesirable, there is something too much or too little, and then we want to change that....
by Maggie Bevington | June, 2018 | Strengths
I make no apology for writing another blog about strengths because there are so many ways and situations that they can help transform individuals, groups and communities from languishing to flourishing: The goal of Positive Psychology (PP). I wish that I had known about character strengths earlier – the ‘backbone’ of PP – because I believe it would have made life a little easier and helped me to be a better parent. My own children (now in their thirties) are both settled in positive marital relationships, own their own homes and have good jobs, but I am mostly proud of who they are as people – their strengths and values – so my husband and I reckon we have done a pretty good job, but I still think PP would have helped more. The main concerns I have personally now are for my gorgeous grandson (14 months old), hoping that – between us as parents and grandparents – we have the tools to enable him to be heathy, happy and fulfilled as he grows up. Of course even adult children can still benefit from discovering and working to their strengths (www.viacharacter.org) but I am especially looking forward to ‘strengths-spotting’ with my grandson. Already I can see curiosity, zest and playfulness as major strengths and he gets into all kinds of mischief! But isn’t talking about your strengths like boasting? I am intrigued but not surprised at how many adults view discussing personal strengths as a form of boasting or arrogance rather than merely acknowledging positive aspects of their individual character. But we can learn to balance awareness of personal...
by Steve Emery | May, 2018 | kindness, Uncategorized
We have all most likely seen newsfeeds, and clips on social media of people performing random acts of kindness. The definition of a random act of kindness or RAOK is a selfless act performed by kind people to either help or cheer up a random stranger for no other reason than to make them happier. So, what makes a random act of kindness so special and why is it good for us? Kindness produces Serotonin Serotonin is the chemical the brain produces to help regulate mood, social behaviour, appetite and digestion, sleep, memory and sexual desire and function. Basically, a RAOK makes you simply feel good, it boosts your body’s healing system and acts as an anti-depressant. A lack of serotonin is widely believed to be the main cause of a lot of depression and anxiety related illnesses, so a boost of Serotonin is always welcome. But not only does a RAOK produce serotonin in the giver, it also boosts Serotonin levels in the receiver and all those people who witness it whether at the scene or through a video on social media. Kindness causes a ripple effect. The RAOK doesn’t just stop with the people who witness it. Studies have shown that someone who witnesses a RAOK is much more likely to perform one themselves and will commonly go through three degrees of separation. This means that friends and family will also benefit from the good mood felt through witnessing a kind act. Kindness has been shown to build stronger family and community ties as receiving a RAOK often inspires people to replicate this act. Kindness has been...
