by Lynn Soots | June, 2016 | Classroom Reflections
“Anxiety turns you into a problem-solver; when you’re anxious, you’ll do anything you can to get yourself and others out of a pressing situation” Connecting the curriculum with my future Before Taking Positive Psychology my thoughts about the course were: this is going to be a boring class. I just need this class to graduate. I was wrong; I enjoyed the class and all the material that I learned from it. I also loved the reading because it taught me so much about Positive Psychology and makes me just want to continue with my masters in this field, not social worker. An Ah-Ha moment for me was learning about….. (FLOW) Positive Psychology opened my eyes to… Flow allows me to relax, become happy, and gives me meaning to finish or enjoy whatever i am doing. My feelings when I am engaged in FLOW are happiness, energetic, feeling relaxed, and very in sync in what I am doing. Like when I am cleaning my house, I open all the windows, turn the music on, and go at it cleaning everything. Without the music, I believe it would take me a long time to get stuff done, but with the music my mind is more concentrated on the sounds I hear then actually cleaning, it’s like killing two birds with one stone. About the author: James A. Giuffre, retired from U.S. Army, graduating from Chaminade University in December 2016, furthering his education in Sports Medicine in 2017 for his Masters. Future goals are to have opened and successfully run 10 care homes in Hawaii by 2025. He hopes to compete in...
by Lynn Soots | June, 2016 | Classroom Reflections
“It’s not about the destination it’s about the obstacles you encounter to get there ” Finding my strengths and using them in difficult times Before Taking Positive Psychology my thoughts about the course were: I thought that it would be about focusing about the positive aspects of Psychology, and how you would help others work on being positive. I did not know that it would teach you how to build on your strengths as an individual while working on the negative aspects of yourself. An Ah-Ha moment for me was learning about….. My strengths I had no idea that they would teach me that I could get through any difficult situation in my life as long as I focused on my strengths. The strengths are far greater the negative aspects in my life. Being able to pull out the best of me allowed me to see that there is nothing that I cannot move pass, get over, or achieve in my life. Positive Psychology opened my eyes to… knowing that I am very resilient in life. Over this course I have been recovering from the loss of my father. Using my positive strengths to help me through I did not know how or it I would ever get pass that loss, I was daddy’s little girl and he was also my best friend and this shook me to my core. Through this course I have found the strength within myself to make it through another day. I have been able to reflect on the past that we shared and everything that he has ever taught me. I have found...
by Lynn Soots | June, 2016 | Classroom Reflections
“The biggest emotion in creation is the bridge to optimism” ~Brian May Before Taking Positive Psychology my thoughts about the course were: I always thought that I was optimistic about a lot of things, especially about life. But after taking this class I have a new profound understanding of how being optimistic is neither good nor bad. Everyone has a choice to make in life whether they want to be optimistic or pessimistic. I had never heard of the term “Positive Psychology” but I had been exposed to and even taught many of the lesson concepts we explored during this term. This class really opens up my mind, body, and spirit to the world of happiness in so many ways and not just my own. Learning the true value of optimism was eye-opening An Ah-Ha moment for me was learning about Optimism. I learned many new ways of how to implement being optimistic into my daily life or at least try to. There are simple easy habits that I can use to enjoy a much happier life, and it doesn’t just have to be for me but for the people around me as well. Learning about different ways to incorporate happiness into my life was very inspirational to me since I’ve lost my brother, my grandmother, and Auntie all within a seven months of each other. I felt so sad during that time. But since talking to family, friends, and God I realized that they are in a better place and that they would want me to be happy. So by doing some of the habits in the Ah-Ha...
by Lynn Soots | June, 2016 | Classroom Reflections
“Comparison is the thief of joy” Through my study and practice of Positive psychology isn’t all about rainbows and unicorns, it’s more about where we choose to place our focus. Do we choose to think on the positive aspects of our lives or focus on the lack? While we all want to be the embodiment of peace married with joy, there is always a sense of lack. I feel that much of this lack comes from the marketing of our society; companies selling us products that will make us more, more refined, more youthful or shinier, essentially telling us that we are not enough. So we buy products, and lifestyles that give the illusion that we are more, more tough, more feminine, more of the prescribed remedy for our unhealthy lack. Big business isn’t the only one to blame, political entities, press, religious organizations, social groups and cultures are all complicit in making us feel like we are less than. Seeing the unique beauty and letting go As the years come and go, I chat with friends who are acutely aware of their own lack, they are feeling behind, or inadequate. My friend’s son recently graduated from high school with plans to attend the local community college. She spent weeks worried about how her son wasn’t fulfilling her hopes of going to an Ivy League school. I witnessed her share a list of the names of her friend’s children and the schools they would be attending next fall on several occasions. I finally sat down and chatted with her about this, I asked her the same questions I ask...
by Lynn Soots | June, 2016 | Classroom Reflections
“Great things are done by a series of small things brought together. Vincent Van Gogh” Before Taking Positive Psychology my thoughts about the course were: Always up for the challenge, and I was thinking I could use what I learned to help other that I come across in my life. An Ah-Ha moment for me was learning about….. (The Small Wins Habit) Seeing and appreciating one small success at a time I can’t wait to finish school I know it will take one class at a time. This same principle is shared in the book, “Habits and Happiness.” When we achieve a goal, our body releases a happy chemical of dopamine that makes us feel good about ourselves. This means even if we finish a small part of our bigger goal our minds and bodies still release some dopamine. Small wins fuel the fire and keep us going Small wins help us in continuing and motivate us to finish something we started. Positive Psychology opened my eyes to… (Explain what it was you learned about the topic, what it has come to mean to you and how it will be part of your life. What opened my eyes in Positive Psychology is that I need to be proud of the small accomplishments that I do. I think society puts some much pressure on school. I thankful that I took this class because I use to think I was dumb because I didn’t have a college degree. But I can still do things that make me happy and that’s all that matters. One day I hope to finish my degree...
