Is gardening a flow activity or a mindful activity? This was a debate that I had with fellow Positive Psychologist Kim Furnish recently, and we did not agree. Gardening is an activity enjoyed by many, myself included and I often find myself in flow when gardening. I...
Sometimes it’s one of those simple everyday occurrences that can bring some much to our life but we don’t fully appreciate it. This is exactly the case with ‘Awe Walks’. I only read about these this autumn and they are so simple and yet make...
Christmas brings mixed emotions, it can be a time of joy, of people coming together, of sharing and thankfulness. However, it can also be a time of pressure, conflict and stress. Sometimes it can seem that there is that unspoken requirement that everything needs to be...
How do we know when we are using our strengths? It is when we are feeling energised when a task is easy and enjoyable to complete. It is when time passes quickly when we look up and think where did those two hours go. It is when we have a feeling of satisfaction in...
Who would have predicted the changes we have witnessed and lived through over the past few months? Certainly not me. While it has been an appalling time with much suffering and fear, the beauty of human nature has once again revealed itself during these unprecedented...
I have just returned from a weekend knitting festival feeling completely rejuvenated and raring to go. Why do I feel so refreshed? I believe it is because I have been using and witnessing many Positive Psychology principles in action. Mindfulness The benefits of...
Choose a Happy Winter We are beginning to get the first hints of winter, but before we start hibernating I’d like to take time to appreciate the autumn. What a beautiful autumn it has been. The season never fails to delight and by directly and consciously...
I have often written about the many benefits of being in nature which include increased feelings of well-being and happiness, reduced stress levels, improved concentration and lowered blood pressure. This summer has offered many opportunities to explore varied...
Imagine a couple is moving house, it’s an exciting time, they are able to upgrade and move to somewhere ‘better’. It has the potential to be an uplifting experience that brings them together. They are growing and progressing, they are now able to get...
What a lovely surprise to come across a piece of research conducted by Scott Barry Kaufmann and his colleagues in which they construct a new scale to measure positive personality traits. They have called this the Light Triad Scale. As we know for many years,...