by Lynn Soots | June, 2016 | Classroom Reflections
Ready to grow and learn about me Before taking positive psychology I thought this class would be exactly how it was. Of course I learned way more than I ever expected in such a short period of time but that’s the great part about it. I didn’t know how much fun it would be, but then again I thought how could it be boring its positive psychology, there is no way a professor could turn this class into a dreadful one. Knowing it was with Professor Soots was a dead giveaway that it would be a fun, interesting, and very informational class. I really wanted to take this class because my fiancé and I are very into positive thinking and believe what you put out there will come back to you. I have a hard time practicing that all the time because of the daily stressors of adulthood, but I thought the more I learn about it, the more I am able to implement it into my daily life. I really saw this class as the next step. I thought if there is a class on it and not just wellness books and sayings, then this is something that is legit, even though I believed it already they have found a way to kind of put holistic meets medicine or the universe meets science, for example your mind controls a lot of what your body goes through, laughing therapy, crystals and yoga, etc. This is a lifestyle that is becoming very popular. These are some of the reasons and thoughts I had about this class before I registered. Seeing...
by Lynn Soots | June, 2016 | Classroom Reflections
Hope & Optimism “Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement, nothing can be done without hope and confidence” – Helen Keller Before Taking Positive Psychology my thoughts were: Before taking Positive Psychology, my thoughts were questions. What would such a course fully entail? Would it be merely about the psychological concepts of being positive, optimistic, and or less negative or pessimistic? Would it provide insight into overcoming stress or depression? I knew that prior to taking this course that ‘Positive Psychology’ would relate to emotions, inner strength, and optimism, but having completed the course – there is so much more. Positive psychology provides the vision and tools needed to expand one’s understanding of topics such as self-esteem, self-determination, wisdom, therapy, happiness, kindness, giving, creativity, relationships, hope, problem-solving, and the human mind. Before taking this course, the questions behind my thoughts as to what this course would or could entail, involves answers that are essential to life, and subsequently important that its impressions should be known by everyone. An Ah-Ha moment for me was learning about: Positive Illusions At first I thought, what an interesting mince of words; ‘Positive Illusions’. How can the idea or notion of positivity…be illusory? It sounds as if the concept can come across as…unreal; faux. The subject matter helped provide me with a very unique view, that sometimes being too positive and seeing yourself in an ‘enhanced’ way, can become an “…unrealistic sense of personal control…” (Carr, p.85). The theoretical views of positive illusion can cause a unacceptance of trials or tribulations where recognition and resolution may be needed. Where there is stress or...
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...
