The science of a positive psychology intervention approach Positive psychology advocates that humans can flourish and accomplish optimal levels of functioning. In this era of fast-pace life, technological advancement and with daily demands of work, family, health...
“Don’t worry, be happy!” or so the song goes. A few more songs come to mind like “Oh happy days”, “Sha-la-la (Make me happy)” (Al Green), “Happy birthday” but my favourite has to be “Happiness” (Ken Dodd). “Happiness, happiness, the greatest gift that I possess” other...
What’s in a name? While studying on the MAPP (Masters in Positive Psychology) a question that was discussed from time to time was the future of Positive Psychology and whether the name Positive Psychology was the most appropriate name for the discipline. This came...
Changing Your Mind This week I find myself wondering how many of us don’t really understand how we think, or realise how important our thoughts and outlook are, or how much our mindset can affect our everyday lives, either negatively or positively. As I am...
On the surface the festive season constantly evokes sentiments which should soothe, relax and bring comfort and joy to all. Above and below the surface of Ho ho ho Big name television adverts in soft focus and designed to bring a tear to the eye, a lump in the throat...
Ellen Langer proposed the idea that we, in our daily comfortable routines, can slip into mindlessness— cruising on auto-pilot1. Not that we don’t have minds, but that we don’t pay attention and we are not mindful of the 3D picture called life. As an educator of adult...
Why are positive psychology academics so against the self-help movement? At the age of 14 I recall telling my mum that I felt a bit ‘fed up’, a little down and I couldn’t seem to shake it. I was dealing with a lot in my life at the time since we were caring for my...
“A happy life must be to a great extent a quiet life, for it is only in an atmosphere of quiet that true joy dare live.” Bertrand Russell,Kilimanjaro, Tanzania The outstanding legacy of Christopher Peterson, PhD, includes an article entitled “A Quiet Positive...
All of us go through tough times in life and it’s so important to make sure we get the most out of our relationships whether it’s with our partner, kids, friends or colleagues. I, like many of you, have had my fair share of knocks in life and would love to share a...
While I do not profess to be an expert on Navy submarines, in my military travels I do recall several Navy friends talking about the silent running of the submarines. This is a term used when a submarine goes into a silent mode of operations. In the mode of silent...