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Positive psychology emerged as a field that focuses on well-being and happiness, challenging the traditional focus on misery and suffering in psychology. It encourages individuals to cultivate an optimistic mindset and interpret events in a way that fosters resilience and personal growth.
Optimism plays a crucial role in mental health and overall well-being. Individuals who possess an optimistic outlook tend to approach challenges with a belief that they can overcome them. This mindset helps prevent learned helplessness and fosters resilience, leading to better mental health outcomes.
Having a sense of meaning and purpose in life is strongly linked to happiness and productivity. Feeling that one's life matters and having a sense of purpose fuels motivation and satisfaction. Cultivating a mindset that focuses on purpose can contribute to overall well-being.
In a study of about 100 nuns, it was found that those who used positive emotion words in their essays lived about 15 years longer on average compared to those who did not. This highlights the impact of positive emotions on health and longevity. Further research has shown that optimistic people, who exhibit high levels of positive emotion, can live between six and eight years longer than pessimistic individuals.
Studies have revealed that acts of kindness have a longer-lasting positive effect on happiness compared to engaging in pleasurable experiences. One study found that individuals who performed kind acts reported the positive effects lasting throughout the day, whereas pleasurable experiences had a more fleeting impact. It is hypothesized that our hedonic system is wired to derive greater pleasure and satisfaction from helping others, making kindness a valuable source of happiness.
Martin Seligman is the Fox Leadership Professor of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania and the director of the Positive Psychology Network. He is the author of 20+ books including Learned Optimism and The Optimistic Child; his latest (co-authored with Gabriella Rosen Kellerman) is Tomorrowmind: Thriving at Work with Resilience, Creativity, and Connection ? Now and in an Uncertain Future.
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