Positive Psychology II

Transcription

1 Positive Psychology II Mag. Elitsa Tilkidzhieva, psychotherapist and researcher

2 We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make our world. -Buddha

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4 Change occurs when one becomes what he is, not when he tries to become what he is not - Martin Buber

5 Face it all Experience personal struggles Working through painful emotions Being torn between options Reacting to the experience of shame Experiencing jealousy or envy towards close people

6 God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference. - Reinhold Niebuhr

7 Face it all Personal struggles Working through painful emotions Being torn between options Reacting to the experience of shame Experiencing jealousy or envy towards close people Accept compliments Having fulfilling relationships Flourishing health, strength Experiencing joy and excitement Having hope and deep sense of meaning Being grateful

8 In pursuit of happiness Barbara L. Frederickson (2001): broaden-and-build vs. narrow-andconstrict We should work to cultivate positive emotions in ourselves and in those around us, not just as end states in themselves (because it feels good), but also as a means to achieving psychological growth and improved psychological and physical health over time. I call this the broaden-andbuild theory of positive emotions, because positive emotions appear to broaden people s momentary thought-action repertories and build their enduring personal resources. Through experiences of positive emotions people transform themselves, becoming more creative, knowledgeable, resilient, socially integrated, and healthy individuals.

9 Internal vs. external drives What is it that I really, really want to do with my life? What gives me a sense of meaning? What is most meaningful to me? What I am most passionate about? What gives me purpose, what my calling is? Idealism is practical! We need to be idealistic in order to have fulfilling life. We need a sense of mission and purpose.

10 The importance of beliefs Research on placebo effect (Benson, 1996) Why does it work? How can you explain the power of the mind? What s the mechanism? How beliefs or expectations influence our performance? What is the mediator?

11 How does it work? Beliefs Expectations Interpretation Motivation Consistency Performance

12 Learn to fail or fail to learn I failed my way to success - Thomas A. Edison

13 Optimism and Pessimism Seligman s interpretation styles When something good happens... When something bad happens... optimistic explanation Permanent Pervasive Personalize Temporary Contained Other people or outside circumstances pessimistic explanation Temporary Contained Other people or outside circumstances Permanent Pervasive Personalize

14 Optimism and Pessimism Mental and physical health more resilient more motivated work harder therefore are more successful less likely to get depressed better immune system It can be learned! We are not born with it! Advocating strong realistic sense of optimism

15 Realistic optimism What about unrealistic, detached beliefs? The Stockdale Paradox belief and a strong sense of realism Positive belief is not enough False optimism sooner or later means disillusionment, anger and hopelessness. -Abraham Maslow

16 The Secret of Success Optimistic belief, passion, hard work. I am a great believer in luck, and I find that the harder I work, the luckier I get. - Thomas Jefferson There is no substitute for hard work. - Thomas Edison

17 Conventional wisdom Do high expectations lead to disappointment? William James: Self-esteem = Success Pretensions

18 Raising the baseline o Working hard and Coping (A. Bandura) (getting out of the comfort zone putting oneself on the line; taking risks; daring; taking actions, even when afraid (courage); having high expectations and going for them; embracing the fear and going ahead anyway) o vs. Avoiding Hard Work Coping Self-Efficacy Success

19 To dare is to lose one s footing momentarily. Not to dare is to lose oneself. - Soren Kierkegaard

20 Raising the baseline o Mental imagery, the power of imagination (S. Kosslyn) (the mind as a simulator, neural pathways, consistency changes the schema) Focus on the whole process, the journey Use all senses, evoke emotions o Find what you really want to do. Find more than one thing that you really really like, don t let your selfesteem to depend on one thing only (B.R. Little)

21 A question of focus We see what we look for and we miss much of what we are not looking for even though it is there... Our experience of the world is heavily influenced by where we place our attention. - Stavros and Torres

22 It appears the way people perceive the world is much more important than objective circumstances Ed Diener

23 Two Archetypes The Fault Finder The fault-finder will find faults even in paradise - Henry David Thoreau - Could lead to resignation The Merit-finder The invariable mark of wisdom is to see the miraculous in the common. - Ralph Waldo Emerson - Could lead to detachment - The need to respect reality - Things do not happen for the best

24 So optimism s benefits are not unbounded. Pessimism has a role to play, both in society at large and in our own lives; we must have a courage to endure pessimism when its perspective is valuable. What we want is not blind optimism but flexible optimism optimism with its eyes open. We must be able to use pessimism s keen sense of reality when we need it, but without having to dwell in its dark shadows. The benefits of this kind of optimism are, I believe, without limit. - Martin Seligman

25 Bibliography and Recomendations Ben-Shahar, T. (2008). Happier: Can you learn to be happy? Berkshire:McGraw-Hill Publishing Company. Ben-Shahar, T. Unpublished lectures on Positive Psychology. Harvard University. Benson, H. (1996). Timeless Healing: The Power and Biology of Belief, ISBN Danner, D., Snowdon, D., and Friesen, W. (2001). Positive emotions in early life and longevity: Finding from the nun study. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 80, Emmons R. A. & McCullough M. E. (2004). The Psychology of Gratitude. Oxford University Press. Fredrickson, B. L. (2001). The Role of Positive Emotions in Positive Psychology: The Broaden-and-Build Theory of Positive Emotions. American Psychologist, 56, Kasser, T., & Ryan, R. M. (1993). A dark side of the American dream: Correlates of financial success as a central life aspiration. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 65, Locke, E. A. (1998). Study Methods and Motivation. New Milford, CT: Second Renaissance Books. Seligman, M. (1975). Helplessness: On Development, Depression, and Death. New York: W.H. Freeman. Seligman, M. (2002). Authentic Happiness. Free Press. Wiseman, R (2003). The Luck Factor. Miramax. Sheldon, K. M. & Elliot, A. J. (1999). Goal striving, need-satisfaction, and longitudinal well-being: The Self- Concordance Model. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 76,

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