Positive Psychology Strategies for Increased Happiness

ttps://www.unh.edu/pacs/positive-psychology-strategies-increased-happiness

According to Positive Psychology, you are happy when you feel as if your life is going
well, according to the standards you have chosen.

What is Positive Psychology?

Positive Psychology is a growing, research-based field of study. Beyond just offering

strategies for recovering from mental illness, its goal is to help people thrive. Positive
Psychology is about achieving an optimal level of functioning by building upon a
person’s strengths in both personal and professional life. It also focuses upon
increasing our experience of positive states such as happiness, joy, contentment, life
satisfaction, creativity, gratitude, optimism, wisdom, courage, love, awe, etc.

There are three components of happiness:

1. Momentary mood – how you feel right now

2. Life satisfaction – your overall evaluation of life
3. Assessment of specific life domains – work, relationships, finances, health,
etc.

Why are positive emotions and life satisfaction important?

They contribute to:

 betterphysical health and immune function (less visits to the doctor, faster
healing)
 longer life
 greater creativity
 increased success at work (better decision-making and performance, increased
earnings)
 higher quality relationships (more friends, stronger partnerships, etc.)
 increased prosocial behavior (more volunteering, connection to community, etc.)
 greater ability to cope with challenges

How much happier could YOU be?

Positive Psychology research indicates that your capacity for happiness is set
by:

 Genetics (biology and heredity) – 50%

 Circumstances (sex, ethnicity, income, education, geography, etc.) – 10%
 Intentional activity (behavioral choices, thinking patterns, etc.) – 40%
Intentional Activity is where you can exert the most control if you want to increase your
own happiness. There are skills and strategies you can learn to increase happiness
and life satisfaction. Happy people experience hardship like we all do, but their
response to it is to bounce back, to be resilient.

What is the “Good Life”?

Dr. Martin Seligman, a leading researcher in the field of Positive Psychology, uses
the PERMA Model to answer that question:

Positive Emotion: what we feel (joy, pleasure, comfort, warmth, etc.)

Engagement: being fully absorbed in stimulating activities, being in “flow”
Relationships with others that are positive, nurturing, rewarding
Meaning: serving some purpose that is larger than oneself
Accomplishment: pursuit of achievement and mastery

Some strategies for increasing happiness in your life:

 Focus upon problem-solving, not just venting

 Take time to build quality relationships with supportive people
 Count your blessings and practice gratitude
 Take time to engage in random acts of kindness
 Respond actively and constructively, celebrating when others share good news
with you
 Attend to others mindfully, and practice compassion and empathy
 Be kind to yourself, rather than overly self-critical or perfectionistic
 Savor experiences because this will intensify and prolong your enjoyment of
them
 Set
meaningful goals for yourself that provide structure and purpose, give a
sense of identity and increase self-esteem
 Build
intrinsic motivation, rather than just relying upon doing things to please
others
 Seekhealthy challenges, stretching your abilities just a bit beyond your comfort
zone to realize your potential
  Appreciate what you already have rather than focusing only upon what you still
desire
 Avoidthe temptation to complain and reinforce negativity; instead, cultivate
optimism and practice positively reframing your circumstances

Additional Resources:
The How of Happiness: A Scientific Approach to Getting the Life You Want by Sonja
Lyubomirsky (2007). The Penguin Press.

Martin Seligman’s Positive Psychology Center website

Complete validated positive psychology measures
9 Gratitude Practices to Try Today

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/click-here-happiness/202102/9-gratitude-
practices-try-today

Discover science-based ways to grow your gratitude.

Posted Feb 16, 2021

Robert Emmons suggests that gratitude has two key components. First, it’s an
affirmation that there are good things in the world. Second, it's a recognition that this
goodness comes from outside of ourselves. Gratitude leads us to appreciate things and
connect to others, both of which are good for our well-being (take this well-being quiz to
see how you're doing). So how might we increase our gratitude? Here are some
practices to try.

1. The gratitude journal

A gratitude journal is a notebook to keep track of the things that you're thankful for or to
complete other gratitude practices in. You can write about the things you are grateful for
each day or create a long list. You could also use your journal for drawing and other
things that help you focus on what you are grateful for. The research suggests that
gratitude journaling is an effective tool for increasing well-being.

Need some ideas? Ask yourself:

 Are there any positive things that have occurred in your life?
 Are there any people you are happy to have in your life?
 What music are you thankful for?
 What foods are you most thankful for?
2. Practice gratitude for different things

Sometimes when we're not feeling so good, it can be hard to bring to mind things to be
grateful for. Here are some ideas for different life domains.

 People to be grateful for: family, friends, neighbors, teachers, cashiers, colleagues,

and mechanics.
 Things to be grateful for: a roof over our heads, flowers, pets, favorite foods, and
other important items.
 Places to be grateful for: warm sandy beaches, snowy mountains, nature, your
favorite coffee shop, and your other favorite spots.
  Experiences to be grateful for: walking a nature trail, zip-lining, giggling with friends,
social events, family reunions, and other favorite events.
3. The gratitude letter

Writing a gratitude letter involves thinking through all the things that make you grateful
for a certain person. You may want to write one to a parent, partner, or long-term friend.
In your gratitude letter, try to think of several things that make this person important to
you.

4. Gratitude notes

Gratitude notes are kind of like a short version of a gratitude letter. Write out a note or
two on a sticky note, card, or in a message to send to someone through text or social
media. By taking the time to share your gratitude, you not only get to make yourself feel
better, but you can also make others feel appreciated.

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5. Gratitude drawings

Most gratitude practices involve writing. But some of us are more visual and can likely
benefit from finding visual ways to explore and practice gratitude. If you want to, try
making a gratitude drawing or painting. Include people, pets, foods, and anything else
that you are grateful for.

6. Gratitude meditations

Gratitude meditations may be a good fit for you if you prefer to listen rather than write or
draw. Here's one gratitude meditation to try.

7. The gratitude collection

Another fun way to practice gratitude is with a collection. We can collect all sorts of
things that we are thankful for—photos, ticket stubs, and holiday cards can all be
included. Just pop into your collection to remind yourself of the things you were grateful
for.

8. Mental subtraction of positive events

This gratitude practice can help you imagine what your life would be like without
important things or people. This practice can help you become more grateful for the
things you might have previously taken for granted.
9. Self-focused gratitude

If we have low self-esteem, we may be struggling to have gratitude for ourselves. That's
why focusing some of our gratitude on ourselves can be a good fit for some. Try this by
thinking of all the good things about you—things like your positive personal qualities and
strengths.

References

Flinchbaugh, C. L., Moore, E. W. G., Chang, Y. K., & May, D. R. (2012). Student well-
being interventions: The effects of stress management techniques and gratitude
journaling in the management education classroom. Journal of Management
Education, 36(2), 191-219.