Have
you had to deal with anything stressful or challenging lately? In
life we all sometimes have to deal with more difficult situations.
Even the luckiest of us will sometimes experience loss or
disappointment. The trick is knowing how to best handle these
inevitably trying situations to maximize the positive outcome. The
cutting edge research in positive psychology is helping experts and
regular people alike in figuring out how to optimize human potential
by better managing all of life's varying situations.
You
may or may not have heard of positive psychology, but it has been
around for decades. It is the scientific study of learning how we can
work towards optimizing the quality of our lives. It is founded on
the belief that if we cultivate our potential on an individual level,
we can enhance the quality of our lives in every facet including
interpersonal relationships, professional endeavors and personal
pursuit of our goals and dreams. This will in turn improve society as
a whole.
A
recent study in France analyzed the effectiveness of positive
psychology in its ability to benefit individuals of all sorts of
varying personality types and weighed the data collected against that
of a control group. It utilized statistical analysis of a variety of
numeric data to quantify results, and the results were published in
the “Individual Differences in the Effects of a Positive Psychology
Intervention: Applied Psychology.” This article asserts that
thinking negative thoughts diminishes the ability to find positive
solutions and most effectively problem solve. (140) This concept is
expanded upon by going on to say “On
the other hand, positive emotions broaden individuals' attentional
field and thought-action repertoire. New ideas and actions build
resources that can be implemented in various situations” (140).
Basically if you can train your thought patterns to stay positive,
you can open up the problem-solving ability of your brain to more
effectively find the best positive solution to situations. If you
think negative thoughts, you are limiting your problem-solving
abilities and more probably to get stuck on a loop also known as
ruminating or fuming. If you had the ability to most effectively
utilize your brain's optimal potential for problem-solving and
finding answers to that which life throws at you, wouldn't you want
to tap that ability to the utmost?
The study sought to teach the participants techniques for correcting
their thought patterns as a way to optimize problem solving ability
and ultimately increase positive outcomes. These techniques in
mindfulness and thought regulation were “...easily
self-administered and to not require clinician intervention. Our
approach aimed to address the need to disseminate alternative,
innovative, cost-effective and evidence-based self-help psychological
tools” (141). These techniques in mindfulness, thought recognition
and self-regulation were shown to diminish depression, anxiety,
stress and other mental manifestations that ultimately impact both
our responses to situations and our physiological well-being.
As society increasingly moves away from just simply treating the
symptoms of depression and anxiety via harmful prescription drugs and
moves towards uplifting and empowering the individual as a means of
improving the human-being's daily experience we will begin to see a
growth in overall well-being as a whole. An increase in health and
well being is a beautiful thing on an individual level, but think
about what impact this could have on society as a whole. If
individuals are better able to problem-solve as well as contribute to
the well-being of the people around them, humanity in general would
be infinitely benefited. So the next time you are faced with a
stressful or challenging situation remember that your thoughts and
attitude can greatly impact your ability to handle the situation and
affect the emotions and the outcomes you experience.
Works
Cited
Antoine,
Pascal et al. “Individual Differences in the Effects of a Positive
Psychology Intervention: Applied Psychology.” Personality and
Individual Differences 122 (2018): 140–147. Web.
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