The Power of Positive Psychology

What is Positive Psychology, and how can it be implemented into my own life?

While this blog touches on several topics relating to the mind and well-being, I think it is very fitting to alter and repost this topic on “The Power of Positive Psychology.” This is mostly because the topic was one of my first posts, yet it may have been difficult for readers to get around to reading it. If you did, thank you for really diving deep into my blog! I hope that you continue to find the content interesting and applicable in positive ways into your own lives!

I also feel that this subject is broadly applicable to just about anything, whether that be enriching the relationships in your life or applying the theories to have a fulfilling vocation. Therefore, I would really like to reemphasize the content of this post, which I will continue to do for many of my earlier posts as well.

Marty Seligman, who continues to conduct his research at the University of Pennsylvania, is considered to be the “father of positive psychology.” The following paragraph is based on ideas of his thought-provoking and perspective changing book “Flourish,” (Seligman, 2011). His PERMA theory of well-being is central to the field of positive psychology. It is an acronym that stands for Positive Emotions, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Achievement. It is important to note that these components of well-being suggest being well is more than just about the absence of things such as disease and negative emotions, which is what several medical models and historical theories of psychology tend to focus more on. These mentioned components of PERMA theory are also critical to address and nurture in one’s own life in order to promote flourishing. In my experiences, I intentionally relate practically everything I do back into this theory in order to find meaning in the activities I do, and I can tell you firsthand that it has worked very well in my own journey towards well-being.

Take this blog, for instance. It could be very easy for me to not find value in what I am writing. It is very common for bloggers to give up altogether because of an unclear purpose when they start. With this theory in mind, however, I am easily able to find value in writing this. While I would be ecstatic to expose as many people as I can to the topics I find fascinating in order to help them achieve a better sense of well-being, I also find meaning in doing this blog for its own sake, and documenting the thoughts that are in my head nearly all the time. Therefore, to directly apply his theory, I find a strong sense of meaning in doing this blog, and also feel a strong sense of achievement when I post. I also find strong value in the relationships I’ve built with many of you. I engage to the best of my ability in each post, and hope to continue experiencing positive emotions of peace, joy, contentment, gratitude, and several others during my experience blogging. Throughout my posts, I try to consider Seligman’s PERMA theory in everything that I cover, which inspires me to continue posting. I look forward to continuing this journey with all of you, and if anyone would like to reach out to me and ask questions, feel free to comment below or email me at trmitch96@gmail.com. I look forward to your questions and contributions, and I hope that you are all doing well!

Also, check out this link for information directly from an original source on PERMA theory:

https://ppc.sas.upenn.edu/learn-more/perma-theory-well-being-and-perma-workshops

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