The Principle of Positive Psychology - Essay Example

Reflective Essay I was not very well-informed about Positive Psychology as a module while selecting it. Like others, I also shared the same vision that people should study whatever the majority is studying regardless of their personal aptitude or choice. The underlying thought behind this principle is that majority can never be wrong. However, it was only after having undergone this course till this point that I am able to reflect upon, realize, and appreciate the tremendous goodness associated with it. In my view no other course could ever have introduced me to the fundamentals of positive psychology the way this school has done. It was my presumption, originating in the inherent positivity of the term ‘positive psychology’, that it would be quite simplistic field of study that inculcated positivity in people regardless of their personal differences. However, my perception of the field of positive psychology and the knowledge it entails has changed for the better after having undertaken this course. I have found the subject to be much deeper and the knowledge base to be much wider after having studied it. I have found that positive psychology is not just about moral values or spirituality, but it is about things that people deal with and experience all the time. I have found out the dire need to widen and extend the research in this domain as it is possibly to improve the wellbeing of a subject by applying positive psychology. Some of the concepts that I particularly enjoyed studying include optimism, spirituality, emotional intelligence, and the effect of body language on mood. The best thing about studying positive psychology that I have personally experienced is that it has changed me as a person and has made me more optimistic and hopeful. This subject has substantially changed by outlook of life, the world, and the way it works. Before I used to think that we as human beings are always at the dispense of the circumstances; meaning that it is not within the domain of our ability to remain happy. We might plan to have the best day of our life on a certain date, and might end up experiencing the worst day of our life. While there is no doubt that the external circumstances are not in our own control, yet we tend to neglect a reality that our reaction to the things happening to and around us has a decisive impact on our wellbeing and peace of mind. If we lose balance when something bad happens unexpectedly and become angry, the effects happen to become even worse than they would otherwise. On the other hand, if we become patient and do whatever is in our control and ability to change the situation, the least we would get is a stable state of mind; and the most could be wonders! In fact, this thinking that I have inferred from an in-depth study of positive psychology reaffirms the teachings of my religion. My religion teaches me that the whole life is a test and that we should have patience in tough circumstances and remain hopeful that times will change. As a result of undertaking this course, I also realized that whatever happens to us in everyday life is a consequence of the interplay of a host of factors that include but are not limited to our culture, religious affiliations, race and ethnicity, and personality traits. I particularly observed this in the module of relationships, as I learned that the majority of unfavorable events that happen in the everyday life are due to nearly 50%. This course has dawned upon me the importance of friendships and relationships in making us feel good. According to Argyle (2001), the role of friendships in the overall wellbeing of an individual is significant. Relationships have an impact on the level of self-esteem of an individual and teach the individual how to cope with stressful circumstances. Having studied positive psychology, I have learnt the importance of being surrounded with good people and faithful friends in my life. It has dawned upon me that our personality is shaped by the people we spend time with; we can only process and generate the results of the information that we intake. So if we take information from good sources, its impact on our mind and psychology would be positive. Bad company, discouraging and mocking friends are one important reason why some people feel so low about themselves and hit the lowest point of their self-esteem. I particularly learnt the importance of having only faithful friends when I read that our attachment styles as adults are influenced by the roots we develop during the childhood, and that only the people whose roots are securely attached have the tendency to develop lasting relationships (Peterson and Seligman, 2004). Somehow, I always knew the importance of friendship and so tried to have as many friends as possible. Obviously my focus was on quantity rather than quality. I have had a tough time trying to stay friends with certain people as they constantly kept touching my life negatively. It was as a result of studying positive psychology that I realized that I did not need to make an effort to have such people stay in my life. Rather I should play my original self while I am in people. Only the friends that like me being original are the friends that actually matter. This course has made me more careful with respect to my environment, culture, and surroundings. I have learnt that the environment we stay in has a dramatic effect on our mood and our ability to cope with challenges. The information we derive from our environment may improve or worsen the feelings we come preoccupied into that environment with. Environments are quite like friends. Just like it is not advisable for us to keep bad influences in the form of bad friends, we should also try to break ties with bad environment, even harsh or traumatic memories of the past. One of the best things I have learnt in this course is that I should only remember bad moments in the past to the extent that I derive from them lessons and remember them so as to avoid making the same mistakes over and over again. I should try my best to live in the present and try to accept myself for whatever good I have and be content with whatever God has blessed me with rather than comparing myself to those above me financially or otherwise and thus getting depressed. While we should always try to do our best to make a good fortune and improve our life, yet we must understand that everything is not in our control and so we should learn to come to terms with our circumstances in order to stay happy. The biggest fortune one can possess is happiness; as long as we are happy, we should not care how rich or poor we are. Subjective well-being supports survival by causing us to find those aspects of our lives that are significant to us so that we remain focused and hopeful. Religion does the same for me. I regularly pray to God. Also, my religion teaches me all what squarely fits with the demands of positive psychology e.g. letting go, forgiving others, being patient and hopeful. I have noticed an improvement in my emotional intelligence as a result of undertaking this course. While I was always emotionally intelligent to a certain extent, yet the fact that now I know what emotional intelligence is and have learnt its benefits makes me even more conscious about perfecting this skill. Some of the benefits of displaying emotional intelligence include being less aggressive, happier, more empathetic, and having high self-esteem. In my attempt to become more emotionally intelligent, I have noticed an improvement in my social dealings. For example, for a long time in my past, I would become easily agitated. Friends pick on each other; it is a regular activity among them. Whenever this happened to me, I would be driven crazy with anger. Now, as I constantly try to exhibit emotional intelligence, I do not grant these matters any more weight than they deserve. Rather I join in the conversation and participate in the fun, even if I am the focus of all the mockery. However, I tend to make sure that the mockery is coming from the friends I value and who generally have a positive influence on my life; else I would not care and just dump such friends. To conclude, this course has changed me in a lot of positive ways. I have become more optimistic, more choosy in making friends, and more emotionally intelligent. I have learnt that it is not the quantity of money or friends that matters in life, but it is the quality that determines our happiness. Trying to inculcate the positive feelings and adopt the positive habits learnt during this course is gradually transforming me into a very positive person that I always wanted to be. References: Argyle, M. (2001). The Psychology of Happiness. Routledge. Peterson, C., and Seligman, M. E. P. (2004). Character Strengths and Virtues A Handbook and Classification. Washington, D.C.: APA Press. Read More