How Positive Psychology Tools Can Help You
Written by Kirsti Formoso, MSc. Transpersonal Psychology, BSc. Psychology
HOW POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY TOOLS CAN HELP YOU
Fed up with how things are going? Not getting where you want in life? Struggling to find meaning or purpose? Don't lose hope. There's a way out, and its called positive psychology.
Positive Psychology helps people develop their personal strengths, improve their well-being levels, find life satisfaction and thrive. And it works. The positive psychology movement is growing fast because the evidence for its effectiveness is starting to look like an entire library.
I use a lot of positive psychology interventions in my practice, so I thought it was time to share a few secrets about positive psychology so that you, too, can thrive with its tools and techniques.
WHAT IS POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY?
Positive psychology, like transpersonal psychology, is about finding out what makes life worth living. It's about life satisfaction, joy, awe, peak states, inspiration, gratitude, compassion, and love. It encompasses what we mean by well-being or being well.
Unlike clinical psychology, which is about getting people from mental illness to "normal" (whatever that is), positive psychology is about getting people from normal to great. From the drudgery of life to thriving in life, loving life and being resilient in life.
Don't think that positive psychology is not for you if you're suffering from mental illness. While a clinical psychologist will be able to provide proper care, positive psychology tools can help you, too. I'll be talking more about mental illness and positive psychology further down, so stick with me.
Positive psychology is not about being happy or having positive feelings all the time. That wouldn't be natural. Negative emotions like sadness, pain, anxiety, and anger are a normal and healthy part of life. It's more about how we respond to those emotions and challenging times. It's about developing character strengths like resilience, self-efficacy, self-worth, self-esteem, and self-compassion.
A QUICK HISTORY OF POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY
Positive psychology was born out of a foundational paper published in 2000 by Martin Seligman and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. Seligman had spent much of his career studying learned helplessness. He noticed that it was associated with depressive symptoms. People who suffer from depression tend to feel helpless.
Csikszentmihalyi is another famous psychologist. Most known for his work on the flow state. Csikszentmihalyi had been investigating happiness for many years when he realized that happiness is an internal state that we feel most when we are active, creative, and engaged.
The two psychologists had a vision. Like the founders of transpersonal psychology before them, Seligman and Csikszentmihalyi were frustrated with psychology's narrow focus on the negative end of the spectrum of human experience.
Where was our ability to flourish, to love, to be strong, resilient, and creative in the discipline and scientific study of psychology? Why didn't traditional psychology study our tremendous ability to push boundaries, create masterpieces, and transcend the drudgery of life?
Seligman and Csikszentmihalyi's seminal paper on positive psychology birthed a new wave of scientific research, research findings, and published papers. They inspired a new generation of psychology researchers to turn their attention from trauma, pain, and abnormal psychology to positive psychology and human flourishing.
HOW POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY IS HELPING PEOPLE TODAY
So, what have we learned about human potential, flourishing, and living the best life possible? With almost 25 years of positive psychology research now behind us, we have a wealth of evidence-based approaches, tools, techniques, and exercises to help us live more fulfilling lives.
A recent meta-analysis of 347 studies and 72,000 participants showed that positive psychology interventions have an immediate positive effect on promoting mental health and well-being. These findings also applied to specific mental health and well-being measures like anxiety, depression, stress, and strengths. And the best news? The results were lasting. Participants maintained their elevated levels of well-being for at least 3 months following sessions.
POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY INTERVENTIONS
There are tons of positive psychology interventions and tools that can help improve our psychological well-being, life satisfaction, and relationships. To give you an idea, here are a few that I use.
Mindfulness-based stress reduction
Mindfulness-based cognitive behavior change
Somatic and physiological interventions
Breathwork
Self-reflective worksheets and exercises
Journaling
Gratitude practice
Integrative practice
Nature bathing
Cold water swimming
Regular exercise or physical activity
POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY AND THE PERMA WELL-BEING MODEL
All positive psychology interventions revolve around the core positive psychology model, PERMA. This stands for positive emotions, engagement, meaning, and achievement. The five elements of well-being. Let's take a closer look so we can start to map our path to a life of purpose, fulfilment, and flourishing.
1. Positive Emotions
All emotions on the spectrum, from negative emotions to positive emotions, have their place and are a normal and natural part of being human. The problem is many of us experience negative emotions at times when happiness is more appropriate. If we're not able to experience positive emotions during pleasant activities, we're probably more focused on the past or the future. Focusing on the present moment helps increase happiness and positive emotions. And the more positive emotions we have, the better health outcomes and well-being we have.
2. Engagement
Here's where things start to get interesting. How engaged we are in activities has an impact on our well-being levels. Research suggests that being in the zone or totally engaged in an activity increases well-being levels. Csikszentmihalyi's flow state is all about being totally engaged in the moment. And the more we can achieve this, the greater our well-being.
3. (Positive) Relationships
We are social creatures. We are shaped by our relationships, and they determine, to a large extent, the quality of our lives. They drain us or feed us. They inspire us, or they confine us. Having healthy, meaningful relationships is a fundamental aspect of well-being.
4. Meaning
Viktor Frankl, a holocaust survivor, argued that when prisoners lost all meaning to life, they lost the will to live. I highly recommend his book, Man's Search for Meaning. Without meaning, we have nothing. Meaning is inherently linked to our spirituality and our spiritual dimension. Spiritual psychology has delivered mounting evidence that finding meaning and purpose in life is crucial for well-being.
5. Achievement
As a species, we are driven to achieve and accomplish our goals. It's hardwired into us. It's a survival program. Go after something, get it. We need to feel accomplished. We need to feel as though we are progressing, moving, evolving and growing. That's how we flourish. This concept is strongly related to a growth mindset. Recent research has shown that a growth mindset is negatively correlated to stress and illness and positively correlated to coping skills.
CHANGE YOUR THOUGHTS CHANGE YOUR LIFE
For me, one of the most important aspects of positive psychology is becoming the master of your mind. Our thoughts have both a positive effect and a negative effect on our emotional well-being. What most people don't realize is we have the power to change our thought patterns.
One way we can do this is by doing gratitude practice. Each time we write in our gratitude diary, write a gratitude letter or make a gratitude visit, we start to see life as more giving and supporting and full of kind people with positive qualities. It encourages us to think about the positive aspects of our lives.
In time, the gratitude practice creates more positive thinking habits, which improve our subjective well-being levels, our physical health and increase happiness. It stands to reason that the more we elevate these levels, the more positive experiences we have in life. Positive psychology exercises create momentum in our life for the good life.
Of course, gratitude practice is just one way to change our thoughts. There are many ways positive psychologists and coaches can help you improve your thinking patterns to a more positive thinking style.
APPLYING POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY TO YOUR LIFE
Now you've got a good overview of what positive psychology is you can look for ways to improve your mental health and well-being by introducing positive psychology tools and techniques into your life your life. Positive psychology is all about making choices.
Choosing to learn mindfulness meditation to help you deal with your stress effectively
Choosing to learn mindfulness meditation to help you stay in the present moment
Choosing to keep a gratitude journal to remind you of how blessed your life is
Choosing to reframe how you see life
Choosing to reframe how you see yourself
Choosing to learn tools and techniques that help you to respond instead of react
Choosing to be authentic to your own needs
Choosing to discover what gives you purpose and a meaningful life
Choosing to learn about emotional intelligence
Choosing to learn better communication skills
Choosing to identify your goals
Choosing to become the master of your mind and not a slave and believer of negative thoughts
CHANGING YOUR LIFE WITH POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY
Of course, choosing is just the first step to edging your way closer to wellness and well-being. We all know that patterns and behaviors can be hard to change. We’ve all failed on a New Year’s Resolution, right?
To make change takes consistent effort and a commitment to investing in yourself. Luckily, coaches and positive psychologists are trained to keep you on track. With a few simple exercises, a coach or positive psychologist can help you change your mindset. The first step to changing behavior and improving well-being.
But don’t wait. Strike while the iron’s hot! There are plenty of free resources on the internet to get you started or at least get a taster. You can start to implement positive psychology tools and techniques to change your mindset and build a better life right now.
And if you’re serious about getting out of your rut or just finding more joy in life, you can get professional help from a coach or positive psychologist for a faster, more focused, and more effective journey to wholeness, flourishing, and fulfilment.
FINDING A COACH OR POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGIST
A positive psychologist should have a postgraduate qualification in the field of positive psychology. They should have a growth mindset, be solution-focused, and be adept at skills such as mindfulness. They will be experts at knowing which tools to use to help you build a better life and a better relationship with yourself.
Most personal development coaches draw on positive psychology theory, interventions, and tools. They're usually passionate about our ability to grow and change. Coaches help their clients build a better, more balanced life so that they can flourish and thrive.
Coaches come in all different shapes and sizes, so it's important to check their credentials. Look out for a strong background in psychology and mindfulness. A good coach will help you develop your growth mindset so that you can employ positive psychology tools without support in the future.
Most positive psychologists and personal development coaches will offer face-to-face and online sessions, so even if you can’t find one that resonates with you in your local area, you can still soak up the benefits of positive psychology.
POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY VERSUS TRANSPERSONAL PSYCHOLOGY
As you can imagine, I love positive psychology. I've been passionate about personal and spiritual development my whole life. I've got a growth mindset. My interest in our ability to grow, learn, change, adapt, and thrive has been a consistent thread throughout my whole life.
When I finished my undergraduate degree in psychology, I knew I wanted to do a master's in transpersonal psychology or positive psychology. Transpersonal psychology would take me three years, whereas I could do a positive psychology masters in just one year.
Although I love positive psychology and the course was short, I found it a bit limiting. There just seemed to be too much focus on happiness, and I was more interested in the deeper meaning of life or the transcendent realms. So, I chose to study transpersonal psychology. And I have no regrets. We studied positive psychology in my master’s anyway!
Now, I think of the disciplines of psychology along a continuum, from clinical psychology to transpersonal psychology, with positive psychology falling between the two. Both transpersonal and positive psychology promote well-being and optimal functioning.
Positive psychology focuses more on cognitive behavioral therapy, whereas transpersonal psychology taps into both our subconscious and superconscious selves and utilizes altered states of consciousness to dig deep and find our subconscious blocks so that we can move forward.
EXPERIENCING THE PERSONAL BENEFITS OF POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY
Positive psychology has its own merits, as you've seen in this article. I find it deeply beneficial for organizing my life, my priorities, and my goals. I regularly do the positive psychology worksheets and exercises that I give to my clients. They help me to reflect on areas of my life that need attention, my thought processes, my values, my beliefs, my core character strengths and virtues, and my weaknesses.
And the thing is that every time I re-visit these tools and re-do the exercises, I learn something different about myself. I uncover deep-seated beliefs I never knew existed in me that contradict what I really think. And those beliefs are always the ones that are blocking me from moving forward.
I am constantly growing into a different and better version of me. And I love it. The journey inwards is not the easiest but it is the most rewarding. And it holds the most promise for thriving and leading a fulfilling life.
MENTAL ILLNESS AND POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY
Positive psychology can help most people. The tools and techniques are very powerful. In fact, a recent meta-analysis study showed that positive psychology can enhance mental health in people who suffer from serious mental illness. While there is no evidence that positive psychology is better at treating mental illness than other treatment protocols, we do know that it can help.
If you suffer from mental health problems and have a primary carer, such as a clinical psychologist, they may be able to provide you with some positive psychology tools and exercises. As the scientific evidence mounts for the effectiveness of positive psychology, more and more traditional psychologists are turning to positive psychology to help support their patients.
Talk to your primary carer or therapist before, but it is possible to do coaching and therapy alongside each other with different practitioners. And remember, there are tons of free resources online that you can have a go at first to see if it's the kind of thing that might help.
INSIGHT HIGHLIGHTS
Positive psychology is a powerful evidence-based aid to improving well-being in your life. Positive psychology focuses on developing core character strengths for human flourishing. It doesn't matter where you are in your life; there are positive psychology tools and techniques that can help you develop your personal strengths and move forward, find meaning, grow, and prosper.
You can start today by trying some suggestions in this article or downloading free resources online. Or, if you want to fast-track and make massive strides, give me a call and find out how I can help you.
Thanks for reading, and as always, keep striving for growth and well-being, and never settle for less!
How I Can Help
I hope you found this blog post about positive psychology useful and inspiring. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out. As someone who’s deeply passionate about well-being and personal growth and development, I offer services designed to help you cultivate a life you love. Whether through one-on-one coaching sessions, workshops, or online resources, I’m here to support your journey towards becoming the best version of yourself.
Here’s to your well-being, personal growth and success!
Head over to the services section on my website for more information on how we can work together to achieve your goals. I work online and face to face on the Côte d’Azur, in France.
Written by Kirsti Formoso MSc. - Kirsti Formoso is a wellness writer, researcher, and practitioner. She is passionate about holistic health and wellbeing. She has over 30 years of experiential knowledge in personal and spiritual development, a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, and a Master of Science in Consciousness, Spirituality, and Transpersonal Psychology. She is also a peer reviewer for two scientific journals specialising in Transpersonal Psychology. When she’s not seeing clients or writing, she can be found working on her vegetable plot, hiking or skiing in the mountains, cold water swimming in the rivers or swimming in the seas. She just loves nature, and all the wonders Mother Nature has to offer. She lives in the countryside on the Côte d’Aur, France, with her husband of 20 years and their three cats.
