The Happiness Project
- Posted by: Andrew Price
- on November 29, 2007 at 2:14 pm
We’re a little wary of self-help literature. Even when it doesn’t rely on vague palliatives and questionable metaphysics–like the not-so-secret The Secret–it’s usually more self-promoting business model than therapeutic regimen. Dr. Phil is exhibit A.
But we are intrigued by “positive psychology.” It’s an emerging academic discipline, taking root in the ivory tower, that’s trying to broaden the scope of psychology. See, traditionally psychology, according to this vanguard, has only focused on the pathologies: the things that can go wrong in your mind. Positive psychology is bringing academic rigor to positive habits of the mind.
Gretchen Rubin is taking the teachings of positive psychology for a test drive and blogging about it on The Happiness Project.
We mentioned positive psychology before here.
DISCUSSION: 1 Comment
In a positive psychology article titled “the Psychology of Happiness and Unhappiness”. The author explores the logic, mindset and thinking patterns of happy and unhappy personalities. The article confirms that it all in our mind and our thinking habits. According to Med Yones, the author, “What’s important is that with the knowledge of how your thinking is impacting your life, you now have a new alternative. By simply choosing to lead a happier lifestyle and continuously training your mind to think in positive patterns, you can improve your emotional well-being as well as the quality of your life immensely.”
The article says that only through mind programming can we become happier. Programming according to the study is simply practice and repetition to develop positive thinking and emotional habits. The study differentiates between positive thinking and programming (which seems more about actions) as follows “Positive thinking is the effect not the cause. Positive thinking or affirmations may or may not lead to change and if they do, they are limited to temporary mood improvement. The full text of the study can be found at:
http://www.lifehappiness.org/psychologyofhappiness/