Positive Psychology Applied to Institutions

Throughout this learner’s experience within the course of Positive Psychology, this learner has found that positive psychology is a very specific application of psychology which is meant to take an individual further into mindfulness to be able to sustain and build a life of meaning and purpose, past just survival and into a more pronounced state of mindfulness called flourishing (Psychology Today, n.d.). Therefore, as we were directed to select a specific environment to discuss, regarding the use of positive psychology, it would be reasonable for this learner to select the setting of character strengths and mental health. The individuals within this environment could be anyone, anywhere, and it could be regardless of any activity.

Applications of Positive Psychology

Positive psychology is relatively new, every research-based article that you read will state this fact. However, being a relatively new platform for mental health treatment, treating mental health it has done. Positive psychology emphasizes all the positive emotions, influences, resources, and capabilities within an individual’s life (Good Therapy, 2018). Ways to enhance an individual’s positive outlook on life is to break down the modern concept of happiness into essentially three manageable groups: (1) Positive emotion, (2) Engagement, and (3) Meaning.

The principles and concepts of modern positive psychology have been quickly adopted in multiple different fields, ranging from military and law enforcement to shipping goods and technology companies (Good Therapy, 2018). Practicing gratitude, optimism, and mindfulness can help bring positive psychology into reality within an individual’s life (Becker, 2015). An individual could practice gratitude by simply being thankful for having a roof over their head, food in their fridge, and a stable work environment. Even if, on occasion, work stress gets brought into their personal lives, having a stable job is certainly something to be thankful for. A lot of times during stressful situations in a work environment, you will hear co-workers say, “Well, at least you are still getting a paycheck!” It is a joke, but it is true—at least you are getting a paycheck, and that is something to be thankful for.

Sometimes in life, it can be particularly hard to pinpoint something that you are thankful for, when depression is overwhelming or anxiety, fear, stress, PTSD, overtakes you it can be particularly hard to focus on happiness or thankfulness. In this same way of looking for appreciation in your life, you are also choosing to be optimistic. You are searching for optimism in life. That teaches you to look on the brighter side of things or looking at your glass as half full compared to half empty. Becker (2015) states that:

“Think about what brings ‘flow’ to your life. Flow is losing track of time

when you are absorbed in fulfilling work or another engaging activity.

Flow is a familiar and beneficial state for most of us, yet we generally do

not get enough of it.”

If you can find something that you are passionate about, you will be able to ebb and flow seamlessly—so to say. If writing books are your passion, when you sit down to write, you can lose yourself in that passionate work you are doing, until you are in a better state of mind. Sometimes you will even lose yourself in your work, and when you realize you just wrote thirty pages, or painted six paintings, or wrote four songs, or cleaned the entire house, or meal prepped for two weeks instead of one, you will just feel accomplished. It will feel good to do what you love to do.

When you are practicing mindfulness, you are training yourself and your mind to be more present in the current environment. You are not focusing on what is going on tomorrow, what happened yesterday, or what this conversation will do for your future. You are entirely focused on the here and now—and that is a beautiful place to be. When you are in that beautiful place, savor it. “Make an effort to consciously enjoy the treasures in life, big and small,” (Becker, 2015). Being able to enjoy life whether you are at a large function, or a big event or simply sitting down to eat dinner with your family one night, being able to savor those moments are essential in cultivating positive psychology within yourself.

Strengths and Limitations of Positive Psychology Applications in this Setting

Strengths and Limitations of Positive Psychology Applications in this Setting

“Research has shown that being optimistic and positive may not benefit everyone. Some people, who can be termed ‘defensive pessimists’ thrive on the fact that they approach situations from a negative viewpoint. These people are better able to achieve success by first anticipating possible setbacks,” (Good Therapy, 2018).

While positive psychology works for a large portion of people, it is still undetermined what the entire scope of limitations are. Whether that applies to individuals who have suffered from severe Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), extreme chronic mental illness (i.e., schizophrenia), or traumatic brain injury, it is undetermined what the limitations are and whether they would even make a difference for certain individuals. The pessimistic outlook on life is also a coping mechanism for individuals that have suffered severe trauma and can help people adapt and outperform individuals that are very strategic optimistic (Good Therapy, 2018). Cummins (2013) additionally confirms that positive psychology is limited to the subjective well-being of individuals' separate experiences. Subjective well-being is ever-changing and is challenged by ideas that propose that subjective well-being is actively managed within a setpoint range per individual and being able to coerce or physically affect these ranges is resisted (Cummins, 2013).

Research Supporting the Application of Positive Psychology in the Setting & Conclusion

As discussed above, having subjective well-being, which is essentially referring to the cognitive or affective appraisal of an individual’s own life from the big picture view, can be different for each individual and thus making it difficult to apply positive psychology appropriately or determine what could potentially work. However, properly applying positive psychology in the forms of mastery, which would be akin to finding that which you ebb and flow with, hope and purpose in life—research has been shown that this does significantly reduce depressive symptoms (Bolier et al, 2013).

Whether these situations are focused and conducted solely in the form of intervention, counseling, or other means of interpersonal relationships, positive psychology can have multiple benefits to each person. When thinking about the application of positive psychology in the settings of character strengths and mental health, being able to focus on the greater good rather than depressive symptoms could increase not only an individual’s outlook on life but their relationships and their view on themselves—self-esteem (Bennett, 2018).

These benefits could greatly affect current and future work lives, by enabling an individual to have the confidence to pursue promotional opportunities, or a new career entirely, with something that they are more passionate about. Positive psychology could greatly benefit an individual’s health or education because they would be less likely to procrastinate on seeing a doctor, seeing a dentist, putting off that paper until the last minute. Being able to focus on the greater good, could benefit each person that the individual surrounds themselves with as well. They will learn to surround themselves with people that help them thrive instead of drowning in their sorrows.

In closing, this learner believes and is still in the process of learning how to apply these to her own life but believes that these positive psychology applications and concepts could greatly benefit her in her education, work, health, family, and personal relationships. First starting with closing her circle to ensure that the people she lets in are of positive affirmations and are genuine in thriving themselves.

References

1. Becker, J. (2015) Positive Psychology: A Different Approach to Mental Health. Health & Safety Fund of North America. https://www.lhsfna.org/index.cfm/lifelines/october- 2015/positive-psychology-a-different-approach-to-mental-health/

2. Bennett, T. (2018) What is Positive Psychology? How Can This Movement Benefit Me? Thrive Works. https://thriveworks.com/blog/positive-psychology-movement-benefits/

3. Bolier, L., Haverman, M., Westerhof, G. J., Riper, H., Smit, F., Bohlmeijer, F. (2013) Positive Psychology Interventions: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Studies. U.S. National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3599475/

4. Cummins, R. A. (2013) Limitations to Positive Psychology Predicted by Subjective Well-Being Homeostasis. Oxford University Press. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2013-30840-031

5. Good Therapy (2018). Positive Psychology. GoodTherapy.org https://www.goodtherapy.org /learn-about-therapy/types/positive-psychology

6. Psychology Today (n.d.) Positive Psychology. PsychologyToday.com https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/basics/positive-psychology#:~:text=Positive%20psychology%20is%20a %20branch%20of%20psychology%20focused,to%20identify%20the%20elements%20of %20a%20good%20life