Positive psychology

POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY DURING DIFFICULT TIMES

June 6, 2019|Grief, Mindfulness, health and fitness, Depression, Stress and anxiety

 By: Charlie Dannelly 

Positive psychology

Adversity is a part of life. Some experience it more then others. An illness, a divorce, the loss of a job, a death in the family. No one wants to go through these things, but we do because that's life. How we manage our emotions and feelings will have a longer effect than the event itself. Positive psychology can help with anxiety, depression and stress. When people reflect on their life it's usually the most difficult times that gave them a new perspective or idea that caused them to move into a direction for growth and prosperity. When you're in the midst of your unfortunate circumstance life seems unfair. The good news is there are steps you can take to productively deal with those circumstances. As you have already experienced in life, strategies such as giving gratitude, or “savoring pleasure” which is placing your attention on pleasure as it occurs even at it’s minimal, and counting it all joy, can help prolong the wonderful feeling of the good things you experience such as a pay raise, or becoming well, or any other positive event in your life. But bear in mind that when the good feeling of that event wears off depression and anxiety can set in creating a horrible effect. Positive psychology can help you become more resilient through the difficult times. For instance, counting your blessings or being mindful of the positive things that have happened to you can strengthen your insight to the positive things that will happen in the future. Being able to reflect on the good things that have happened to you so far can keep you from dwelling on the adversity you're dealing with currently. Remaining in the presence of positive people who love and support you can be a vehicle to help pull you through the difficult times even if it seems they are not participating in you moving forward with your life. The fact that they are behind you emotionally and spiritually should be enough. If you are relying on someone else to make you happy or joyous you will never be happy or joyous. In you is the power to do that yourself.  Being happy isn't a permanent feeling but merely an effect of a positive event. Having a good feeling about the course of your life even when confronted with hard times is a joyous feeling that can last and make you stronger emotionally, spiritually and physically.
Reconnecting with your strengths and developing new strengths can help you set realistic goals for life changing events. Using your inner strengths and helping others can temporarily induce positive feelings to get you going in the right track to doing something wonderful for yourself and help gain new perspective. Studies are being conducted as we speak to provide evidence that positive psychology techniques can indeed be valuable in times of need, stress, and Grief.
Here is a list of exercises of Positive Psychology:
1. Smile at the first 10 people you see today.
2. Use your main strengths in a new way.
3. Express your thanks.
4. Say “No” to overwhelming or too many choices.
5. Identify your skills that make you flow in prosperity and narrow your focus to doing that.
6. Write a brief history of the positive things in your life
7. Acts of kindness set a weekly goal.
8. Look for an open door when one door closes.
Interpreted from the Harvard medical school special report for Charlie Dannelly