Person watching a rainbow in a cloudy skyHave you ever come across someone who complains all the time? Have you ever spent time with such a person? Have you observed that spending time with a pessimistic person makes you feel dull too? Have you felt the negative energy emanating from such people? On the other hand, you may have noticed that being in the company of someone who laughs a lot can make you feel lighter and happier about your own life.

There you have it.

If you can feel dull or cheerful just by spending time with certain people, what does this tell you? It means that people emit energy, both positive and negative. These energies can be contagious, and they envelop everyone around them. Having said that, I would like you to think over a simple question: Is life colorful, or do you make it colorful?

Have you observed that spending time with a pessimistic person makes you feel dull too?

Even for people with similar life circumstances, happiness levels can vary: some people look happy while some don’t. This concept can help answer the question above. Life is what you make it. It is colorful if that’s how you look at it, and it is dull from other perspectives.

Colors of Life

As we grow older, we start learning about new colors of life, both bright and dark. These are the colors of love, happiness, joy, excitement, surprise, pain, sadness, disappointment, stress, and so on.

There is no one in this world who is entirely happy. Everyone has struggles of their own. Some people struggle with work, others struggle with relationships. Struggles never end, whether we’re talking about health, money, or about people. However, it is all up to you how you handle them. It is up to you whether you let them have better of you, or whether you overturn them in your favor.

Two Sides of a Coin

Life is colorful if you look for colors. Like a coin has two sides, every situation in life has at least two perspectives as well. If you look for colors in everything, you will be able to look at a tough situation in a positive light, whereas if you have your eyes blindfolded, you may find it difficult to see any positivity.

How to Achieve a Positive Outlook

Lives of optimistic people tend to be more colorful. If you feel like your heart wants to see the bright side of life but you are having a hard time practicing positivity, there are certain things that can help you achieve a positive outlook in life.

Acknowledge Your Achievements

Instead of looking at how difficult achieving your goal is, look at how far you have come. Look back and see where you started and where you are standing today. Acknowledging your achievements can give you enough motivation to keep going. Don’t rely on anybody to remind you of your achievements; do yourself that favor!

Be Grateful

Instead of complaining about the things that you don’t have, remember to be grateful for everything that you have. Don’t complain about not having the dream car; be grateful about the car that you managed to get on your own. Don’t complain about not having a fancy house; instead be grateful for having a small house with a loving family. It is all about how you see things that adds colors to your life.

Be Thankful

Be thankful more often. Rather than telling your younger sibling that they are of no help to you, thank them for trying to do something for you. Instead of telling your colleague how they could have contributed to the project better, thank them for putting in time and thought. By being thankful, you spread positive vibes, and life starts to become more beautiful as a result.

Life is not grays and blacks all the time. When you decide to be positive, you will see how joyful your attitude becomes, how you start worrying less, and above all, how beautiful life starts looking! Don’t look for the brightest colors of life; make it colorful by yourself! Be the rainbow that makes your world shine.

If you find that you consistently struggle with feelings of dullness, know you are not alone. Therapy with a licensed professional can help you identify and work through issues weighing you down. Find a therapist today and rediscover the color in your life!

Group of teens working in a community gardenWhat if I were to propose that well-being may do more to enhance your mental health than the pursuit of happiness?

Of course, we all desire to be happy. Yet if you ask ten people what their definition of happiness is, you may get ten different answers. As it turns out, happiness alone may not be the greatest contributor to mental health. Well-being, contentment, fulfillment, and joy may be the more desired outcomes regarding mental health and happiness.

Let’s begin by taking a closer look at well-being. Well-being has many aspects to it. It is not just a sense of deep happiness—it’s much more than that. Well-being means you feel good about yourself, your life, and others. Well-being influences many life domains: emotional, cognitive, psychological, physical, relational, and the spiritual.

Dr. Martin Seligman’s research has contributed to a greater knowledge of well-being. In this article, we will look at a brief overview of his theory on well-being, as well as other strategies that can improve mental health.

Well-being influences many life domains: emotional, cognitive, psychological, physical, relational, and the spiritual.

Key Elements of Well-Being

According to Dr. Seligman’s theory, well-being has five key elements:

  1. Positive emotion
  2. Engagement
  3. Meaning
  4. Positive relationships
  5. Accomplishment

1. Emotion

Emotion is explained as the “pleasant life.” The pleasant life can be measured subjectively and includes happiness, life satisfaction, and other positive emotions such as pleasure, comfort, ecstasy, warmth, and joy.

What we know from research in the fields of neuroscience and neuropsychology is that we can actually change the neurochemistry in our brains by adapting the way we think about things. If we focus on thinking about things that are more positive, we can actually begin to change our mood and emotional state. If we do this for an extended period of time, we can alter neural pathways and synaptic connections in our brains. This, in turn, can lead to greater mental health.

2. Engagement

Engagement, like positive emotion, is measured subjectively. Engagement involves being actively engaged in what you are doing. Another way to look at engagement is being intentional about being involved and present in life. Ask the following questions and then reflect on your level of engagement:

Engagement also encompasses learning new things, being interested in life, and the pursuit of being curious or alive to life.

3. Meaning and purpose

Meaning and purpose can be understood as belonging to and serving something you believe is bigger than yourself. Many would agree that what brings meaning to life is connections to other people and relationships; these can often contribute to meaning and purpose in life. Connection with others generally contributes to a sense that life is valuable and worthwhile.

Pursuing endeavors that involve a deep sense of calling or conviction can bring meaning and purpose. For some in the United States, this may mean faith in God. For others, it may mean some other pursuit or cause that is worthwhile.

Meaning and purpose can involve discovering and exploring your strengths, gifts, and talents. Ask yourself questions such as:

Meaning and purpose can involve discovering and exploring your strengths, gifts, and talents.

4. Accomplishment and achievement

Accomplishment or achievement is often pursued for its own sake. Something deep and rich is found when one pursues something they feel good about and experience a sense of accomplishment or achievement.

Having life goals is important. They add to a greater sense of well-being. They move us forward and are future-directed. Having a mindset of being a lifelong learner can be beneficial. Whether that means pursuing more education, learning new skills, a new language, or something else, these can lead to accomplishment. Ask yourself if there is anything you want to accomplish or achieve, then set out to do it.

5. Positive relationships

Positive relationships in life are one of the hallmarks of well-being. When life is shared with others, a sense of contentment can be found. Most of us are meant to live life out with other people. A marked difference exists, however, in positive versus negative relationships. Pursuing relationships that are life-giving as opposed to those that are not can enhance well-being and lead to greater mental health. Good questions to ask about positive relationships include:

Take inventory of your relationships. Are there more positive ones or negative? Are there any relationships you want to change or spend less time in? Toxic or negative relationships can take a toll on our well-being. Notice and ask, “Is this relationship life-giving, or do I feel negatively impacted by spending time in the relationship?” It’s okay to limit those relationships that may be more harmful than good for you. Indeed, this may add to a better sense of well-being.

In addition to Dr. Seligman’s research, other factors that can enhance well-being include:

6. Physical health

Exercise and healthy life style habits can contribute to greater well-being. Most people know that regular exercise helps physical and emotional well-being. Cardiovascular exercise releases chemicals in our bodies that can affect our mood. Consult with your physician, then set up an exercise regimen. Just getting outdoors and walking can improve your mood and mental health.

Eating healthy foods can also affect your mood and well-being. Keep an account of what and when you are eating. Are you eating for nourishment and enjoyment or are you eating to comfort yourself (such as emotional or comfort eating)?

7. Leisure

Leisure and fun can be restorative to the soul and great for well-being. Are you listening to your body and resting when you need to? Take time to relax and enjoy life, as both are often restorative to mental health. Where leisure is restorative to the soul, fun is refreshment to the spirit. Laughter is also good medicine. Make sure you are taking time out to have some good old fashion fun.

Although this is not an exhaustive list of ideas for well-being, these are some of the key elements for well-being that contribute to greater mental health. In an age where the pursuit of happiness seems to be at the top of everyone’s list, taking time to reflect on the meaning of well-being for you may just be a better means of improving your happiness and mental health.

If you find yourself struggling to find a sense of well-being, try reaching out to a qualified and compassionate therapist. Talking with a therapist could help you discover new ways to cultivate well-being in your life and clear away roadblocks that may be stopping you from getting there.

Reference:

Seligman, M.E.P. (2011). Flourish: A visionary new understanding of happiness and well-being. New York, NY: Atria.

Person with hair tied back holds hand to look as if she is holding the sun that is setting out at seaSome of the founding fathers of psychology, including Sigmund Freud, believed human motivation was based on a person’s need to avoid anxiety. In the last few decades, a therapist, psychologist, or psychiatrist often saw it as their job to provide interventions or prescribe medications that help reduce anger, anxiety, or sadness (Seligman, 2012). Some would argue parents and teachers have taken on this role as well with their children or students—minimizing negative emotions rather than teaching people how to function well despite these emotions. Some people believe by minimizing negative emotions, one is free to achieve “happiness,” which is what many people believe the goal of life should be.

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Happiness theory, as it was originally defined, measured life satisfaction. The goal of this theory was to increase one’s life satisfaction. The original author of the theory has since redefined his theory to encompass more than life satisfaction, noting that humans are more complex than one singular motivation. Well-being is now the focus of positive psychology.

Building Blocks of Well-Being

According to Seligman (2012), well-being involves five elements:

Each of these elements contains three properties. First, the element contributes to well-being. Second, many people pursue the element for its own sake. Lastly, the element is defined and measured independently of the others (Seligman, 2012, p. 16).

Due to this shift, the goal of positive psychology is no longer the pursuit of happiness. Instead, positive psychology seeks to increase the amount of flourishing in one’s life and the life of the planet. In addition to the above five elements, which are the core features of well-being, scholars at the University of Cambridge identified six additional features associated with well-being (Seligman, 2012). A person must possess three of them to be considered “flourishing.” These include self-esteem, optimism, resilience, vitality, self-determination, and positive relationships.

Steps Toward Wellness

Not only has Seligman (2012) described what encompasses well-being, but he has also studied and provided interventions for people to increase their own well-being. These interventions include:

Focusing on the positive fits in with what scholars know about neuroscience. Due to their ancestral heritage, human brains have a negativity bias. When early humans had to hunt for food, they had to remember negative experiences for the sake of survival. Human brains are hardwired to focus on the negative rather than the positive. Dr. Rick Hansen (2013) indicates that for the positive experiences to be remembered and become neural patterns in the brain, people typically need a ratio of five positive experiences to one negative experience. If someone has a negative experience at work, school, or home, their brain is wired to remember it. To make lasting positive change, they must be able to compare that one negative experience to five positive experiences to override the negativity bias.

This new theory about well-being can give people hope about the future, especially those who have experienced traumatic events.Due to the success of Seligman’s theory of well-being, many organizations are adopting his theory, assessments, and interventions. He has helped implement initiatives such as the Penn Resilience Program, the Strath Haven Positive Psychology Curriculum, the Geelong Grammar School Model for Positive Education, and the U.S. Army’s Comprehensive Soldier Fitness program.

The U.S. Army’s Comprehensive Soldier Fitness program was designed to help soldiers returning from war develop skills to deal with the impact of trauma on their daily lives. Rather than focus on the soldiers’ weaknesses, the program helps soldiers identify their strengths and use them to overcome adversity. This new theory about well-being can give people hope about the future, especially those who have experienced traumatic events.

While anxiety and sadness can be typical responses to trauma, posttraumatic growth can be achieved. A study conducted by Seligman (2012) found people who had experienced adverse events demonstrated more significant strengths than those who had not. Jay (2017) notes that individuals who experience no adversity are less satisfied, less high functioning, and less successful than those who have experienced moderate amounts of adversity.

If you are seeking to recover from trauma or you want help improving your overall well-being, find a therapist.

References:

  1. Jay, M. (2017). Supernormal: The untold story of adversity and resilience. New York, NY: Hachette Book Group, Inc.
  2. Seligman, M. E. P. (2012). Flourish: A visionary new understanding of happiness and well-being. New York, NY: Atria Paperback.
  3. TED. (2013, November 7). Hardwiring happiness: Dr. Rick Hanson at Ted Marin 2013. [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpuDyGgIeh0

A young couple admires a necklace through the shop window.Money might not buy happiness, but social class does influence the types of pleasure a person experiences, according to a study published in the journal Emotion.

How Social Class Affects Happiness

The study used a nationally representative sample of 1,519 people ranging in age from 24-93 years old. Researchers used income levels to determine participants’ social class. While other factors, such as social capital or professional networks, also influence class, income most directly reflected participants’ access to resources.

Participants completed surveys about their experience of seven emotions associated with happiness. These included awe, compassion, amusement, contentment, love, enthusiasm, and pride. For example, the surveys asked participants how much they agreed with statements like, “Many things are funny to me.”

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The results suggest that people across income levels experience a range of positive emotions. Yet the frequency of certain feelings varied with social class. Top earners experienced more self-oriented positive emotions, such as pride, contentment, and amusement. The lowest earners reported more other-oriented emotions, including awe, love, and compassion. The groups recorded similar levels of enthusiasm.

The study’s authors point out that different resources affect a person’s environment. This can also affect their priorities. Greater material resources typically mean more autonomy, which increases access to individualistic emotions like pride. Meanwhile, people with less resources often experience more risk from their environments. Community-minded emotions like compassion may help lower earners band together to solve problems.

Other Research on Money and Happiness

A 2010 analysis by psychologist Daniel Kahneman and economist Angus Deaton showed the effects of money on happiness. It found daily happiness increased with income until income was sufficient to meet basic needs and purchase a few luxuries. Afterwards, more money didn’t mean more happiness.

According to the study, the ideal household income for optimal happiness is $75,000. (A report in Advisor Perspectives says this number is still likely accurate despite inflation.) $75,000 is a national average that varies depending on the local cost of living. For the most expensive neighborhoods in Manhattan, optimal happiness can cost as much as of $162,500.

References:

  1. Can money buy happiness? A new study investigates. (2017, December 26). Observer. Retrieved from http://observer.com/2017/12/can-money-buy-happiness-a-new-study-investigates
  2. Happiness revisited: A household income of $75k? (2016, October 21). Advisor Perspectives. Retrieved from https://www.advisorperspectives.com/dshort/commentaries/2016/10/21/happiness-revisited-a-household-income-of-75k#ixzz37eM5xPxF
  3. Piff, P. K., & Moskowitz, J. P. (2017, December 18). Wealth, poverty, and happiness: Social class is differentially associated with positive emotions. Emotion. doi:10.1037/emo0000387
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