Positive psychology: Unlock your true potential and live a fulfilling life

Collaborative Post | From time to time, life throws a curveball when you least expect it. From strained relationships and unreasonable work demands to unpaid loans and health issues, challenges and difficulties can appear in a variety of forms. This is part and parcel of modern-day life, where you are constantly exposed to the demands, pressures, and expectations of society.

Photo by Oleg Illarionov on Unsplash

However, if left unaddressed, these can take a severe toll on your mental well-being, consuming you with worry, stress, frustration, sadness, jealousy, anger, and countless other negative emotions. In the end, in your pursuit of success, you would have compromised the most basic of human needs to achieve fulfillment—happiness.

But how do you achieve happiness, joy, and hope while tackling life’s many challenges? For decades, psychologists, researchers, and medical experts have proposed various theories, models, and techniques to address this question. Positive psychology, in particular, has gained notable traction in recent years for its emphasis on positive emotions and personal strengths. But what exactly is it, and how can it help unlock your true potential so you can lead a more fulfilling life? Let’s explore.

Positive psychology: Understanding the secret to a happier life

​Traditional psychology typically focuses on identifying problems and weaknesses in order to help individuals. However, positive psychology puts the spotlight on a person’s strengths and positive emotions. It goes beyond the practice of positive thinking by enlisting research-backed evidence for achieving a more permanent state of fulfillment.
Martin Seligman, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Christopher Peterson, and Paul Wong are often noted for their work in this field to uncover the path to authentic happiness.
In his PERMA model, Seligman explains five key elements to achieve happiness, contentment, and well-being.

Positive emotions
This is about focusing on the upsides of a situation, no matter how unpleasant it may be. Experiencing positive emotions relating to past and present events and developing optimism and hope toward future ones can shift how you see the world.

Engagement
When you are absorbed in an activity that brings you joy—whether it is playing tennis or watching a movie—you automatically reach a state of flow where you are deeply engaged and consumed by feel-good emotions.

Relationships
We all know that humans are social creatures. Having a social circle and developing deep and authentic connections with friends, family, and coworkers creates a sense of belongingness. It will also provide you with essential emotional support.

Meaning
The pursuit of money and material possessions has left many people in distress, even when they achieve their dream job, house, or car. But when you take a moment to understand your life’s true purpose or calling, you can expect to experience a more lasting sense of happiness and contentment.

Accomplishment
Even small accomplishments can boost your confidence, make you feel good about yourself, and produce joy.

5 positive psychology strategies for a fulfilling life

How can you practice positive psychology in your daily life to achieve lasting happiness? Here’s what we suggest.
 
1. Be grateful

You have many things to be grateful for, although negativities may often overshadow them. When you identify and appreciate the positive aspects of your life, you automatically shift your focus and develop positive emotions. For example, you will feel more fortunate and optimistic. You will also start enjoying life’s simple pleasures.

To practice gratitude:

• Write a letter of appreciation to yourself.
• Keep a gratitude journal and write down five things you are grateful for each day.
• Give someone a thank-you note with a personal message.
• Take pictures of events and people you are thankful for, and prepare a digital album you can go through daily.
• Say grace at mealtimes.
• Share a positive experience with your family at the dinner table each day.
• Celebrate every small achievement with your loved ones.

 
2. Foster kindness

When you are kind to others, you feel good about yourself. This leads to a chain of positive feelings such as compassion, altruism, optimism, and joy.
So, start by treating yourself kindly. Avoid being too hard on yourself and exerting pressure to achieve lofty goals. Do something that brings you joy—take a bubble bath or listen to your favorite music.

Practice kindness towards others, too. For example:

• Volunteer at a local charity.
• Check in with elderly family members and spend time with them.
• Compliment someone each day.
• Help a random stranger on the street.

 
3. Find reasons to smile and feel joy

Proactively searching for reasons to smile is an excellent strategy to infuse positive psychology into your daily life. It allows you to release stress and focus on things that stimulate positive emotions and well-being.

• Call a friend or family member you deeply care about.
• Collect images and photos that make you smile and stick them up on your refrigerator door.
•  Start a hobby you enjoy.
• Learn something new.
• Watch a funny video or movie.

 
4. Practice mindfulness

Being in the present moment ensures that you see things as they are, without letting preconceived notions and negativity cloud your mind and judgment. Mindfulness also promotes self-awareness.

• Slow down and do one thing at a time.
• Go for a walk each evening.
• Spend time with nature.
• Learn mindfulness and breath meditation techniques.
• Practice deep breathing.
• Eat mindfully.
• Get enough sleep each day.
• Spend time in prayer.
• Practice yoga.
• Leave the phone aside during conversations with loved ones.

 
5. Seek support

A strong support system is essential for cultivating happiness and fulfillment.

• Actively seek the company of those with a positive attitude toward life.
• Ensure you have one or more loved ones you feel comfortable opening up to and can lean on when you feel down.
• Seek support from a professional if you need more structured guidance. You can find an expert in positive psychology on Leadar, or speak to your doctor for a recommendation.

To summarise

Positive psychology has increasingly drawn attention for its focus on positive emotions.
You can adopt it in your daily life by being grateful, fostering kindness, practicing mindfulness, and finding reasons to be joyful every day. Building relationships and seeking support are also important for achieving happiness, positivity, and well-being.

All these can lead to consistent and permanent improvements in your general outlook on life. However, they are not an alternative to medical support. So, ensure you seek advice from a qualified healthcare practitioner if you encounter anxiety, depression, or any other mental health condition that requires medical intervention.



Disclaimer: this is a collaborative post.