Positive psychology is explained as the study of the specific ways of thinking and acting that involve the positive aspects of human nature. Happiness, on the other hand, is a human phenomenon characterized by positive feelings that inherently influence how an individual perceives life. The psychology of positive human functioning is involved in discovering what makes people happy and provides the relevant interventions to the building of meaningful lives and thriving individuals. This paper is a reflection on whether positive psychology can cause happiness.
Summary
Studies on the issue of how mental characteristics and attitudes influence people’s level of happiness have birthed conflicting opinions. Those in support of positive psychology causing happiness, argue that the study has aided in the provision of interventions that largely increase happiness among individuals. The study shows that attitudes of kindness, gratitude, spirituality, and self-actualization help a person to lead a more pleasant life (Schueller " Parks). However, another study has also shown that happiness is a phenomenon that is out of human control. They argue that happiness is hereditary, and situational, thus, leaving nature as the only cause for happiness and also other negative emotions (Newman " Larsen). In my opinion, positive psychology provides relevant intervention strategies that help create thriving lives.
Analysis
An attitude or a behavior becomes a positive psychology intervention strategy when its implementation provides a feedback of emotional positivity. Positive psychology advocates for the building of strong relational networks (Schueller " Parks). When an individual has friends to whom he can share personal feelings, and also listen to what they have to say, positive emotions are cultivated. A personal support system cannot be inherited but created by an individual according to his needs and wants.
Self-actualization is another intervention strategy that is seen to give an individual positive emotion. Discovering one’s strengths and virtues; of critical thinking, persistence, and humanity, and using them not only for personal benefits but for impacting in people’s lives is very satisfying. This strategy helps individual to attach meaning to actions. Purposeful lives, where people strive to reach their best-suited goals bring joy and provide a flow that sparks positive emotions. Therefore, individuals are advised to understand what their long-term goals are, invest in them and not wait for trigger-happy situations.
Gratitude and optimism is another PPI strategy that provides a greater positive emotion and reduces depression (Schueller " Parks). Having a chance to thank a person means that one appreciates and recognizes that, the other person cared. When gratitude is coupled with optimism, there is less complaining about things that one has less or no control over. For example, thanking God for the gift of life means that one appreciates the family and the place where they were born into. Being thankful does not mean that one is oblivious to the fact that there are challenges in life but looks at them as part and parcel of life.
Kindness is the mother of all good deeds, and that gives the utmost satisfaction (Schueller " Parks). When a person shows kindness, for example, by helping the poor or donating to the old, and attaches meaning to his actions, positivity is cultivated. People in the same family can be kind or mean, thus, kindness is learned. Spending money on someone else does not mean that you have a lot, but it means that the value of giving is beneficial to both you and the other person.
Response
I always thought that personal motivation to eat well, exercise and acquire material wealth is what makes a person enhance his mental health, reduce depression tendencies and become happy. An insight into positive psychology and how its intervention strategies cause emotional positivity or happiness changed my thinking. I also found out that, an individual can only use a strategy that is most relevant to him. In consideration of the fact that, life is full of challenges and nothing comes easy, positive emotions are exhibited from deeds that are self-motivated.
I also learned that happiness takes a person deciding that he will invest in friendship, work towards his life goals, be kind, grateful and remain aware of it all. On the issue of happiness being hereditary and coming from significant life-changing situations (Newman " Larsen), in my view, very few people could ever get lucky and experience such and thus inapplicable. Although both opinions agree that having positive behavior causes happiness, the issue of the personal degree of control is highly controversial. I think that everybody deserves to live a happy and meaningful life, but only if he chooses to.
Conclusion
Positive psychology is very important because it helps in creating thriving individuals and communities. Evidently, happiness can be as a result of positive psychology interventions that are relevant to each person or group of people. Through strategies like acts of kindness, gratitude, significant human virtues, and self-actualization, living a happy life is possible. In the early 21st Century, psychology only focused on mental illness, leaving out the involvement of positive behavior in influencing mental health and happiness. Study of human behavior is relevant in understanding how modernity and individualism have affected people’s lives. Busy lives lead to loneliness and anti-social behaviors. Happiness can only be achieved through an integration of people’s lives with human nature.
Work Cited
Laurel C. Newman and Randy J. Larsen, from “How Much of Our Happiness Is Within Our Control?” (An Original Essay Written for this Text, 2009)
Stephen M. Schueller and Acacia C. Parks, from “The Science of Self-Help: Translating Positive Psychology Research into Increased Individual Happiness” European Psychologist (2014)
