Positive Psychology Practitioner Certificate | Three Core Strengths of Positive Psychology

Although you may be just now hearing about positive psychology, it has actually been around since the late 1990's. This subset of psychology focuses primarily on the strengths, talents and virtues contributing to successful function that help both individuals and communities thrive. Some common themes within positive psychology are happiness, well-being, resilience, and states of engagement and flow.

Focuses of Positive Psychology

The field of psychology has mostly been focused on the diagnosis and treatment of human psychological problems, with an additional focus on minimizing negative emotions and behaviors. This has left an opening for PositivePsychology Practitioner that focuses more on positive and optimal functioning. This movement is involved with identifying and enhancing human strengths that make life worthwhile.

Unlike some pop psychology movements, positive psychology relies upon perspectives based upon science to help improve one's well-being. Positive psychology is empirically based and seeks to measure factors of the human condition leading to a happy, fulfilled and flourishing life.

Three Core Strengths of Positive Psychology

The focus of continual research within positive psychology is on three core strengths: forgiveness, gratitude and humility. What does science teach us about each core strength, and why are they important for our well-being?

 

Forgiveness

Forgiveness is an essential element to the maintenance of long-term relationships. As an individual, forgiving yourself can assist you in achieving inner peace and make peace with others more likely. Wronging others leads to guilt and, eventually, self-loathing. Resentment can deepen into hatred and intolerance in which both victimizer and victim suffer.

In contrast, forgiveness can lead to healing. This is the foundation of creating loving relationships with other people. When someone harms another person, their relationship can be forever damaged. Forgiveness provides another avenue to help restore the relationship, and possibly even strengthen it.

Studies have found that counseling focused on forgiving leads to decreased levels of anxiety and depression. A recent study of individuals taking part in a forgiveness education program found that participants displayed greater feelings of hope and more willingness to forgive those who have harmed them.

 

Gratitude

Gratitude is feeling appreciative or thankful for a received benefit. The emerging science behind the feeling of gratitude has led to some key findings. A wide range of psychological, relational and physical benefits associated with gratitude has been found. Gratitude is healthy not only because of the way that it makes us feel, but it also provides inspiration for doing good.

A 2002 study found that those who experience feelings of gratitude, thankfulness, and appreciation in their everyday lives were more forgiving, loving, enthusiastic and joyful. Furthermore, the family and friends of these individuals experienced them as being more outgoing, helpful, trustworthy and optimistic.

The scientific study of gratitude has also led to some somewhat surprising findings. It has even been found that students practicing gratitude have higher grade-point averages. Keeping a gratitude journal also increases well-being, possibly strengthened by writing down tangible examples of gratitude.

 

Humility

What is humility and why is it important? The emerging scientific consensus regarding humility is that it is both a psychological and intellectual strength. In other words, we are talking about character. It involves an accurate assessment of one's abilities and an acknowledgment of one's mistakes and imperfections. It allows one to be open to new ideas and seemingly contradictory information. It allows the individual to forget the self and be in a better flow with life.

In modern society, it is incredibly easy to overlook humility. Everyone seems to be boasting about their accomplishments and seeking media attention as a way to validate their self-worth. This can be seen in fields like business, politics and sports. However, feeling humble is not the same as being weak or inferior. Instead, it is a character strength producing positive results for both the individual and society. Most successful people are actually humble people.

 

Bottom Line

The field of positive psychology has become increasingly popular since its arrival over two decades ago. In this time, significant progress has been made in laying the empirical groundwork for what makes a good life.

Key findings revealed by positive psychology are already being applied in places like psychotherapy, schools, workplace settings, and even the military. A solid combination of both science and practice are needed so that PositivePsychology Program can take its rightful place in helping individuals cope with the challenges faced by all humans.