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Using Positive Psychology – assignment for my MG1 students
Here is your first online assignment:
Please watch this short interview (9′ 16”) with a Harvard assistant clinical professor and comment on the ideas that you find interesting or impossible to apply in real life, or both. There’s no maximum number of words your commentary should consist of but the minimum length is 100 words. I will read and evaluate your online commentaries regarding this issue, but I’m afraid I might not be able to respond to each of them separately. However, I’m strongly encouraging you to comment on your colleagues’ interpretation of the issue as this will add more visibility to your contribution as well as to theirs. Thank you.
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Watching this interview, I remembered two lyrics "Stop chasing shadows / Just enjoy the ride". In our modern society happiness involves a career, a family, good looks and money. But let's face it, not many of us achieve all those goals. There are people that have a great job but don't talk to their children for days. On the other hand there are people that have their dream job and a partner but no money at all.
There is no recipe for happiness, it never lasts for ever and it shouldn't because that makes us evolve, it makes life interesting. I think we shouldn't think that the bigger our dream and goals are, the longer our moment of happiness will be when we get what we want. Sometimes it's just about " the ride ".
Yes, that song (Morcheeba, right?) says it all in such a simple way! But we, humans, like [deliberately] complicated things, don't we?
„You will never be happy if you continue to search for what happiness consists of. You will never live if you are looking for the meaning of life. „
Albert Camus
Happiness is maybe one of the most powefull feelings that human kind have ever known. Is the goal that we all seek to achieve. The problem is that no one can teach us how to pursuite it. People are so concearned about the future, that they forget what happiness even means. We tend to belive that being rich, or famous, or having a family is the key to our happiness, but , unfortunately, we find out too late that the happiness brought by all those things is only an ilussion. We are so caught up in problem, that we forget that happiness comes from the small things that bring colour to our lives every day, like the smile of our beloved ones, or the scent of our favourite parfume. I believe that there is no one who can tell us how to be happy. Happiness is a state of mind, and it deppends on ones personality. The thing is to live today. Not tomorow. Not yesterday. Because we are here now, and this is the moment that matters at this point. We can be worried about tomorow when it comes down to it.
People have the tendency to forbid themselves to be happy, because the real happiness last sometimes only a few minutes. And the happy moments are so rare, that we almost forget that they exist. I believe that is important to stick to that happy moment, to remember the joy and to taste it everytime we are sad. Life it way to short to do things any other way.
“All men have a sweetness in their life. That is what helps them go on. It is towards that they turn when they feel too worn out.”
Albert Camus
I find very interesting the interview of professor Ronald D. Siegel and I would call it “The Pursuit of Happiness”, but unfortunately I don’t think happiness exists, there are only moments of joy. We are humans. We have thoughts, problems, difficulties we may block even positive thinking.Anger is both a state and a difficult period of soul, a state that can influence all around us. Is essential to pass over these moments and do things that we enjoy, things that can give unexpected results.
We also can be happy for our achievements, results, promotions or everyday gifts and emotions like seeing someone after a long time, a good grade on a test, reading a new book or eating chocolate; but we cannot be unconditionally happy. Moods they experience significantly influence our perception of the world. Whenever we are happy, all other problems seem easier to pass over, weather is beautiful, sun is bright and clouds disappear completely from the sky of our soul.
On our way to happiness can occur routine, but routine constitute the sequence of happiness. Viewing the unique thread that links our past, present, and future is a fundamental gift of philosophy. Peace of mind and happiness start and end with personal responsibility. May all our present routines fit well our chosen destination.
Happiness may be opening to life, her gifts, opportunities and challenges. This implies that happiness is not an end but a way to travel farther, an attitude and approach. Eternal happiness is a site which never ends; that is why we should try to laugh more often, to gain respect of intelligent people and affection of children, to obtain correct critical acclaim, to appreciate beauty and leave behind a better world just to know that even a soul breathed easier just because we lived and maybe, just maybe at the end of your journey in this world you may say you achieved happiness.
Nowadays, we all live a hectic life and we all want to achieve happiness, but many of us do not know what it is or what it means. To my mind happiness is similar with the idea of good mood, when we feel good, not only psychically but also physically . If we are happy everything seems to be different. Positive psychology seems to be based on the idea of scientific research of happiness
Happiness is a state of well-being characterized by emotions, ranging contentment to intensive joy and it might be similar with satisfaction. I do agree that happiness is elucidative and it is a real fact, most of the time we run after happiness and eventually we find out that it was just an illusion. Apart from the examples given in the interview, another one could be the position of people who get a better job thinking that it would bring happiness but they find out that much money and more obligations do not bring satisfaction.
Another interesting idea presented in the interview is that happiness has a level that should be achieved but with passing of time the things that used to make us happy become customs and we are looking for another levels oh happiness. All I want to add to this idea is that we have different levels levels of happiness ,as human beings characterized by diversity . For example if we ask some children what would make them happy I am sure them most common answers will be : a chocolate, a toy care or even some moments spent with their families., but if we ask some students about the things that would satisfy them I am sure that some of them would say : a career, a family or a holiday.
I totally agree that gratitude is a path to happiness and can be applied to real world because it brings to many of us satisfaction when are kind with people and they thank us for what we did in order to help them.. Gratitude can worth more then a fortune in case of a doctor who saved someone's life and that person comes and expresses his gratitude to the doctor.
All in all, even if we are always in a big rush I also believe that we should stop and enjoy every moment of our life, even if we live with the idea that our life is long enough unfortunately we don't know when it might end.. Therefore I believe that we should practice mindfulness, it means that we should enjoy the present and our mind will be focused on that source of happiness and we forget about the ordinary problems or even physical pain .
Watching this interview, I remembered two lyrics "Stop chasing shadows / Just enjoy the ride". In our modern society happiness involves a career, a family, good looks and money. But let's face it, not many of us achieve all those goals. There are people that have a great job but don't talk to their children for days. On the other hand there are people that have their dream job and a partner but no money at all.
There is no recipe for happiness, it never lasts for ever and it shouldn't because that makes us evolve, it makes life interesting. I think we shouldn't think that the bigger our dream and goals are, the longer our moment of happiness will be when we get what we want. Sometimes it's just about " the ride ".
"There can be no happiness if the things we believe in are different from the things we do." (Freya Stark)
Part two
So the special moments that really make me happy are rare because of the lack of time – or maybe that's what makes them special. We end saying that there is no time for insignificant moments (such as watching a leaf). I guess that if we would really taste the moment, appreciating what we can see, feel, smell, taste today, without rememering the bad things, without thinking what the future might bring, being aware of present experience, our lives would be happier.
Yeah, this is the idea that got stuck on my mind. :-)
Part one
Well, to put it bluntly, I consider myself a normal person. Today feeling pretty, powerful, with a strength that could move mountains, and tomorrow trying to find a place to hide, capturig the flavour of disappointment and regret. And sometimes I can't really figure out what's causing these states of mind.
Generally we wake up in the morning, following our schedule, doing the same things everyday (more or less). There is nothing wrong with that, yet we are rushing forward, skipping small details that bring us into the light of today's sun.
Sometimes, I find myself staring at a leaf that is carried by the wind, going nowhere. Although for some this might sound curious, it makes me feel lucky that I was able to take part at such a marvel. And I feel happy. Suddenly, I remember that I have to study in order to have a great future, a family living in a comfortable house, with a small garden full of flowers (especially lily-of-the valley), and a stupid dog chasing butterflies.
Nowadays, we all live a hectic life and we all want to achieve happiness, but many of us do not know what it is or what it means. To my mind happiness is similar with the idea of good mood, when we feel good, not only psychically but also physically . If we are happy everything seems to be different. Positive psychology seems to be based on the idea of scientific research of happiness
Happiness is a state of well-being characterized by emotions, ranging contentment to intensive joy and it might be similar with satisfaction. I do agree that happiness is elucidative and it is a real fact, most of the time we run after happiness and eventually we find out that it was just an illusion. Apart from the examples given in the interview, another one could be the position of people who get a better job thinking that it would bring happiness but they find out that much money and more obligations do not bring satisfaction.
Another interesting idea presented in the interview is that happiness has a level that should be achieved but with passing of time the things that used to make us happy become customs and we are looking for another levels oh happiness. All I want to add to this idea is that we have different levels levels of happiness ,as human beings characterized by diversity . For example if we ask some children what would make them happy I am sure them most common answers will be : a chocolate, a toy care or even some moments spent with their families., but if we ask some students about the things that would satisfy them I am sure that some of them would say : a career, a family or a holiday.
I totally agree that gratitude is a path to happiness and can be applied to real world because it brings to many of us satisfaction when are kind with people and they thank us for what we did in order to help them.. Gratitude can worth more then a fortune in case of a doctor who saved someone's life and that person comes and expresses his gratitude to the doctor.
All in all, even if we are always in a big rush I also believe that we should stop and enjoy every moment of our life, even if we live with the idea that our life is long enough unfortunately we don't know when it might end.. Therefore I believe that we should practice mindfulness, it means that we should enjoy the present and our mind will be focused on that source of happiness and we forget about the ordinary problems or even physical pain .
Nowadays, we all live a hectic life and we all want to achieve happiness, but many of us do not know what it is or what it means. To my mind happiness is similar with the idea of good mood, when we feel good, not only psychically but also physically . If we are happy everything seems to be different. Positive psychology seems to be based on the idea of scientific research of happiness
Happiness is a state of well-being characterized by emotions, ranging contentment to intensive joy and it might be similar with satisfaction. I do agree that happiness is elucidative and it is a real fact, most of the time we run after happiness and eventually we find out that it was just an illusion. Apart from the examples given in the interview, another one could be the position of people who get a better job thinking that it would bring happiness but they find out that much money and more obligations do not bring satisfaction.
Another interesting idea presented in the interview is that happiness has a level that should be achieved but with passing of time the things that used to make us happy become customs and we are looking for another levels oh happiness. All I want to add to this idea is that we have different levels levels of happiness ,as human beings characterized by diversity . For example if we ask some children what would make them happy I am sure them most common answers will be : a chocolate, a toy care or even some moments spent with their families., but if we ask some students about the things that would satisfy them I am sure that some of them would say : a career, a family or a holiday.
I totally agree that gratitude is a path to happiness and can be applied to real world because it brings to many of us satisfaction when are kind with people and they thank us for what we did in order to help them.. Gratitude can worth more then a fortune in case of a doctor who saved someone's life and that person comes and expresses his gratitude to the doctor.
All in all, even if we are always in a big rush I also believe that we should stop and enjoy every moment of our life, even if we live with the idea that our life is long enough unfortunately we don't know when it might end.. Therefore I believe that we should practice mindfulness, it means that we should enjoy the present and our mind will be focused on that source of happiness and we forget about the ordinary problems or even physical pain .
This so called new discipline seems a little bit strange to me, it's actually impossible as far as it concerns me to look at positive psychology the way i look at neuropsychology for instance, or any other exact science. What i am trying to say, is that the science of happiness isn't actually science; comparing it with the studies of Dr Sigmund Freud's psychoanalysis, as the video also explains: "to turn hysterical misery into ordinary human unhappiness". This i consider science, because it's a way of trying to stabilize a pathological state of mind of those who dramatize several situations and a way of trying to correct their view over certain events, so that their actions should in time become similar with those of mentally sane people.( this pathology is known in psychology as frustration intolerance). Trying to obtain happiness in everything you do seems impossible, it's like finding the fountain of youth; and a few contradictions in the content of the video pretty much approve of my opinion concerning the impossibility of achieving constant happiness. For instance, the professor talks about the way people adapt to certain situations, even to those that make them happy. Each and every one of us could and will get fed up with certain actions or situations that happen in a, let's say predictable interval of time, like a routine,even if some seem to be exquisite the first time we are confronted with some of them. Let's say if you win the lottery a few weeks in a row, after a while you won't find it very interesting no matter what amount you win. So in order to point out my doubt about this so called science: if we would be happy all the time, at some point we would get bored of being happy, and the sensation of perfection would turn into routine and slightly after that happiness into sadness; it's a paradox i know, but it seems rational to me. Because i personally think that sadness and misery are as equally important with happiness, because these are the feelings that make happiness so special. Anything that is easy to obtain, simple, common rarely makes us happy; happiness makes you happy when and because it's rare,exquisite.
So this is pretty much the reason why i can not approve of positive psychology as a science or of any of it's ideas, because the initial goal is senseless.
I'm actually very consistent of this quote, that doesn't belong to me, but i think it could ring a bell in this discussion. "Life is measured not by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breathe away"
Finally, happiness doesn't mean just stay and wait for it. We have to work hard to achieve it, we have to know first ourselfs very well, we have to take wise decisions, we have to listen our mind and and heart, then act.
P.S. For me happiness means my family and my career. Always together, never separated
Ronald D. Siegel pointed out that positive psychology is related to happiness, but in my opinion happiness and positive psychology aren't the same thing. Happiness is a strng feeling that comes from inside of us while positive psychology, in matter of fact, it's a way of seeing things in a positve way, it's a method which educates our minds to think positive even if something goes not very well. But let's be realistic; if something bad happened to you (broke hand, leg or worse), you can't think positive, you can't say "oh i'm very happy, i broke my leg" . So from this point of view i'm not agree with what Ronald D. Siegel says.
On the other hand, Ronald D. Siegel says happiness is hard to achieve and lots of people tend to run after it. Indeed, happiness is hard to achieve and like one of my colleagues say's ,"I think that all people have in common this sense to pursuit happiness…it s in our nature !", but why pursuating it? happiness comes by itself , we don't need to run after it.