What Is Positive Psychology?

Positive psychology is an approach to the understanding of human happiness, flourishing, and life satisfaction. Positive psychology is based on the idea that people can thrive and live fulfilling lives by cultivating positive emotions and building positive relationships. Positive psychology interventions have been shown to increase happiness, reduce stress, and improve physical health. Positive psychology also helps people to find meaning and purpose in life, set personal goals, and create a positive outlook. It is not about ignoring negative emotions or experiences but about finding ways to cope with them in a healthy way. Positive psychology is a relatively new field of study that focuses on the psychology of human strengths and virtues. The field has its roots in the work of Martin Seligman, who coined the term “positive psychology” and founded the Positive Psychology Center at the University of Pennsylvania. Some of the key concepts in positive psychology include flow (the psychological state of operation in which a person performing an activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and enjoyment in the process of the activity), grit (perseverance and passion for long-term goals), happiness (a subjective emotional state that consists of contentment, pleasure, enjoyment, or satisfaction), and resilience (the ability to adapt well in response to adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats or intimidation).