The Power of Positive Psychology

The Secret to a Happy Life

If you have never heard of positive psychology, then look no further and you are in for a treat…

Discovering the Power of Positive Psychology literally transformed my life!

One of my greatest wishes is that our success ranking was measured on our Happiness levels and what we give back to society. 

Many strive for financial and material success, but research would show that this does not make the recipient happy and fulfilled. Money is useful but wealth does not necessarily lead to inner happiness and fulfilment!

There are many stories about people who have faced serious disabilities and atrocities (think Katie, Piper, Billy Monger, Stevie Wonder, Christopher Reeve or Stephen Hawking) who are very happy and accomplished in their lives. Clearly circumstances don’t make us unhappy.

So what does make us happy then, I hear you ask?  Personally, the answer lies in the power of positive psychology, or your perspective on life.

 A healthy mind is as important as a healthy body!                  

•  I spent many years watering the weeds instead of the seeds, worrying about things that never happened
•  Focusing on what I didn’t want rather than what I did want
•  Berating myself for what was missing rather than all that was present
•  Allowing limiting beliefs to rule my life
•  Living with debilitating stress related anxiety
•  Just not feeling good enough and living in fear of regret
•  Focusing on the past
•  Staying in my comfort zone and just existing rather than living life to the full
•  Allowing negative self-talk to ruin my life and experiences.

Mind Over Matter and subsequently #Blisscipline were born out of wanting to ensure my mind was positively impacting my life rather than draining my energy and discovering the benefits and power of positive psychology.

SO WHAT IS POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY, I HEAR YOU ASK?

The definition of positive psychology is: The study of what makes life worth living. According to www.millenialships.com (September 2023). Most of us are learning or appreciating that it is not the more  trivial things in life such as recognition, achievements, celebrity status or wealth. So expanding our time and energy focusing on such elements of our life (or no doub the lack) is like being sad that you dropped your ice cream cone, when you have a full bucket of ice cream right beside you.

Don’t focus and be sad about what you perceive that you don’t have, work on being positive, grateful and happy about the things you do have.

The positive psychology cycle looks like this: Thoughts become our words, words become our actions, actions become our habits, habits define US,  and ultimately dictates our future, and how we view our life and what we receive and how we feel!

So if our thoughts and words result in our outcomes in life then please can we make our thoughts as awesome as possible

So let’s stop sitting around moaning about how our life looks and feels, take responsibility, where we have control, and make a huge difference.  Our ultimate GOAL to make normal life more fulfilling and reach the full potential and happiness levels we SO deserve!

Simply put, but oh so powerful, it  means looking at what is already going well in your life, and being grateful for what is working.

The way to develop a healthy mind is with positive thoughts, just like a healthy body needs us to ensure it receives the correct nutrients backed up by activity.

It takes work but that is why I have produced my #Blisscipline toolkit! To ensure it becomes part of every day life rather than another boring chore!

Some people are just far more naturally happier or positive, but like me this can be learnt, with some practice and desire. If you work out how to think (your mind is muscle too!) it will get stronger and develop habits of happy, healthy and positive thinking (neural pathways) If we are going to live in our heads, most of the time, then we might as well make it a happy, healthy and as comfortable place as possible, should we not?

Positive Psychology forces us to focus on these. Whatever you are good at, love, and enjoy, endeavour to spend your time doing those things.

If a friend told you that you looked lovely focus on that rather than the friend who has not responded to a message

If your leader told you that they were pleased with your performance today, then focus (and bank it in your evidence bank) on that rather than instead of the fact that you think you might have  said something stupid to your co-worker earlier.

It is all about focusing on the areas where YOU are in control!  All of us have aspects of our lives that we cannot control. For example our height, frame, family, past, IQ  – these are all things that are out of our control.  Therefore these same things should be out of our thoughts.

Dwelling on things that we cannot change is a waste of our precious energy because… there are so many things we CAN change.

Our attitude. Our tribe. How we communicate. Who we do not interact with

You control your life. You control your thoughts. It’s really empowering when you totally get this!

It is also important to acknowledge that Well being is not about ALWAYS BEING HAPPY

Embracing positive psychology is the key to a happy life but it doesn’t mean we’re happy all the time. Sadness is a crucial part of our lives and we need to feel sadness, we shouldn’t push it down.

But well-being is about looking at that sadness as temporary. and gaining a toolkit of strength and resilience to deal with the sadder times in life.

If a plasterer broke his wrist.  The answer is not to keep on working and cover up the pain. It is to accept the set back of the broken wrist, and know and remember that this is a temporary setback.  The plasterer is still fit and healthy otherwise, they are simply undergoing a period, frustrating yes, of temporary struggle and difficulty. .

#BLISSCIPLINE PRACTiCe maKES PERFECT

By accepting that we might be imperfectly perfect is a good starting point, and here is some final food for thought!

We have all no doubt come across someone, say a child at school, who was perhaps better at say sport or reading than us. Someone who shone and was better than all the other children. Perhaps that was you in some circumstances! .

Just because they are better, doesn’t mean the other children should not participate in sport or try harder at reading or a particular sport. It’s good for their health, their bodies, their mind and their soul! As well as their future.

And if one of the other kids practices really hard and devotes a lot of time learning how to improve at either sport or reading.  They might just catch up to the child who is naturally talented, and has already put their practice in or perhaps just did not have to.  They might indeed even become the best!  Think of all the things that you thought you could not do and now you do with ease or a bit more concentration!

For the majority of us thinking and feeling positively will not, at the start,  come naturally to you, BUT I can promise that it doesn’t mean you can’t learn how to do it. Like me, You can learn it and you will be glad you did. Like Henry Ford so famously quoted If you think you can, you can, and if you think you can’t, you probably can’t!

Benefits of Embracing the Power of Positive Psychology.

• Minimising negative self talk
• Turning your inner critic into your inner coach
• Taming your thoughts
• Reframing your limiting beliefs
• Opening your heart
• Discovering and following your purpose
• Having better outcomes in life
• Dreams that come true
• Having a toolkit for facing the challenges life may throw at us
• Becoming far more happier, healthier, and fulfilled.

If you want to know more, or need some support, than please do get in touch.

Mind Over Matter’s purpose is to assist others in cultivating a success mindset and experience the positive impacts of this #Blisscipline