| Women come to me often wondering why they are | | | | months after completing exercises targeting positive |
| having a hard time finding their own place of | | | | emotion. The ultimate goal of positive psychology is |
| well-being or inner calm. So I'm always looking for the | | | | to make people happier by understanding and building |
| hard facts. Specifically, my curiosity has always been | | | | positive emotion, gratification and meaning." |
| around complete well-being: not just physical health, | | | | Another article, this one submitted by Barbara L. |
| or financial wealth, beauty or balanced weight, and | | | | Fredrickson says, "The broaden-and-build theory |
| not just a healthy mind, but all of them put together. | | | | describes the form and function of a subset of |
| The real questions have always been how do we | | | | positive emotions, including joy, interest, contentment |
| create complete well-being for ourselves and how do | | | | and love. A key proposition is that these positive |
| we teach it to others? | | | | emotions broaden an individual's momentary |
| My basic premise is that complete well-being begins | | | | thought-action repertoire: joy sparks the urge to |
| with building positive emotions where no emotions or | | | | play, interest sparks the urge to explore, |
| negative emotions exist. Pure and simple, our | | | | contentment sparks the urge to savour and |
| history, upbringing, friends, family and many other | | | | integrate, and love sparks a recurring cycle of each |
| factors play into the types of emotions that have | | | | of these urges within safe, close relationships." In |
| become habitual for each of us. Sometimes lack of | | | | other words, positive emotions spark more positive |
| complete well-being stems from a build-up of lots of | | | | emotions. |
| habitual negative emotions that fuel more negative | | | | Both of these articles support my theory that |
| emotions. In a way, it is founded entirely in not | | | | complete well-being can be learned and that we're all |
| knowing what complete well-being feels like (or not | | | | capable of living in a state of complete-well being, if |
| knowing what it is like to live with an abundance of | | | | only we set our intention to live there and learn how |
| positive emotions). | | | | to create new positive thinking. |
| I look for evidence of my theory everywhere. | | | | The reality is that working towards a state of |
| Sometimes I find it in one of my kids, other times in | | | | complete well-being is a process - one that never |
| myself, and sometimes I even find it in complete | | | | ends because life throws us new challenges every |
| strangers. Today I find it in my reading: | | | | day and we have to find new ways to regain our |
| One article submitted towards the topic of 'the | | | | balance. However, once you realize that this |
| science of well-being: integrating neurobiology, | | | | wonderful place of health, inner wealth, and richness |
| psychology and social science' by Martin E. P. | | | | can exist for you if only you know the secret, you |
| Seligman, Acacia C. Park, and Tracy Steen in the | | | | are halfway home. |
| Royal Journal says: "Results from a new | | | | Knowledge is powerful. This knowledge, in my |
| randomized, placebo-controlled study demonstrate | | | | opinion, is powerful and priceless. |
| that people are happier and less depressed three | | | | |