Finding Success through Positive Psychology

Positive psychology refers to the scientific study of the things that are considered as worth living for in life. Positive psychology could also be described as the scientific study involving positive flourishing and functioning of human beings based on personal, biological, cultural, institutional, and global dimensions. Positive psychology is more concerned with the reflection of a good life, including things that can be considered as being capable of holding the greatest value in life. According to Rogaleva et al. (2019), positive psychologists have been able to suggest several approaches that can be adopted in fostering individual happiness. The existence of social ties between couples, friends, family members, and various networks in society is particularly crucial as a contributor to happiness. Positive Psychology operates based on three central pillars, namely positive institutions, positive traits among individuals, and positive experiences. Understanding emotions associated with success through positive psychology involves focusing on the analysis of contentment with the past, the present, and the future. 

Importance of Positive Psychology 

In some cases, people tend to solve some of their psychological issues through seeking therapy. In that regard, positive psychology is commonly viewed as something may be influenced by different approaches in the field of psychology in enhancing existing personality traits and strength, thus increasing levels of happiness among individuals. In examining the importance of positive psychology, Palanac (2019) explains that positive thinking places more emphasis on the need to uphold positivity in different situations. In this regard, positive psychology is usually more concerned with the provision of various tools that can be used in the achievement of success. 

Besides, it is noteworthy positive psychology is largely influenced by knowledge and skills from an expert in the areas of anxiety and depression, among others. Credible and reliable research findings back the techniques and approaches that are used in the application of positive psychology in the analysis of various situations experienced by humans. In positive psychology, positive thinking entails a considerable level of optimism that is crucial in assisting people who are faced with difficult or unfavorable situations (Rogaleva et al., 2019). However, experts in the area of positive psychology believe in being realistic, especially when someone is faced with situations holding a negative view prepares the mind for any eventuality. 

Kwon (2019) indicates that the greatest benefit that is potentially associated with positive psychology includes its role in teaching people to appreciate the power and possibility of shifting their perspectives on different issues. This benefit influences the focus of different programs, exercises, and techniques that find their basis on positive psychology. Even the smallest alteration or shift in the perspective of an individual in a positive direction is capable of yielding astounding outcomes of quality of life and well-being. To that extent, a positive outlook in life can be acquired through the injection of increased levels of gratitude and optimism into one's life. Positive psychology helps in educating people about ways of harnessing the power that is necessary for shifting their perspective as well as maximizing their happiness. 

Theories and Models of Positive Psychology 

One of the objectives of positive psychology involves presenting a broader understanding of traits and emotions. Over the last couple of years, the focus of the field of psychology involved analysis of human suffering occasioned by mental disorders. Happiness has also been considered as the absence of negative thoughts as well as suffering. The aim of Seligman as influenced through psychology was not the replacement of traditional aspects associated with psychology but to help in the realization of a substantive nature of human experience (Klibert et al., 2019). Such an understanding led to the shifting of the major premise of psychology from the analysis of psychological issues to the analysis of happiness and mental health, including their various basic components. 

Since the inception off the concept of positive psychology, the need for research has been spurred in various areas including positive thinking, resilience, virtues, inspiration, self-esteem, and optimism, among others. Essentially, more emphasis is placed on three major areas of positive psychology which are optimism and hope, satisfaction, and well-being as well as flow and happiness (Palanac, 2019). These three fields of research have been critical to the formation of the basis used in the achievement of positive interventions as well as increasing levels of happiness. Besides, the application of such interventions is possible in various settings such as health, organizational functioning, education, and human resources, among others. 

Authentic Happiness Theory 

Based on this particular theory, individuals are capable of deriving happiness from various forms of experiences. One of such experiences is a pleasant life which involves positive feelings and pleasant sensations intuitively. For instance, eating a favorite meal or engaging in an enjoyable activity. At this level, the acquisition of happiness is largely associated with a relatively lower level of effort. The engaged life is mostly characterized by the aspect of flow, which entails the experience associated with a complete loss of oneself through engaging in a given activity (Kwon, 2019). There are situations where people are more likely to become entirely absorbed in certain activities to the extent that they end up losing their track of events and time. In this particular state, people rarely engage their minds in the processes of thinking bur are entirely committed to the things that are doing. This kind of experience may be evident in people through several activities such as playing soccer or even dancing, among others. 

For flow to become evident, an individual must engage his or her strength, especially if certain challenges are experienced in that process. Activities associated with clear objectives and responses are likely to result in more flow. According to Klibert et al. (2019), flow is responsible for the achievement of intrinsic reward and an inner form of inspiration. Unlike the pleasant experiences of life, the kind of happiness derived from engaged life requires a substantial level of effort as well as positive energy. Considering a meaningful life, it is worth noting that flow activities could be perceived as being utterly meaningless while filling people with unnecessary void over a given duration. For instance, an individual may end up feeling as though life is worthless after engaging in an activity and completing it. In that respect, people must engage in activities that serve more elaborate objectives. 

Well-being Theory 

Several criticisms that were previously raised regarding the Authentic Happiness Theory contributed to the alterations that gave rise to the Well-being Theory. Instead of placing more emphasis and focus on the objective of achieving happiness, the Well-being Theory is more concerned with the importance of attaining a state of well-being and a desirable level of satisfaction. People are often motivated and inspired to engage in various activities in their lives that are not likely to contribute positively to their state of happiness. The observation by Palanac (2019) indicates that well-being is usually influenced by five different factors, namely positive emotions, relationships, engagement, purpose, and meant, as well as accomplishment. 

In other theories like the Authentic Happiness Theory, the strength of character is crucial for relationships and various engagements. However, the Well-being Theory holds that character strengths are vital in the optimization of the extent of well-being that may be acquired from various factors for it to lead to a state of success(AL-Baddareen, Ghaith & Akour, 2015). Besides, success entails a state of flourishing, prospering, or thriving. Virtues and strengths associated with character are regarded as critical factors that are capable of influencing well-being and happiness. The universal aspects of virtue include temperance, courage, justice, humanity, transcendence, and wisdom. Theses aspects can be evaluated based on strength and talent. 

PERMA Model 

This particular model has a side recognition and application in the area of positive psychology. The proposal of the PERMA model focuses on creating a deeper understanding of the concepts of well-being, success, and happiness. The PERMA Model represents an acronym that identifies five facets used in describing and explaining the aspect of well-being, which are Positive Emotions, Engagements, Relationships, Meaning, and Achievements/Accomplishments. This model is relevant in the establishment of a framework used in the description of foundations of attaining as well as improving a state of well-being within individuals. Acquisition and enhancement of authentic well-being and happiness require placing more emphasis on being able to experience higher levels of positive emotions by engaging in enjoyable activities (Carrillo et al., 2019). Enhancing the quality of relationships that a person creates with others, such as families and friends, help in building a greater sense of well-being and positivity in various perspectives of life. Putting a focus on achievement of goals while maintaining an appropriate balance between ambition and other aspects of life has also been found to be a better way of achieving success. 

Positive Emotions 

According to Carrillo et al. (2019), desiring or acquiring positive emotions plays a crucial role in boosting the well-being of a person. However, experiencing such emotions also forms part of critical factors that influence the level of happiness that can be attained by a person at a particular moment. 

Engagement 

Acquisition and possession of a sense of engagement that influences the level of indulgence in something to the extent of losing track of other events and time bring excellence and enjoyment (Carrillo et al., 2019). In this respect, it may be challenging to attain a more enhanced sense of well-being in one is not completely engaged in the things that he or she is doing. 

Relationships 

Positive relationships usually form a crucial part of social creatures such as humans whose flourishing and success is largely influenced by having connections and links with others. A stronger sense of well-being is attainable trough having a meaningful and deeper relationship with others in a social environment (Carrillo et al., 2019). 

Meaning 

Carrillo et al. (2019) opine that finding the meaning of life plays a crucial role in enabling individuals to develop and sustain a sense of well-being which eventually leads to the attainment of a state of happiness. Besides, a sense of meaning in life can be experienced by people in life whenever they decide to dedicate their efforts to the achievement of a greater course. 

Achievement/Accomplishment 

Attainment of goals is regarded as one of the factors that are capable of influencing success and the extent to which people thrive in various endeavors (Carrillo et al., 2019). In this way, a more authentic state of well-being is achievable through a genuine drive to achieve and accomplish different goals and objectives in life. 

Positive Psychology and Happiness 

A subtle display of undercurrent associated with negativity is capable of preventing people from achieving success and happiness as well as being destructive to their positive psych in a quest to attain their full potential. It is important to understand that the achievement of the most valued outcomes and achieving success in life largely influenced by maintaining positivity and the right state of mind. Klibert et al. (2019) explain that one of the major theoretical frameworks that are poised to enhance the quotient of happiness among humans often focuses on examining the internal perception and understanding of their experiences in life. Besides, more emphasis is placed on approaches used in building resilience as a way of dealing with negative thoughts and events. 

Studies have previously established that tenets of positive psychology have a critical role to play in assisting with the attainment of higher levels of happiness in life, thus enabling people to become successful and flourish in various fields. Positive psychology helps in theorizing that individuals are capable of altering experiences in their lives to become more productive and successful. Ways in which individuals often process their positive and negative experiences in life are critical in affecting their levels of happiness (AL-Baddareen, Ghaith & Akour, 2015). Achievements and success that have been reported cannot always be explained through a different event in life since how such events are perceived is what becomes more pivotal. Most people tend to put more emphasis on negative events and information as one of the evolutionary necessities. 

As such, it is possible to mistakenly under-represent or under-state a person's success and as well as failing to obtain motivation and inspiration from them. In some situations, people end to give up the power associated with being happy by ensuring that external factors determine their fate. Approaches through which people seek happiness in life may fail to align with the functionality of their brains. In most cases, people tend to desire success as a way of achieving happiness. While it may be unrealistic not to expect negative feelings and disappointments, a positive outlook is crucial in assisting individuals to deal with such experiences (Carrillo et al., 2019). Feelings that are associated with success may be subtly enhanced through processes of cognitive and behavioral changes. Such changes include random acts, meditation, exercise, nurturing gratitude, and recognition of one's success, among others. 

Positive Psychology and Mental health 

Over the last couple of years, therapists handling issues related to mental health essentially dealt with psychological conditions. In this way, the therapists did not place sufficient emphasis on personal factors influencing mental health, such as emotional resilience, motivation, happiness, and positive thinking. The findings by Rogaleva et al. (2019) indicate that the advent of positive psychology and the science of happiness have led to a considerable shift in the perspective on the concept of mental health. Positive psychology has led to the introduction of new approaches in solving issues and problems of mental health. Besides, positive psychology acknowledges well-being and happiness as parts of the requirement that influence the normal state of mental health. As a component of clinical psychology, positivity, and positive science have a major role to play in explaining the approach taken by humans in improving their internal abilities to achieve an excellent mental state. 

Studies have indicated that a vast majority of the global population is affected by disorders of mental health. Mental disturbances are highly likely to activate neural activities that often negative emotions, thoughts, and actions. The neuro-scientific approach to addressing issues of mental health has assisted professionals in acknowledging and identifying cognitive repair as a critical component in the treatment of people with disorders such as schizophrenia (Kwon, 2019). Instead of putting more emphasis on treatments and symptomatic therapy, positive psychology focuses on the attainment of emotional stability through a fruitful thing and management of expectations. Positive psychology has strong links with some of the interventions that are traditionally adopted in the management of mental health. 

Positive Psychology and Self-efficacy 

There has been a complete revolution of perspective on positive psychology by Bandura’s findings and arguments concerning self-efficacy. In this way, self-efficacy is perceived as the ability to acquire and enhance one’s confidence irrespective of his or her previous or present environment. Thinking in a self-debilitating or self-enhancing way is capable of influencing the psychological functioning of a person (Rogaleva et al., 2019). It someone has a strong belief that his or her actions may influence his or her environment and experiences; he or she has a higher probability of holding a self-sustaining optimistic perspective. Without such a belief, it is highly likely to have a more pessimistic thought dominating the events and promises as interpreted. 

Conclusion 

In summary, it is noteworthy that positive psychology operates based on three central pillars, namely positive institutions, positive traits among individuals, and positive experiences. Credible and reliable research findings back the techniques and approaches that are used in the application of positive psychology in the analysis of various situations experienced by humans. More focus is placed on three major areas of positive psychology which are optimism and hope, satisfaction, and well-being as well as flow and happiness. The Well-being Theory is more concerned with the importance of attaining a state of well-being and a desirable level of satisfaction. The PERMA Model highlights five facets used in describing and explaining the aspect of well-being, which are Positive Emotions, Engagements, Relationships, Meaning, and Achievements/Accomplishments. As has been established, Positive psychology helps in theorizing that individuals are capable of altering experiences in their lives to become more productive and successful. Besides, mental disturbances are highly likely to activate neural activities that often negative emotions, thoughts, and actions. Positive psychology helps in explaining the reasons behind the role played by people in altering experiences in their lives to become more productive and successful. 

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