We are in a very technology-savvy world. We are fast galloping towards technological advancements, better economies and leaderships. But, in our race to improve in materialistic possessions, we are in the path of ignoring humanity and associated emotions. This trend is likely to give rise to more self-respecting, self-oriented people, unhappiness and despair. It is in situations like this, that behavioral sciences play a major role in society. Do you want to be happier in life? Do you wish to feel more satisfied, even when your circumstances are not so good? Do you want to be more engaged in all that you do, and be inspired to have high hopes?

 

According to Dr. Martine Seligman’s theories of positive psychology, all this is possible, and still more. Positive psychology is a new branch or psychology that deals with research on positive emotions, development of characters or behavior based on emotional strength and ways to develop them. Traditional approach to psychology focuses on illness and pathology. On the other hand, positive psychology concentrates on the well-being, satisfaction and overall happiness of the person. The theories and research indicators of positive psychology can be applied to various settings; it can be applied in the betterment of individuals, societies or groups. Researches have shown that positive psychology is very helpful in decreasing the symptoms of depression to a large extend.

 

Positive psychology focuses on optimism. It revolves around the thoughts of positive ways of thought and being, as against being pessimistic and unhappy. Martine Seligman has tried to explain that the chaos and the pain we experience are a result of our own deeds. The secrets of being unhappy rest within ourselves, and we do not understand that when we search around for happiness. Most of the conditions we choose come to us by virtue and not by choice. We begin our lives as invalid, not being able to survive without the help from others. We are completely dependent on our parents to know more about the word around us, and almost are dependent on them for life. But, we grow, and so do our perceptions, ego, and all characteristics. We come to know from various means of the world around.

 

Positive psychology deals with the research and study of the power and virtue that enables people like us to live better. Not only does this science focus on individuals, but it focuses on societies or groups also. It is all about the behaviors and virtues that are essential for societies or individuals to thrive. The studies and research on positive psychology are carried out at Positive Psychology Center; this center encourages the research, training, education, and the dissemination of Positive Psychology.

 

Positive psychology thrives in the thought that more and more people should be able to lead lives that they feel are meaningful and fulfilling. They should find joy in all that they do, and should be able to taste satisfaction. To do this, they need to help themselves by cultivating the best behavior and habits within themselves. This will further lead them into being the next in whatever they do. Positive psychology starts at home where parents try to bring up their kinds based on the right values. It is this factor that makes the kids excels in all that they do. It is required at the workplace to put in the best effort, stay motivated, and work well towards your goal. It is required in society also, where you need to be the best citizen with the best civic goals.

 

Development of positive psychology is actually based on three main concepts. These are the concepts of positive emotions, that of positive individual traits, and of positive institutions. Positive emotions deal with the study of satisfaction and contentment with the past, happiness and joy in the present, and hope and dreams in store for the future. The next concept or positive individual traits deals with the study of the strengths and virtues. In this concept, you concentrate on items such as the capacity for love and work, being courageous, compassionate, resilient, creative, and curious. It also upholds the virtue of integrity, self-knowledge, moderation, self-control, and wisdom. The third concept of understanding positive institutions deals with the study of the qualities that lead to the development of better communities, or qualities required in communities. It deals with justice, responsibility, civility, parenting, nurturance, work ethic, leadership, teamwork, purpose, and tolerance.

 

There are certain goals and objectives that positive psychology aims to attain. It aims at developing good families and schools where children can happily thrive in, development of a workplace that provides motivation and happiness to achieve high productivity, development of better communities that encourage the right kind of civic sense in people, and therapists and others who can spread the goodness of positive psychology world-wide.

Stress Causes Gain?

What is your automatic Association and reaction when you read – “No-Pain”?

Right, “No-Gain!” We are not talking about pumping-iron, yet it applies to

cognitive learning. Most of us invent reasons not to do the repetitious practice,

(home work) it takes to create personal Mastery of new skills

The first step in the cure of excuse making is Awareness. Why?

Homo sapiens like you and me live in a perpetual state of denial

about potential failure and rejection. We know what is required, but refuse to do it.

We know practice, drill, and rehearsal are necessity to ace new skills and knowledge. Don’t we all make a ton of excuses to avoid the routine and tedious scut work of repetition and self-testing? Me too.

Did you know each memory recall (practice) strengthens the Synaptic connections

(links) in your brain? They lead to a new neural network for long-term memory of your new skills and knowledge. Repetition really is the Mother of learning.

New Research

The result of stress in new learning produces Happiness and Satisfaction. Can you hear the phrase – no pain, no gain coming? Professor Ryan Howell at San Francisco

State University, headed the research on enduring temporary stress to gain long-term Mastery (expertise) of skills and information.

He found that it is the rule and not the exception to terminate, cease-and-desist

the work required to lock-in new knowledge.

To overcome the stress and desire to quit because it is h-a-r-d and annoying,

we must make a conscious decision (choose) to accept the pain to obtain the cognitive gain.

What is the opposite of freely choosing (volition)? You must, have, and ought to

do the required repetition and practice. The result is personal autonomy (self-direction) together with Happiness and Satisfaction.

Avoiding Stress in Learning

Team learning and the Buddy System make learning a social event and takes the

bite out of the repetitious element. Dr. Howell names three areas of personal growth: Autonomy (we choose), New Competence – Mastery, and Connectedness

to Others (society).

Teams of 2-3 for students or executives make a game of learning. There is a

sense of competition that goads us to success, and a need to impress others, or

at least not embarrass ourselves by looking stupid and lazy.

a)      It is only human to desire Cognitive Mastery in this Knowledge Economy.

b)      Further it is natural to want Autonomy (self-control) in our lives.

c)      Teamwork is an evolutionarily hardwired and satisfying experience.

All of the aforementioned leads us to Purpose and Meaning in our lives. If you

want more happiness and pleasure in your life, we must choose to endure temporary

stress. Remember the pumping iron expression – No Pain, No Gain.

Google: Journal of Happiness Studies 10.30.09, Ryan Howell.

Synonyms For Making An Excuse

Define: reason, explain < L to put outside defense mechanism alibi cop-out cover-up justification rationalization stall subterfuge disguise

10.  pretext

11.  vindicate

12.  whitewash

13.  indulgence

14.  mea culpa

15.  evasion

16.  condone

17.  exonerate

Endwords

It is not a crime to want to avoid the hard work of learning a new skill or master

new knowledge. The sin in the Knowledge Economy is making excuses to avoid

personal growth and improved productivity. Implement the feedback loop of

learning, and you improve the structure and function of your entire brain.

The next promotion in our economy often goes to the cognitively fittest. Choose to

to do what your peers ignore, and you have a competitive advantage.

Would you have a competitive advantage over your peers by having the skill to read

and remember three (3) books, articles and reports in the time others can hardly

finish one? Call us to start now.

“Truth is ever to be found in the simplicity, not in the multiplicity and confusion

of things.” Isaac Newton.

See ya,

copyright © 2009 H. Bernard Wechsler

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Common psychologists simply describe the psychological diseases and their manifestations. However, through dream interpretation you have a clear explanation of why your disease appeared in your psyche and more importantly, how you can be cured and stop having abnormal behaviour.

What is normal is not always what is balanced and really good for each person, but abnormal behaviour is certainly far from the known behavioural patterns and causes damage to the person and their environment.

A wild and violent conscience is inherent in the human psyche . I discovered this when I continued Carl Jung’s neglected research in the dark region of the psyche through dream interpretation. The human being cannot have a balanced behavior, even when one follows the common behavioural patterns of society, which are considered normal.

When we observe abnormal behaviour and we try to understand its psychology and how we can eliminate what causes problems, we observe that the wild conscience invades the human part, with several strange ideas, sensations and feelings. This is how the craziness inherent in the primitive conscience starts causing violent behaviour in the human side, and the person becomes aggressive.

This invasion can have many forms and appear camouflaged in many guises. The first signs of the invasion are usually the appearance of fear and suspicion. Neurotic patients are afraid of other human beings.

The craziness existent in the anti-conscience is a result of the disorganized development of the conscience since its formation. In order to reach a stage where the conscience would be happy, it would have to work very hard and organize its reactions, but it has not been programmed and it was developed without planning, which is why the result was the formation of chaos.

The unconscious psychic sphere that creates dreams is a completely developed human conscience that reached sanctity and can cure us from the craziness inherent in our psychic spheres. Once cured, we will develop all our capacities, be peaceful and always do what is good for us and our community.

The wild anti-conscience and the wise unconscious are constantly fighting in our psyche. The anti-conscience wants to destroy our human conscience, while the wise unconscious tries to save and develop our human conscience to the fullest, so that we may live free of the horrors of craziness.

Psychological health, balance and wisdom can be found only in goodness, forgiveness and piety. However, the human being doesn’t forgive one’s enemies and is totally cruel in front of those who need support and help.

The behaviour that is considered normal is actually not healthy because we are selfish, and selfishness is pure craziness. The wild anti-conscience manages to influence and invade the conscience using the person’s ego as a channel.

Only when the human being learns how to be sensitive and reasonable will one live peacefully and happily, having a truly balanced and wise behaviour.

We need guidance to cultivate sensitivity and develop all the psychological functions, since three of them do not function as they should and only one psychological function dominates our psychic spheres. The wise unconscious knows exactly how to help us and this is why it sends us messages through dreams.

These messages are incomprehensible for the conscience because they could be distorted by the anti-conscience. This fact proves that there are two parts in the human conscience and one of them shall not understand what the unconscious tells the human part because these are instructions about how to transform the wild part in human.

If the wild conscience learned what the unconscious explains to the human side, it would distort these messages. This is why you have to learn how to interpret your dreams, in the same way you learn how to translate one language to another.

I greatly simplified Carl Jung’s method of dream interpretation, which is the only accurate one, and now you can easily learn how to decipher the mysterious messages of your dreams, so that you’ll be able to develop all your capacities and live happily, having a balanced and wise behaviour.