Tagged With "positive psychology"

While some scholars may attribute persistence to a need for control, I like to take the stance with those who look at persistence as a will to not give up. More and more research is emerging on resilience and its positive impact in off-setting ACEs (adverse childhood experiences), even learned resilience skills in adulthood.

Positive thinking and optimism are words often thrown around when thinking about being happy and cheerful. But what do they really mean? Positive thinking means approaching life in a positive and productive way instead of focusing on the negatives. Meaning you’re hopeful for the best and don’t focus on the worst. Sounds good in theory, but how can you start to think positively? Here are seven reasons why positivity is so good for you, and some tips on how to remain positive everyday:...

Thank you for adding me as a resource Aron! This is a great article!

Hmmmm. I don't think my husband has ever called me persistent, but he HAS called me tenacious more than once. Because I am. And I think there's a lot of overlap between persistence and tenacity. I never thought about whether my tenacity is a result of childhood trauma, but it's not a stretch to suggest that it might be, as you posit about your persistence. In fact, I'd say BOTH traits are forms of resilience, because in order to be either persistent or tenacious, you have to keep pushing,...

Great feedback! And, yes, I have been gifted the tenacious label, too. Another one I've been told is that I am determined. Holds the hand of persistent. So glad you found your tenacity to muscle through those first 20 years. And this success meme is perfect. And oh so true! Peace, Teri

A self-professed lifelong learner, Dr. Scheinbaum’s life’s work has been centered around education innovation since the very beginning. She began her career in 1972, teaching students with learning disabilities. Her drive to incorporate a more holistic perspective into her work led her to earn a PhD in clinical psychology at Fielding Graduate University, where she specialized in positive psychology, cognitive behavioral therapy, and mind-body medicine.

I have a micro- minute or two of joy every day. When I wake up in the morning I thank the universe that it is differentiating between day and night. I thank that my eyes opened to see, and my limbs managed to get up, that my ears picked up the bird sons and my lips are giving praise. This is an ancient tradition I practice, a tradition that recognized the value of practicing gratitude and passed it on through its teachings for over 3000 years. I am glad that many more people are discovering...

A global pandemic. Social unrest. A contentious election year. Is it possible to be grateful in this environment? YES! Actually, the stressors actually make it even more imperative! Our ultimate goal as humans, for our children and ourselves, is to flourish. Gratitude is the number one way to shift our focus from negative to positive and facilitate growth in our lives. It sounds simple, and it is, but it’s not always easy. How can we be grateful when it seems like everything is falling apart...

“He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not but rejoices for what he has.” ~Greek philosopher, Epictetus It is that time of year in which the leaves are changing color, the days are getting shorter, and as we prepare for family meals and holidays, we witness a lot more folks talking about what they are thankful for. The days leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday lend themselves to a shift in our focus onto what we appreciate in our lives, and we notice folks...

Once the suffering resulting from adverse childhood experiences is managed, we can turn toward creating a more satisfying life. Pursuing the honorable life leads to self-respect and inner peace. Compassion for mistakes, understanding their reasons, and applying integrity skills starts us on the path to flourishing.

The well-timed choice to forgive deep injuries from childhood, though difficult, can greatly improve psychological wellbeing and free us to move ahead. Four keys to forgiveness lay the foundation for cultivating healing forgiveness skills.

While the process of forgiving painful offenses from childhood can be very difficult, efforts to forgive bring great rewards. The process begins with acknowledging the pain, applying self-compassion, and taking even small and faltering steps to get the forgiveness ball rolling.

Dear Dr. Schiraldi, "Take the offender to neutral . . . I won’t waste my time thinking about you or remembering.” This has been the single most helpful definition of forgiveness for me. In my belief system, a contrite and repentant offender is a necessary part of the forgiveness process - things my offender never was. The best I can do under those circumstances is to bear him no ill will and leave it at that. "Don’t personalize . The offense is more about the pain and imperfect past of the...

Strengthening the wounded soul can improve psychological and physical wellbeing and help to complete the recovery process. Although ACEs, understandably, can numb feelings, including spiritual feelings, once healing has progressed, spiritual feelings can often be successfully cultivated.

Adverse childhood experiences understandably can numb feelings, including feelings of joy, happiness, and pleasure. Making time to be joyful rewires the wounded brain. Once healing has progressed, the capacity for joy can usually be expanded through the repeated application of proven joy strategies.

Once the healing of hidden wounds from adverse childhood experiences has sufficiently progressed, attention can turn to developing a richly satisfying future. Your innate inner strengths, experiences, and acquired skills will help rewire your brain for a brighter future.

Country music artist Allen Karl (Sterner) endured unspeakable childhood cruelty and chaos, yet turned into a caring, competent adult. His story provides many useful insights that can help and inspire others who have endured multiple ACEs.