3 ways to harness positive psychology for a more resilient you

Also: Volunteering may be good for body and mind; The power of self-compassion Share with a friend » | Unsubscribe »

June 27, 2013

Chronic anger, worry, and hostility increase the risk of developing heart disease and other chronic conditions. In contrast, positive emotions have been linked with better health, longer life, and greater well-being in numerous scientific studies. But it isn't easy to maintain a healthy, positive emotional state. Positive Psychology: Harnessing the power of happiness, mindfulness, and personal strength is a guide to the concepts that can help you find well-being and happiness, based on the latest research. 3 ways to harness positive psychology for a more resilient you Intriguing research suggests that positive psychology can help you weather the routine ups and downs of life and also build resilience for times of greater difficulty. Here are three ways to capture the benefits of positive psychology. Express gratitude. Gratitude is a thankful appreciation for what you have — from a roof over your head to good health to people who care about you. When you acknowledge the goodness in your life, you begin to recognize that the source of that goodness lies at least partially outside yourself. In this way, gratitude helps you connect to something larger than your individual experience — whether to other people, nature, or a higher power. Set aside a few minutes every day and think about five large or small things you're grateful for. Write them down if you like. Be specific and remember what each thing means to you. Leverage your strengths. To reap the benefits of your strengths, you first need to know what they are. Unfortunately, according to a British study, only about one-third of people have a useful understanding of their strengths. If something comes easily, you may take it for granted and not identify it as a strength. If you are not sure of your strengths, you can identify them by asking someone you respect who knows you well, by noticing what people compliment you on, and by thinking about what comes most easily to you. Certain strengths are most closely linked to happiness. They include gratitude, hope, vitality, curiosity, and love. These strengths are so important that they're worth cultivating and applying in your daily life, even if they don't come naturally to you. Savor the "good." Most people are primed to experience the pleasure in special moments, like a wedding or a vacation. Everyday pleasures, on the other hand, can slip by without much notice. Savoring means placing your attention on pleasure as it occurs, consciously enjoying the experience as it unfolds. Appreciating the treasures in life, big and small, helps build happiness. Multitasking is the enemy of savoring. Try as you might, you can't fully pay attention to multiple things. If you're scanning the newspaper and listening to the radio during breakfast, you're not getting the pleasure you could from that meal — or the newspaper or radio program. If you're walking the dog on a beautiful path but mentally staring at your day's to-do list, you're missing the moment. For more information on drawing on your strengths and finding the positive meaning in your life, purchase Positive Psychology: Harnessing the power of happiness, mindfulness, and inner strength from Harvard Medical School. Share this story: Digg Facebook Twitter

News and Views from the Harvard Health Blog Volunteering may be good for body and mind Volunteering has positive implications that go beyond mental health. A new study suggests that people who give their time to others might also be rewarded with better physical health — including lower blood pressure. Read more.

The power of self-compassion Forgiving and nurturing yourself can set the stage for better health, relationships, and general well-being. Self-compassion yields a number of benefits, including lower levels of anxiety and depression. Self-compassionate people recognize when they are suffering and are kind to themselves at these times, which reduces their anxiety and related depression. While some people come by self-compassion naturally, others have to learn it. Luckily, it is a learnable skill. Harvard psychologist Christopher Germer, in his book The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion, suggests that there are five ways to bring self-compassion into your life: via physical, mental, emotional, relational, and spiritual methods. He and other experts have proposed a variety of ways to foster self-compassion. Here are a few: •  Comfort your body. Eat something healthy. Lie down and rest your body. Massage your own neck, feet, or hands. Take a walk. Anything you can do to improve how you feel physically gives you a dose of self-compassion. •  Write a letter to yourself. Describe a situation that caused you to feel pain (a breakup with a lover, a job loss, a poorly received presentation). Write a letter to yourself describing the situation without blaming anyone. Acknowledge your feelings. •  Give yourself encouragement. If something bad or painful happens to you, think of what you would say to a good friend if the same thing happened to him or her. Direct these compassionate responses toward yourself. •  Practice mindfulness. This is the nonjudgmental observation of your own thoughts, feelings, and actions, without trying to suppress or deny them. When you look in the mirror and don’t like what you see, accept the bad with the good with a compassionate attitude. To learn more on how to draw on your strengths and find positive meaning in your life, buy Positive Psychology: Harnessing the Power of Happiness, Mindfulness, and Inner Strength, a Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School. Share this story: Digg Facebook Twitter

Featured in this issue Positive Psychology Featured content: • A science of satisfaction • Defining and measuring happiness • Your strengths and virtues • Gratitude   ... and more! Click here to read more »

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