Positive Psychology

"There are two complementary strategies for improving the human condition. One is to relieve what is negative in life; the other is to strengthen what is positive. Mainstream psychology focuses largely on the first strategy; Positive Psychology emphasizes the second" - Martin Seligman.

"Positive psychology is the scientific study of what enables individuals and communities to thrive" - International Positive Psychology Association.

The field of positive psychology was founded on the belief that people want to lead meaningful and fulfilling lives, to cultivate what is best within themselves, and to enhance their experiences of love, work, and play. Positive Psychology has three central concerns: positive emotions, positive individual traits, and positive institutions.

• Understanding positive emotions entails the study of contentment with the past, happiness in the present, and hope for the future.
• Understanding positive individual traits consists of the study of the strengths and virtues, such as the capacity for love and work, courage, compassion, resilience, creativity, curiosity, integrity, self-knowledge, moderation, self-control, and wisdom.
• Understanding positive institutions entails the study of the strengths that foster better communities, such as justice, responsibility, civility, parenting, nurturance, work ethic, leadership, teamwork, purpose, and tolerance.

The diverse range of goals of Positive Psychology include building a science that supports families and schools that allow children to flourish, workplaces that foster satisfaction and high productivity, communities that encourage civic engagement, therapists who identify and nurture their patients' strengths, and the teaching and dissemination of Positive Psychology interventions in organisations and communities.