6 Traits of Positive Psychology

Positive Psychology sees things a little bit differently. Its foundation lies in the study of finding those aspects of self which, when fostered, lead to increased feelings of well being and inner peace.

For example, let’s say you’re a talented artist, sitting behind a desk crunching numbers into a computer day after day. Lately you find yourself anxiety-ridden and depressed. You’re feeling totally unfulfilled. Positive psychology will tell you that no amount of pills or psychotherapy will help you, without addressing the root cause of your unhappiness, which is that you’re ignoring your innate genius (which in this case, happens to be a more right-brain creative outlet).

Coming home to Yourself.

I was once at a point in my work, burned-out after twenty years spent in veterinary medicine, where I became so depressed I sought the care of a psychologist and psychiatrist. Neither one of them asked me to evaluate the roll my work may have been playing on my anxiety. In fact, the psychiatrist spent more time talking about himself (while writing me prescription after prescription) than addressing my psychiatric needs.

Turns out when I left my career, changed my life, refocused completely…the depression lifted. It was hard as hell to start over at the age of 39, but it literally saved my life. (Read the full story in Stark Raving Zen: A Memoir of Coming Alive.)

Strengths-based.

The field of Positive Psychology focuses on finding a person’s hidden talents and passions, often neglected and dormant. Through bridging these inner connections (a complex process, for sure) suddenly happiness is reachable, purpose is initiated, and the circumstances which foster mental illness (repression, suppression, denial, stagnancy) are circumnavigated.

In 1995 Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, one of the founding members of the field, interviewed 90 leading figures in several fields of study. Each participant was world-famous for their creative success in areas such as business, art, education, government, writing, physics, mathematics…you name it.

His study revealed commonalities among these highly talented, self-actualized people who lived fully authentic lives, true to themselves.

What were their traits?

1.) They try to be surprised by something every day.

Their counsel: Embrace the atypical! Be open to what the world is showing you. Life is a stream of novel experiences. Swim widely and deeply within all, and your life will be richer.

2.) They try on different versions of themselves. 

Their counsel: Don’t always be predictable and patterned. Seek the unconventional.

3.) They somehow ritualized their own curiosity. 

This was one suggestion: Each evening, write down one thing that surprised you that day, no matter how small, and your response to it.

Then ask yourself: What was your most surprising action, and what was a person’s response to it? After a few days of notes, go back and reread them. In a few weeks you’ll likely see a pattern of curiosity developing, waiting to be explored in greater depth.

4.) When something sparks their interest, they follow it.

Their takeaway: Oftentimes we’ll find something curious or interesting and tell ourselves we’ll do some Internet research on it later. We inevitably let it slide because we’re too busy with other things, and the next thing we know, we’ve forgotten about it. Of course, we can’t always drop everything to follow an interest at any given moment, so their advice is to carry a small notebook around with you. Jot down those things that are asking to be explored and come back to them.

5.) They wake up in the morning with a specific goal to look forward to.

Their pattern: They start each day with the feeling that there is something meaningful to accomplish, no matter how small.

6.) They spend time in settings that stimulate their creativity.

What they said: Physical activity is important. The most profound sparks of creativity & intuition generally happen when a person is jogging, swimming, walking, or even just traveling somewhere in the car. Sitting in a natural setting, enjoying a sparkling stream or a sunset is deeply beneficial. And the half-asleep / half-awake state we find ourselves in when we’re deeply relaxed or barely awake is a powerful state for the reception of novel ideas.