Positive Psychology

Many of my readers have commented on the focus of unhappiness or psychopathology in psychology. Martin Seligman is a professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania who founded Positive Psychology. Positive Psychology focuses on one’s strengths rather than weaknesses, and asserts that happiness is not the result of genes or good luck. In his book, a href=”http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?link_code=as2path=ASIN/0743222989tag=wwwviolentkicomcamp=1789creative=9325″emAuthentic Happiness : Using the New Positive Psychology to Realize Your Potential for Lasting Fulfillment/em,/aimg src=”http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=wwwviolentkicoml=as2o=1a=0743222989″ width=”1″ height=”1″ border=”0″ alt=”” style=”border:none !important; margin:0px !important;”/Seligman teaches readers that happiness can be cultivated by identifying and using many of the strengths they already possess. If you would like to see what your signature strengths are, you can take the Signature Strength Survey at a href=”http://www.authentichappiness.org/”authentichappiness.org/a. There is even a test designed to test the signature strengths in children coming soon.br /br /Take the test when you have a few minutes although they have a shortened version. Just for the record, my top signature strengths are bravery and valor defined as “you do not shrink from threat, challenge, pain or difficulty. Valor is more than bravery under fire, when one’s physical well-being is threatened. It refers as well to intellectual or emotional stances that are unpopular, difficult, or dangerous.” (This sounds like many of the bloggers I read).br /br /Okay, that looks pretty accurate for me. I have always prized people who are brave and I despise cowardliness in people–and especially in myself. Anyway, take a look at the website if you would like to learn what strengths you have and if you feel like sharing–post a comment about it–or about your thoughts on positive psychology in general.