EP10 (全英) Authentic Happiness:积极心理学启示,专注于发展优势而非弥补劣势~
英语冰美式
Key Takeaways:
* Happiness is not solely determined by genetics or life circumstances; voluntary actions play a crucial role.
* Focus on building character strengths and virtues.
* Cultivate positive emotions about the past through forgiveness and gratitude.
* Engage in present moment activities that are both pleasurable and gratifying.
* Develop an optimistic view of the future.
* Be deliberate in shaping interpretations and perceptions of one's experiences.
Key Concepts & Ideas:
Positive Psychology vs. Mental Illness Focus
Enduring Happiness vs. Momentary Happiness
The Happiness Equation: H = S + C + V:
* Happiness (H) is presented as a sum of three components: Set range (S), Circumstances (C), and Voluntary control (V).
* S (Set Range): This is the genetic and biological predisposition towards a certain baseline level of happiness. This also includes the concept of the "hedonic treadmill" where people adapt to life changes quickly.
* C (Circumstances): Life events, such as wealth, health, and relationships, have an impact but not as strong as one may expect, especially over the long term. The author notes that changing life circumstances is often impractical and expensive, though some circumstances can improve happiness.
* V (Voluntary Control): This is the most important component, emphasizing that individuals have the power to influence their happiness levels through choices and actions, focusing on areas such as the past, present and future. This includes practices like forgiveness, optimism and focusing on strengths and virtues. This concept is further explored in subsequent chapters.
The Role of Strengths and Virtues:
* The book emphasizes identifying and developing personal strengths as crucial to genuine happiness.
* It provides a list of 24 strengths, grouped under six core virtues: wisdom, courage, humanity, justice, temperance, and transcendence.
* Strengths are contrasted with talents: strengths are moral traits that are malleable, are valued in most cultures, and are valuable in their own right, not just as a means to another end. Talents, by contrast, are non-moral and not as easily learned.
Happiness in the Past, Present, and Future:
* The document divides happiness into three temporal categories: happiness about the past (satisfaction, contentment), the present (pleasure, gratification), and the future (optimism, hope).
* Past: Focus on the importance of interpretation, forgiveness, and gratitude as ways to positively shape one's memories of the past and to stop being a "prisoner" of one's past. A scale for measuring one's level of forgiveness is provided.
* Present: Emphasis on both pleasures (sensory delights that are fleeting) and gratifications (activities that are engaging and fulfilling, using strengths), and the ability to 'savor' experiences.
* Future: Optimism and future-mindedness are discussed as vital for sustained happiness, but are not detailed in this section.
Optimism and Explanatory Style:
* Optimism is presented as a key element of well-being, which includes the ability to have a positive attitude about the future.
* Pessimism is linked to a sense of helplessness that can extend across a person's life. The author focuses on the permanence (believing that bad events will persist) and pervasiveness (believing bad events will impact all aspects of life) dimensions of pessimism.
* A test to measure one's explanatory style, specifically their level of optimism, is provided and scored.
1. Meaning and Purpose
* The book moves into a discussion on meaning and purpose in life and relates these concepts to the positive psychology movement, highlighting its importance.
* The author suggests that people can choose lives focused on increasing knowledge, power, or goodness, and that this choice is a key aspect of meaning.
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