The Science Behind Personal Well-being
The science behind personal well-being is a pretty interesting one.
In 2000, Martin Seligman of the University of Pennsylvania and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi of the University of Clarenot published an article entitled “Happiness, excellence, and optimal human functioning.”
It revolved around a new field in psychology called positive psychology. It was basically the announcement of a new psychological movement (Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000) – personal well-being.
According to its authors, positive psychology is the science of subjective experience. It studies the processes that form the basis for human positive qualities and emotions.
What this branch of psychology wants is to improve people’s quality of life (Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000). Positive psychology has a lot to say when it comes to the science behind personal well-being.
As a science, it studies the processes that contribute to optimal function, whether as an individual, in a group or institutionally (Gable & Haidt, 2005).
As a source of inspiration, it seeks to promote the optimal function of three pillars. Subjective experiences (happiness, hope), positive traits (forgiveness, wisdom) and civic virtues (responsibility, altruism) (Linley & Joseph, 2004).
Furthermore, it focuses on preventing the manifestations of psychopathologies through the development of positive traits and characteristics.
As we mentioned above, positive psychology works within the framework of the science of personal well-being. With that said, it tries not to go beyond the limits of scientific methodology.
Remember that many researchers see this as the best way to understand phenomena. This framework defines a clear way of acting.
Precisely by trying to place itself within it, positive psychology tries to use valid and reliable methodological strategies, including quasi-experimental and contextual experimental designs.
We say it tries because it does not always succeed. The reason for this is that it sometimes works with very subjective measurements that are influenced by uncontrollable variables.
Keys to the science of personal well-being
According to science, gratitude, not comparing oneself with others and accepting circumstances that cannot be changed are the keys to achieving personal well-being.
Researchers from the University of Wisconsin analyzed brain activity during a 12-year study of meditation and compassion.
In this study, it was possible to see how areas associated with happiness were activated more intensively and frequently when the person did not compare himself with others, appreciated the circumstances, and accepted situations.
This research studied brain function using various techniques and tools, such as nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (NMR).
The results of this study were so influential that the National Academy of Sciences in the United States published them in 2004, and it remains the fifth most consulted scientific reference in history.
Optimism before setbacks: a pillar of the science behind personal well-being
Pessimistic people share a common trait: they tend to believe that bad events will last for a long time and that they will have tragic consequences.
Many people believe that they can rely on direct access to happiness, joy, comfort and great pleasure. In reality, they should work on these feelings by exercising personal strengths and virtues.
The latter are incredibly important, but people often turn their backs on them. In the shadow of great riches, they are in principle forgotten.
Pessimists often ignore the fact that there are many internal circumstances under their control. They have the ability to act to achieve something.
This has a lot to do with things like self-realization, life management mechanisms and tolerance for uncertainty.
When it comes to our health, we can decide to act in four different situations. Deciding to quit smoking, indulging in exercising more often, following a balanced diet and being optimistic.
Believe it or not, but research says that optimism is just as important as the other three variables in this example.
We are talking about computerized optimism associated with your reality. Your abilities and resources are its shields. It is inspired by the security that freedom provides the individual with.
It expands the ability to be creative, allowing your intelligence to flow along with the desire for self-expression.
