I would like to start this blog with „ Positive psychology, positive psychology where have you been all my life“ As most of you know I been a pretty cherful person most of my life, maybe that’s why I find myself so much in positive psychology, that or maybe in some other life or realm I was a positivist of some form or another. This is the last of four blogs that I promised I will write in the subject of psychology, for now anyway, who knows what the future will bring, and if you my dear reader liked this series let me know and I will write some more on this subject, well let’s begin.
Not so long ago in a class I was teaching I was asked if positive psychology is considered a science, I think maybe I should explain what a science is first.
Science is a systematic method of understanding the natural world through observation, experimentation, and critical analysis. It begins with asking questions about phenomena, followed by forming hypotheses—testable explanations. Scientists gather evidence through controlled experiments or careful observations, analyze data, and draw conclusions that help explain how things work. Importantly, scientific knowledge is always open to revision if new evidence emerges, making it a self-correcting and evolving process.
At its core, science seeks to uncover patterns and laws that govern the universe, from the smallest particles to the largest galaxies. It is grounded in objectivity and relies on empirical evidence rather than opinion or belief. Different branches of science—such as biology, chemistry, physics, and psychology—focus on specific aspects of the world, but all use similar methods of inquiry. By building theories and models that can predict future outcomes, science not only deepens our understanding but also improves technology, medicine, and the quality of life.
As you can see from the text above, for something to be called a science, it has to be testable, and it must always be open to revision— always. Science also relies heavily on empirical evidence.
(For those of my readers who are not students or scientists, I’ll explain some terms you might not be familiar with. One of those is empirical evidence, so here’s a definition:
Empirical evidence is information gained through direct observation, experience, or experimentation rather than through theory or personal belief. In science, it refers to data that can be measured, tested, and verified using the senses or instruments. This type of evidence forms the foundation for drawing conclusions and building scientific knowledge. For example, if a researcher observes that plants grow faster with more sunlight and records measurable growth differences, that observation becomes empirical evidence. It ensures that scientific claims are supported by real-world, repeatable data rather than assumptions or speculation.)
So, is positive psychology a science? Yes. Positive psychology is considered a science because it uses scientific methods to study human strengths, well-being, and optimal functioning. Founded by psychologist Martin Seligman in the late 1990s, positive psychology focuses on what makes life worth living—such as happiness, resilience, gratitude, and meaning—rather than just treating mental illness. Researchers in this field conduct experiments, surveys, and longitudinal studies to gather empirical evidence, test hypotheses, and develop theories about how people can thrive both psychologically and socially.
Like other branches of psychology, positive psychology relies on rigorous research methods, peer-reviewed studies, and data analysis to ensure its findings are reliable and valid. Its interventions—such as gratitude journaling, strengths-based coaching, or mindfulness practices—are often tested through randomized controlled trials to assess their effectiveness. By grounding its principles in measurable outcomes and reproducible studies, positive psychology has gained credibility as a legitimate scientific discipline that complements traditional approaches by promoting mental wellness, not just the absence of mental illness.
To all of you who are interested in this fascinating field—feel free to contact me, do a little research of your own, or come to one of my future lectures on the subject.
As you can see, this field of psychology feels tailor-made for our time. And if you’re asking yourself, what time is that?—well, I think it’s the time when we need, more than ever, to find ways to enhance human strengths, boost our well-being, and function at our best—day by day, moment by moment.
When we talk about happiness or well-being, it’s easy to think only in terms of feeling good or avoiding stress. But according to Dr. Martin Seligman, one of the founders of positive psychology, well-being is much more than just temporary joy. He proposed the PERMA model—a framework made up of five essential building blocks for a flourishing life.
PERMA stands for:
- P – Positive Emotions: Experiencing joy, gratitude, hope, and contentment. While fleeting, these emotions are crucial for building resilience and motivation.
- E – Engagement: Being deeply absorbed in what you’re doing—whether it’s playing music, solving a problem, or running. This is often called being “in the zone” or achieving flow.
- R – Relationships: Having meaningful connections with others. Supportive relationships are a key predictor of long-term happiness and emotional well-being.
- M – Meaning: Feeling that your life has purpose and that you’re part of something bigger than yourself—like contributing to a cause or being part of a community.
- A – Accomplishment: Pursuing goals, mastering skills, and feeling a sense of achievement. This builds self-esteem and encourages growth.
What makes PERMA powerful is that it’s scientifically grounded. Each element has been studied and linked to improved mental health, greater life satisfaction, and even better physical health. Whether you’re looking to boost your own happiness or create a positive environment at work or school, the PERMA model offers a roadmap to real, lasting well-being.
Positive psychology is: as concerned with strength as with weakness, as interested in building the best thing in life as in repairing the worst, as concerned with making the lives of normal people fulfilling and with nurturing high talent as with healing pathology, having as much pleasure as possible, learning the skills to amplify them, knowing what your strength is and working on them to make them better, most people are fooled with the name positive psychology and the association with positivity, but that is wrong it looks for ways to improve one’s lives by finding what they are good at and working on making it better, it teaches us to be more resilient, more ready for whatever life brings to us, be it positive or not, in this fast paced time we are often faced with loss and many forms of stress, so our lives have become very fast and the technology devices are taking too much time from us in all the wrong ways, scrolling through 5 second videos is not educative nor positive for us, we see too much and think very little, actually we let the algorithms do the thinking for us, we don’t even pick what we are going to see, something that is not even human knows what’s better, then us, really? I am a proponent of social gatherings and I do it every day, I drink coffee with my friends and we talk about a broad spectrum of things; phones are very little used at these times, when is the last time you went out for coffee with your friends and just talked about mundane things, just socializing not competing, if you caught this last word “Competing” it was put there in purpose we all have a friend that jumps into everyone’s topic even if they have nothing to say, that is when we need resilience, and to be honest I have built a lot of resilience in my life, so could you, trust me.
One of the most important things in PERMA is smiling. Have you smiled today? and how often do you smile, make smiling your priority and your lives will be more complete. Smiling is more than just a friendly gesture—it has powerful effects on our brain and body. When we smile, we activate specific facial muscles, particularly the zygomatic major (which lifts the corners of the mouth) and the orbicularis oculi (which crinkles the eyes in a genuine or “Duchenne” smile). These muscle movements send signals to the brain that trigger the release of feel-good chemicals like dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins. These hormones improve mood, reduce stress, and even help lower blood pressure by promoting relaxation and positive emotional states.
The act of smiling, even when it’s intentional or forced, can still have a beneficial impact on the brain due to this feedback loop between facial muscles and emotional processing centers. This phenomenon, sometimes referred to as the facial feedback hypothesis, suggests that the physical act of smiling can lead to actual feelings of happiness. In other words, smiling doesn’t just reflect how we feel—it can help shape it. Practicing regular smiling, especially in social interactions, not only boosts your own well-being but also positively influences those around you, making it a simple yet powerful tool for emotional and social health. So, my dear reader SMILE and then smile a little more, smile when you are happy and smile when things are just not going as they should, cause believe me just by smiling you will increase the chance that you will overcome any burden that is in front of you, and just grow your resilience to stress and other life obstacles.
Positive psychology It’s not happyalogy it’s about engagement, have you been engaged lately, and not on your mobile devices, but in your society, in your family, have you called your people, your elders, your less fortunate neighbors, if you did good, but if not start today, the world will be a better place because of it, and are we not all residents of this world, we don’t have another world to go to, for now.
According to Seligman authentic happiness has 3 elements: positive emotions, engagement and meaning.
The goal of positive psychology is to increase the amount of life satisfaction on the planet.
Empirically it has been proven by scientist that doing kindness produces the single most reliable momentary increase in well-being.
According to Seligman this is an exercise we should all do, find one wholly unexpected kind thing to do tomorrow and just do it. Notice what happened to your mood?
If there is someone in your life, whom you would feel comfortable phoning at four in the morning to tell your troubles to? If you answer is yes, you will live longer than someone whose answer is no. So, the goal of positive psychology is to measure and to build human flourishing. Achieving this goal starts by asking what really makes us happy.
So, what would be 3 things I would suggest to everyone to do to improve our well-being and make us better suited to deal with life in this time;
1. Gratitude Journaling
Take a few minutes each day to write down 3 things you’re grateful for. These don’t have to be big—something as small as a warm cup of coffee or a kind smile count. Regular gratitude journaling has been shown to improve mood, increase optimism, and even reduce symptoms of depression.
2. Strength Spotting and Using Your Strengths
Identify your top character strengths (such as kindness, creativity, or perseverance) using tools like the VIA Character Strengths Survey, and try to apply them in new ways each day. For example, if “curiosity” is one of your strengths, explore a new topic or ask deeper questions in conversations. Research shows that using your strengths boosts engagement, self-esteem, and life satisfaction.
3. Acts of Kindness
Doing small acts of kindness—like complimenting someone, helping a neighbor, or sending a thoughtful message—can increase your own happiness and strengthen your relationships. Studies find that people who perform regular kind acts feel more connected and fulfilled.
The aim of positive psychology is to catalyse a change in psychology from a preoccupation only repairing the worst things in life to also building the best qualities in life according to Martin Seligman who is considered the founder and leading figure of positive psychology. While he originally gained recognition for his work on learned helplessness and depression, Seligman shifted focus in the late 1990s to study the positive side of human experience—such as happiness, resilience, and personal strengths. In 1998, during his term as president of the American Psychological Association (APA), he formally introduced positive psychology as a new scientific approach aimed at understanding what makes life most worth living.
Seligman’s contribution to the field is foundational. He developed key theories such as the PERMA model of well-being, which I wrote about in the above text, this system helped establish positive interventions like gratitude exercises, and inspired a global movement toward researching and promoting human flourishing. Through his books—like Authentic Happiness and Flourish—and his academic leadership at the University of Pennsylvania’s Positive Psychology Center, Seligman has shaped how we think about mental health, education, leadership, and life satisfaction.
Do we know what gratitude is, and do we use it or understand it enough?
Gratitude is the practice of recognizing and appreciating the good things in our lives — whether big or small — and feeling truly thankful for them. It’s more than just saying “thank you”; it’s a mindset that helps us notice the positives, even in tough times. It invites us to slow down for a moment and realize how much we already have, shifting our focus away from what’s missing to what’s present and meaningful.
We live in a strange time. Technology has completely changed the way we communicate, learn, and interact. I notice that even when we are out with our friends, we stare at our smartphones most of the time. It’s like we’re afraid we’re going to miss something. What is the first thing you do in the morning when you wake up? If it is looking at your phone, then you, my dear reader, have an addiction. I’m making this deduction from something I was told by an old friend of mine, in a different context: “If the first thing you think about in the morning is a drink, you are an alcoholic, my friend.”
According to Gabor Maté, “Incompleteness is the baseline state of the addict. The addict believes, either with full awareness or unconsciously, that he is not enough as he is, he is inadequate to face life’s demands or to present an unacceptable face to the world. He is unable to tolerate his own emotions without artificial support. He must escape the painful experience of the void through any activity that fills his mind with even temporary purpose, be it work, gambling, shopping, eating, sexual seeking…” So we just might all be addicted in some form or another.
What does positive psychology have to say about this? Well, sooner or later, we are all going to be faced with some form of stressor, so we have to be ready for it — or better said, brace ourselves, because we will need all the help we can get. We have to build up our resilience. We have to learn how to make our lives better. We have to appreciate all that we have, however small that is. Gratitude will create more well-being for us. Resilience will make us stronger and better. But my dear reader, you that know me and you that don’t please SMILE cause smile is the cure for many of our ailments.
So, my dear reader, smile — and then smile some more. I was at a meeting today, and the person I was conversing with actually said, “I’ve never met you before, but your smile and demeanor make me want to talk to you forever.” Isn’t that something? So be that person — the one others want to be near, the one people will trust with their stories. Because we all need someone like that. Not tomorrow, not next week, but right now.
Right now, in this very moment, you can be the spark that lights up someone’s dark day. I choose to be the beacon that shines in the darkest of all nights. I choose to be the star that guides you across the vast, uncertain sea. I am the ever-smiling person — and most importantly, I choose to be the LIGHT.
Ps, the next blog will be about the light.