4/6/2017 Get Happy: Four Well-Being Workouts - The New York Times

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EDUCATIONLIFE

GetHappy:FourWellBeingWorkouts
ByJULIESCELFO APRIL5,2017
Relievingstressandanxietymighthelpyoufeelbetterforabit.MartinE.P.
Seligman,aprofessorofpsychologyattheUniversityofPennsylvaniaandapioneer
inthefieldofpositivepsychology,doesnotseealleviatingnegativeemotionsasa
pathtohappiness.

Psychologyisgenerallyfocusedonhowtorelievedepression,angerand
worry,hesaid.FreudandSchopenhauersaidthemostyoucaneverhopeforinlife
isnottosuffer,nottobemiserable,andIthinkthatviewisempiricallyfalse,morally
insidious,andapoliticalandeducationaldeadend.

Whatmakeslifeworthliving,hesaid,ismuchmorethantheabsenceofthe
negative.

ToDr.Seligman,themosteffectivelongtermstrategyforhappinessisto
activelycultivatewellbeing.

Inhis2012book,Flourish:AVisionaryNewUnderstandingofHappinessand
WellBeing,heexploredhowwellbeingconsistsnotmerelyoffeelinghappy(an
emotionthatcanbefleeting)butofexperiencingasenseofcontentmentinthe
knowledgethatyourlifeisflourishingandhasmeaningbeyondyourownpleasure.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/05/education/edlife/get-happy-four-well-being-workouts.html?emc=edit_ne_20170405&nl=evening-briefing&nlid=73152938&te=1&_r= 1/3
4/6/2017 Get Happy: Four Well-Being Workouts - The New York Times

Tocultivatethecomponentsofwellbeing,whichincludeengagement,good
relationships,accomplishmentandpurpose,Dr.Seligmansuggeststhesefour
exercisesbasedonresearchatthePennPositivePsychologyCenter,whichhe
directs,andatotheruniversities.

IdentifySignatureStrengths
Writedownastoryaboutatimewhenyouwereatyourbest.Itdoesntneedto
bealifechangingeventbutshouldhaveaclearbeginning,middleandend.Reread
iteverydayforaweek,andeachtimeaskyourself:WhatpersonalstrengthsdidI
displaywhenIwasatmybest?Didyoushowalotofcreativity?Goodjudgment?
Wereyoukindtootherpeople?Loyal?Brave?Passionate?Forgiving?Honest?

Writingdownyouranswersputsyouintouchwithwhatyouregoodat,Dr.
Seligmanexplained.Thenextstepistocontemplatehowtousethesestrengthsto
youradvantage,intentionallyorganizingandstructuringyourlifearoundthem.

InastudybyDr.SeligmanandcolleaguespublishedinAmericanPsychologist,
participantslookedforanopportunitytodeployoneoftheirsignaturestrengthsin
anewanddifferentwayeverydayforoneweek.

Aweeklater,amonthlater,sixmonthslater,peoplehadonaveragelowerrates
ofdepressionandhigherlifesatisfaction,Dr.Seligmansaid.Possiblemechanisms
couldbemorepositiveemotions.Peoplelikeyoumore,relationshipsgobetter,life
goesbetter.

FindtheGood
Setaside10minutesbeforeyougotobedeachnighttowritedownthreethings
thatwentreallywellthatday.Nexttoeacheventanswerthequestion,Whydidthis
goodthinghappen?

Insteadoffocusingonlifeslows,whichcanincreasethelikelihoodof
depression,theexerciseturnsyourattentiontothegoodthingsinlife,soitchanges
whatyouattendto,Dr.Seligmansaid.Consciousnessislikeyourtongue:Itswirls

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/05/education/edlife/get-happy-four-well-being-workouts.html?emc=edit_ne_20170405&nl=evening-briefing&nlid=73152938&te=1&_r= 2/3
4/6/2017 Get Happy: Four Well-Being Workouts - The New York Times

aroundinthemouthlookingforacavity,andwhenitfindsit,youfocusonit.
Imagineifyourtonguewentlookingforabeautiful,healthytooth.Polishit.

MakeaGratitudeVisit
Thinkofsomeonewhohasbeenespeciallykindtoyoubutyouhavenot
properlythanked.Writealetterdescribingwhatheorshedidandhowitaffected
yourlife,andhowyouoftenremembertheeffort.Thenarrangeameetingandread
theletteraloud,inperson.

Itscommonthatwhenpeopledothegratitudevisitbothpeopleweepoutof
joy,Dr.Seligmansaid.Whyistheexperiencesopowerful?Itputsyouinbetter
touchwithotherpeople,withyourplaceintheworld.

RespondConstructively
ThisexercisewasinspiredbytheworkofShellyGable,asocialpsychologistat
theUniversityofCalifornia,SantaBarbara,whohasextensivelystudiedmarriages
andothercloserelationships.Thenexttimesomeoneyoucareaboutsharesgood
news,givewhatDr.Gablecallsanactiveconstructiveresponse.

Thatis,insteadofsayingsomethingpassivelike,Oh,thatsniceorbeing
dismissive,expressgenuineexcitement.Prolongthediscussionby,say,encouraging
themtotellothersorsuggestacelebratoryactivity.

Lovegoesbetter,commitmentincreases,andfromtheliterature,evensexgets
betterafterthat.

JulieScelfoisaformerstaffwriterforTheTimeswhowritesoftenabouthuman
behavior.

AversionofthisarticleappearsinprintonApril9,2017,onPageED17ofEducationLifewiththeheadline:
TheHappyFactor.

2017TheNewYorkTimesCompany

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/05/education/edlife/get-happy-four-well-being-workouts.html?emc=edit_ne_20170405&nl=evening-briefing&nlid=73152938&te=1&_r= 3/3