Learning to be positive makes it possible to live happier and to make this attitude a daily force, even more essential in this period of health crisis, which lowers morale.
In the context of the health crisis, you feel undermined by the ambient pessimismt? However, between 2017 and 2019, France was in 23rd position of the 52 happiest countries, according to the 2020 edition of the World Happiness Report. And for good reason: positive psychology is making a comeback and is becoming the course of action to adopt in order to have an optimistic vision. "Initiated in 1998 following the work of Martin Seligman, an American psychologist, positive psychology was founded on the intention to take better account of existential questions, the ambition to allow people to better understand their strengths and their resources. in order to move forward towards taking better account of their needs, their values (benevolence, altruism, etc.) and their life goals ", explain Marine Paucsik and Jean-Baptiste Baudier, psychologists and doctoral students.
Being optimistic: it's good for the heart and the morale
Scientists say positive emotions boost the immune system , a positive attitude lowers the risk of heart disease , optimism lowers the risk of death, and happy people have fewer physical symptoms than sad people. All the more reason to practice a power posture. "This Wonder Woman-style body opening position (legs stretched out and slightly apart, fists on the hips and looking up) has benefits on the body (increased endorphin, soothing hormone, cortisol, anti-stress hormone) and on morale (self-confidence) ", observes Marilyse Trécourt, coach in professional and personal development.
All that remains is to orient our way of thinking to understand the current world and invent the one of tomorrow. The solutions to achieve this.
Devour the Foods of Happiness
Notice to gourmets: the consumption of 2 squares of chocolate per day, a source of dopamine, promotes psychological well-being, and that of antioxidants acts positively on mood as we get older, according to the researchers. "Bet on foods rich in tryptophan (brown rice, pulses, bananas, seeds ...), an amino acid regulating mood, which allows the synthesis of serotonin and melatonin, the sleep hormone", recommends Cécile Neuville, psychologist. Without forgetting foods filled with tyrosine (leeks, spinach, oilseeds, etc.), an amino acid that activates the synthesis of adrenaline and norepinephrine, stress hormones and the reaction to action, and dopamine, the hormone of the reward.
Cultivate happiness (alone or in pairs)
On a daily basis, it is useful to practice mental trainingto maintain good psychological health, advises Jean-Baptiste Baudier. Unlike traditional psychology, which focuses on what goes wrong in individuals, positive psychology consists in mobilizing in a preventive way your strengths, adaptive resources (resilience) and skills towards goals that promote personal development, to better cope with problems: c is what is called the experience of flow, a notion developed by the Hungarian researcher Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. “In addition, it is a question of looking at your daily life from a different angle (identifying what is going well in your life, the reasons to admire the other to build your relationship), to 'strengthen' your gratitude (say thank you) To practice activities that are a source of satisfaction (writing, cooking, etc) ”, explains Florence Servan-Schreiber, professor of happiness. What boost your morale.
Be positive at work
Not looking for success at all costs allows you to find meaning and satisfaction in your work. "By developing more kindness towards yourself as you would a friend, by addressing yourself with understanding rather than formulating judgments and self-criticisms, and by focusing on your available resources and potential strategies for action rather than on your difficulties, you will develop your self-compassion. This is one of the key dimensions of positive psychology, because it is predictive of well-being. It will thus help you to forge another relationship with yourself and others, and to adapt better to your daily life, ”says Marine Paucsik.
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