The Science Of Personal Well-being

At what point could we talk about the origin of welfare science? In 2000, Martin Seligman, from the University of Pennsylvania, and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, from the University of Claremont, published an article in the American Psychologist magazine called Happiness, Excellence, and Optimal Human Functioning .

It was dedicated to a new area of ​​psychology, called Positive Psychology, constituting the formal announcement or birth certificate of the new psychological movement (Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000) that we could frame in the science of well-being.

According to these authors, positive psychology is a science of subjective experience. It proposes to study the processes underlying the positive qualities and emotions of human beings with the aim of improving people’s quality of life (Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000).

Accordingly, positive psychology would have a lot to say in a context like welfare science. As a science, it studies the processes that contribute to optimal individual, group and institutional functioning (Gable & Haidt, 2005).

As a dedication and source of inspiration, it would seek to promote the optimal functioning of subjective experiences (happiness, hope), positive characteristics (forgiveness, wisdom) and civic virtues (responsibility, altruism) (Linley & Joseph, 2004).

In addition, it would also aim to prevent the emergence of psychopathologies through the development of positive characteristics and qualities.

In its research, positive psychology, in the context of the science of well-being, tries not to extrapolate the limits of scientific methodology, considered the best way to understand phenomena.

This happens precisely because it tries to situate itself in this context, which delimits a clear way of acting, uses valid and reliable methodological strategies, which include correlational, quasi-experimental experimental projects.

We said try, because it doesn’t always succeed. This is because it sometimes works with very subjective measurements, influenced by uncontrolled variables.

Wellness Science Advice

Being grateful, not overcomparing oneself with others, and accepting those circumstances that cannot be changed are essential aspects of personal well-being according to science.

Scientists at the University of Wisconsin (USA) analyzed brain activity as part of a 12-year study on meditation and compassion.

In this neuroimaging study, it was possible to see how the regions associated with happiness were activated with more intensity and frequency when the person did not compare, thanked something and accepted the situations in which they found themselves.

In this research, brain functioning was studied with different techniques and tools, such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR).

Such was the repercussion of the results of this study, published in 2004 by the National Academy of Sciences of the United States, that they constitute the fifth most consulted scientific reference in history.

Optimism in the face of setbacks

The common characteristic of “pessimists” is that they tend to believe that bad events will last a long time and that, in turn, they will have tragic consequences that they cannot prevent.

The belief that we can count on direct accesses to happiness, joy, comfort and ecstasy – instead of working these feelings with the exercise of personal strengths and virtues – governs many people.

They are the same ones who, in the midst of great wealth, are spiritually hungry.

Pessimists are often unaware that there are a large number of internal circumstances under our control. A capacity to act, to achieve effects, which is closely linked to self-efficacy, coping styles or tolerance of uncertainty.

When it comes to our health, we can consider acting on, for example, four pillars: the decision not to smoke, a commitment to exercise, the quality of our diet and our level of optimism.

In this sense, studies reveal that optimism does not carry less weight than other variables.

We speak of an optimism based on data, in contact with reality. Supported by our capabilities and resources, inspired by the confidence that gives us considerable freedom, along with the possibility of being creative, putting our intelligence into practice and flowing.

Finding permanent and universal causes for misery is the practice of hopelessness.