Positive State of Mind

Two years ago I took a Positive Psychology course at Middlesex Community College that I can truly say impacted my life in many ways. I was having trouble concentrating in some of my classes while dealing with personal complications along with juggling two jobs. My professor in this course came in every single day with a contagious smile. Professor Fera would sometimes tell us a few obstacles he faced within the day or the week and my classmates and I were shocked about how calm and optimistic he was toward each situation. He showed us the importance of kindness, gratitude, as well as savoring moments and unique approaches to help increase positive emotions. Positive psychology is striving for a meaningful and more fulfilled life that also leads into positive results. When in a positive state of mind, positivity has been known to help improve performance.

“Your reaction determines the outcome” is an important tool I learned from this course that I use and share almost everyday, especially in negative circumstances. Staying positive during sudden or negative situations helped me take a breath and think everything through. Although the negative situations that were happening didn’t always fade throughout this course, I found myself happier than I could ever imagined. I was able to find a balance with both school and work without being stressed and I maintained all A’s throughout the rest of the semester!

The field of Positive Psychology was founded by psychologist Martin Seligman in 2000. He illuminates many stages of happiness including: the good, pleasant and meaningful life. Each stage focuses on improving emotions, companionship, creativity, unique strengths and an overall deep sense of fulfillment. Here is a video of Martin Seligman talking about how and why positive psychology is important in many aspects. This link also provides recommended articles and organizations that can help improve happiness.

Many students, especially in Middle School or High School, can find it challenging to cope with different emotions and situations. Dealing with difficult situations can lead into negative emotions and actions, and it can also result into low academic grades. Approaching a negative situation at a young age is tough and even thinking positive can’t always make the situation go away. But how one approaches the situation can make the difference. Something as simple as writing down three good things you are grateful for a day can help boost character strength and have a lasting effect on happiness. Displaying random acts of kindness can improve a student’s confidence, giving them the motivation to want to be better in school, sports and just overall everything! Here is a link that demonstrates helpful tips and more information about Positive Psychology and how it can benefit each person moving forward.

Tayla M.

Boston Tutoring Services