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The Emerging Science of Positive Psychology
Positive psychology emerged because of a growing need in society, which traditional psychology was not addressing, i.e. becoming excellent. Traditional Psychology

Since WWII, human sciences such, and particularly psychology, have been concerned mostly with fixing psychological disorders. Let's call it the abnormal. Because psychology reckoned the greatest contribution it could make was in the field of disorders, it followed the medical model. The clients were called patients.

Knowledge generation was mainly about non-coping people, their issues and how to help them from not-coping to coping/being OK. When a person got to the point where he copes, psychology lost interest, because the ‘mission was successfully completed’.

The dilemma is that majority of people are OK and they do cope. Little proven knowledge existed to assist in getting even better - from being OK to being great. Emerging Positive Psychology

Positive Psychology then emerged. It aims at Personal Well-being and how to achieve it, i.e. how to get from only being OK to being great. I see the paradigm shift described in the notion that when a person becomes great, pettiness of symptoms disappear in the background. Positive psychology is a new science. It got momentum only after 2000. Its official birth was brought about in 1998 Dr Martin Seligman, chairman of the most influential body of psychology, the American Psychological Association (APA). The APA is the engine room of the psychology fraternity worldwide. One can argue that, since ancient times, philosophers, religious leaders and even contemporary thought about what makes people great. It is true, but now we have science to research these questions for us. Vive!'s roots are planted in the soil of Positive Psychology focusing on building existing strengths. The focus is definitely not on troubleshooting one's weaknesses. It aims at releasing positive forces within a person that traditional self-improvement programs have note yet come to grips with. These forces become the vehicle of Vive!'s mental makeovers. We are privileged to bring to you well-being stuff that has been tested and that can definitely make a positive difference in your life!

What is Personal Well-Being?
Personal Well-being is a collective term referring to a subjective sense of feeling good; experiencing positive emotions. It encompasses a positive perception of oneself, having a positive approach to life, a sense being fulfilled and experiencing that my life has meaning. It focuses on having peace of mind, being content and living authentically. Personal well-being is the result of effective living where the following powers are unleashed and cultivated:

* The power of purpose and meaning-giving goals, * The power of hope, * The power of creativity and authenticity, * The power of continuous reality negotiation, * The power of love, compassion and empathy-altruism, * The power of forgiveness and gratitude, * The power of operating in one's Zone of Unique Excellence - 'Flow', * The power of wisdom, morality and ethical living, * The power of play, humour, fun, laughter, * The power of meditation and relaxation, * The power of spirituality.

It is heart-warming to observe the magnitude of research projects booming in the field of positive psychology lately. Perhaps the term, Positive Psychology, is it is not the best to describe the new science. I trust that, when we get distance and perspective over time, we will give it its proper name.

By Lourens van Wyk www.vivesa.co.za