Are You Positive?

I used to think I was a pretty positive, upbeat person. I’ve always liked to use exclamation points in my correspondence! I adore the “Life Is Good” product line, I’ve never been a gossip who gloats over other people’s shortcomings, I prefer laughter to drama, and I helped to create a magazine that is based on celebrating women’s victories.

But now I’m not so sure.

In researching the effects of positive writing, in support of V‘s mission and to share that mission through public speaking and writing, I began reading Authentic Happiness: Using the New Positive Psychology to Realize Your Potential for Lasting Fulfillment, by Dr. Martin Seligman. In addition to thought-provoking and life-changing content, the book contains questionnaires measuring overall happiness, current happiness, gratitude, optimism, and more. To my chagrin, I discovered I score below average on most of the happiness inventories!

I’m not usually one to put a whole lot of stock in comparing myself to others, but at times that is an effective benchmark. In this case, it certainly got me thinking. As I considered my life and my tendencies, I remembered a New Year’s Eve years ago when I went out with friends to dinner. I was famished, and quite disgruntled by the wait we discovered we would have at the chosen restaurant. In response to my gripes over the unavoidable situation, one friend said, “Well, I think now is a good time to think about what we have to be grateful for.” I did not receive his comment graciously!

I know I’ve changed a lot since my early years, and am in many ways different from who I was that New Year’s Eve. Apparently, though, I still have a ways to go. The good news is that I can change my personal tendencies. As I reported in an earlier blog post on the book Train Your Mind, Change Your Brain, How a New Science Reveals Our Extraordinary Potential to Transform Ourselves, by Sharon Begley, oft-repeated actions and thoughts can change our brains, and our habits. In fact, such is the goal of Dr. Seligman’s Authentic Happiness and his book Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life. In fact, such is a goal of the science of Positive Psychology.

Having a positive, optimistic attitude – without ignoring realities that need to be changed – can make anyone a happier person, despite the curveballs that life throws our way. I’m on the way, chugging along to become a new and improved me. Perhaps in a few years I can be positive that I’m positive, and the questionnaires will prove me right. Or better yet, perhaps positive psychology would have made its mark, supported by venues like V Magazine for Women, and everyone will be a little more positive!

How about you? Are you positive?

Check out the Authentic Happiness questionnaires at AuthenticHappiness.com and join me on the journey!