Positive psychology interventions
How do people lastingly change their lives for the better? Research suggests many individuals are willing and able to learn strategies for self-generation of positive emotions. For this reasoning, different positive psychology interventions have been devised to increase and instil positivity into daily life. Studies have widely demonstrated the efficacy of positive psychology interventions and considered the use of them to be complementary exercises in promotion of mental health and treatments. There are various types of interventions within the field of positive psychology, which consist of different components and aims for certain individuals.
Commonly used strategies include:
Gratitude visit:
Take one week to write and deliver a letter of gratitude to an individual who has been especially kind to you but has never received a true thanking.
Three good things in life:
Write down three things that went well each day and a casual explanation of the causations every night.
You at your best:
Write about a time when you were at your best and then reflect on the personal strengths displayed in the story. Review the story once per day for one week and reflect on the strengths you have identified.
Identifying signature strengths:
Take an inventory of character strengths online and you will receive individualized feedback about your top five signatures strengths. Use one of these top strengths in a new and different way every day for a week.
Using signature strengths in a new way:
This exercise is like the strategy described above, without the instruction to use signature strengths in new ways. Note down your five highest strengths and try to use them more often during the next week.