The Art of Wellbeing

Much of the focus of psychology has for 60 years centred around mental illness or abnormal psychology.  Articles were 100 to 1. Given the costs associated with stress related rehabilitation it is understandable why so much focus is on diagnosing and treating mental health conditions.  At the same time we need to recalibrate our bearings.  The inordinate focus on what's wrong takes us away from the research  of those elements which make one right.  A shift is needed!

More recently researchers in the field of Positive Psychology attempt to identify those elements of which when understood and applied change lives for the better.   Martin E. P. Seligman  who spearheaded research in this area  authored a seminal work Authentic Happiness and carried on the previous contributions of Steven Covey  7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Victor Frankl,  Man's Search for Meaning, James Allen,  As a Man Thinketh.  Other more recent contributors include Danial Coleman, Emotional Intelligence  and Ellen Langer, Counterclockwise.

Good therapists not only shift  patterns of distorted thinking, but more recently direct individuals to harness latent strengths, build mindful capacity and  strengthen dispositional resilience.

A look at characteristics common to those who have acquired the art of wellbeing include;

• Optimism   Optimistic people tend to interpret their troubles as transient, controllable, and specific to one situation. Pessimistic people believe that their troubles last forever, undermine everything they do, and are uncontrollable.  Optimism is one of two dozen strengths that bring about greater wellbeing. (pg.10 of Authentic Happiness) 
• The key to disputing pessimistic thoughts is to first recognize them and then to treat them as if they were uttered by an external person, a rival whose mission in life was to make you miserable.
• Courage  First acknowledge fears, then confront them. Be willing to take a risk, to step out of your comfort zone, and embrace the challenge. Those who do suffer less post traumatic stress.(Suzanne C. Kobassa) Dispositional Relilience
• Think good thoughts  In 27 studies depressed people had an equal ratio of bad thoughts to those who were not depressed.  However, non depressed people had roughly twice as many good thoughts as bad ones. This simple point is powerful.  This is supported by the results of therapy.  Depressed patients who improve the ratio from 1.1 to 2.1 improve, those who stay at 1.1 do not.(pg. 226 of Authentic Happiness)
• Focus on  Signature strengths! These are the relative strengths you have which need to be optimized. To quote Martin Seligman; "I believe the time has come to resurrect character as a central concept to the scientific study of human behaviour." When one does this Martin Seligman calls this living your calling.  Take the online test and see where and how your attributes can contribute to your own happiness and wellbeing.
• Six core virtues when practiced bring a sense of wellbeing and security.
• Wisdom and knowledge
• Courage
• Love and humanity
• Justice
• Temperance
• Spirituality

Multiple Dimensions of Mental Health

You are complex being.  There are many elements that contribute to your identity and well being. Understanding how these different elements interact and support one another is essential to sustain a sense that one is able to manage the stressors and demands of day to day living. As spokes in a wheel provide support and stabilize the rim, they also serve to help maintain a well rounded structure to navigate the obstacles along the path. Every aspect of our being requires some attention in order to maintain balance and equilibrium across all domains

Mental

You are a mental being, constantly taking information in through your five senses, analyzing, synthesizing, interpreting, problem solving, processing and evaluating and storing or rejecting data.  This domain is made of two parts, the conscious and subconscious. The conscious part constitutes the domain over which you have a relatively large degree of control.It is also the primary medium by which stress is interpreted and managed. 

The subconscious represents  and occupies a substantial portion of your brain . It is the repository of all your beliefs, values, memories and the realm of you autonomic nervous system, governing many of the unconscious bodily functions.  Together they generate and are the reservoir from which habits, attitudes, cultural moors and patterns of thinking evolve.  Indeed the lens by which you perceive the world is progressively formed, develops and finds expression by the knowledge and interpretations of the external world which are made along the way.

Feelings

You are a feeling being.  Often referred to as the affective domain it is the primary driving force behind all behaviour. Feelings  inspire and enrich experience, but also are the source of our discontent, stress, anxiety and depression.  We have little direct control over this domain, as it is a function of our biochemistry.  Neurotransmitters, hormones and biochemicals generate the varied physiological responses.  Under normal conditions they work in our favour generating a host of positive feelings providing a sense of well being,  However when our thoughts are clouded by 

distortions and erroneous beliefs then it begins to play havoc with the otherwise harmonious balance of  biochemicals.  The net effect is an unsettled state of being and when left unattended it becomes chronic with increasingly detrimental effects upon the health and well being.

Social

You are a social being. Weather an introvert or an extrovert we still operate in a social domain, Relationships represent a significant influence upon our psyche.  Functional relationships are developed and maintained in direct correlation with their attending skills. Relationships can be both a source of stress and a wonderful resource for coping with stress.  Social aptitudes of attentiveness, assertiveness, compromise and communication are key skills.   Harmonious relations contribute much to a sense of contentment.

Physical

You are a physical being. Age, health, conditioning, energy levels each factor into functional capacity to meet the rigours of day to day responsibilities and challenges. Knowing the capabilities and limitations of our physical bodies and how to care for and maintain our physical well being represent a good starting point for self awareness.

Moral

You are a moral being. Attributes of character and temperament combine to give you your unique personality traits.  In addition attributes both enable and ennoble, allowing us to meet increasingly challenging demands. Self reliance, resilience, self esteem and confidence wax stronger with each attribute added to the mix.

Spiritual 

You are a spiritual being. There is a resource available to all, once understood, appreciated and tapped into offers a means to allude or at least a reprieve from the exigencies of life.  Many have found  contentment, peace, hope and solace in the unseen power of faith.

Behavioural 

You are a behavioural being. You act and are acted upon. It is our behaviour and emotions we present to the outside world. When behaviour aligns with beliefs and values there is an internal state of congruence. A harmonious synchrony occurs and stressors tend to decline and internal conflicts abate.