Happiness and Well-Being
Positive psychology explains that a person’s well-being can be described on a continuum from floundering at low levels of well-being to languishing at moderate levels of well-being, to flourishing by experiencing high levels of well-being. The goal of most psychotherapy is to help people with symptoms of floundering to move up to the less symptomatic and less painful level of languishing. The goal of positive psychology is to help people flourish, not just flounder or languish.
How are you? When asked, most people say “fine” or something similar without even thinking about it. But what if someone really asked you. How would you answer? Happiness and well-being are complex concepts that have different components to them. You might be happy about the promotion you received, but sad about the argument you had with your sister. You might be happy the week you are on vacation and a little sad when you return to your routine. Measurements, such as the Positivity Ratio Assessment and the Satisfaction with Life Scale, help you think about your well-being and happiness across different areas of your life or across time. In this assessment, reflect on what you learned when completing one of these measurements and how you can apply that to your life.
