The "grandfather" of positive psychology, Martin Seligman" just wrote a new book "Flourish". It is really great and gives a new definition to what "positive psychology is all about.

I wanted to share a couple of quotes and notes about it with you.

#1 "Well-being and not happiness is the topic of positive psychology"

Just being happy, in a good mood is too reliant on having a cheerful disposition. It l makes positive psychology see like a theory of "happiology".

Flourishing on the other hand comes from a state of well-being. Well- being includes 5 elements of our life experience:

  1. Positive emotion - personal feelings of happiness and life satisfaction
  2. Engagement in work - when your strengths are used to meet a challenging goals.
  3. Meaning and Purpose - which is when you serve and give to something that is bigger than the self.
  4. A sense of mastery - through accomplishment and achievement.
  5. Rich relationships - relationships which include love, compassion, kindness, team work and self-sacrifice.


#2 "Positive mental health is not just the absence of mental illness" or the absence of anxiety, depression and stress.

Being in a state of mental health is not merely being disorder free, but rather it is the presence and pursuit of a flourishing life.


#3 "Positive health makes you less vulnerable to disease"

People with high well-being are 18% less likely to die of any cause than those with low ell-being. They live healthier lifestyles, have more social support, and even better immune systems to fight infection.


#4 Public policy follows by what is measured, and if all that is measured is money, all policy will be about getting more money"

This applies to our private lives and public institutions equally. Above a defined safety net, it takes more and more money to produce incremental happiness. It then becomes your important decision of whether you choose to invest your time and money in greater well-being or not.


Dr Mann is a Clinical Psychologist and Certified Coach, who helps young adult males, parents, and adults in transition achieve positive goals. [email protected]