Brilliant Positive Psychology

Contents

Acknowledgements ix

1 What is brilliant about positive psychology 1

Background and history 4

How positive psychology as an idea came to be 6

The terms of happiness 7

How to measure happiness and well-being 7

What the research says 9

Nothing is in isolation 9

The power of choice 11

2 Happiness and psychological well-being 15

Two ways to be happy 18

The happiness formula 20

Happiness and sorrow 21

Happiness as a measure of psychological well-being 22

Psychological well-being 23

How strong are the foundations of your psychological

well-being? 24

Happiness and time 37

Happiness and choice 42

3 How to build positive feelings and

become happier

47

The importance of positive emotions 50

Positive emotion as a positive resource 51

vi ...