the encouragement lounge: Positivity 101

Friday, April 2, 2010

Positivity 101

I'm reading a new book by Barbara Fredrickson, PhD who is one of the leading thinkers in positive psychology. This statement points to much of my motivation behind this blog:

"The evidence shows that simply imagining a joyful memory or receiving a small kindness can make a difference in the ease with which people locate creative and optimal solutions to the problems they face on a daily basis." (Fredrickson, 2009, p. 59)

My hope is that The Encouragement Lounge gives you a place that is accessible 24-7 where you can find support, a funny video, a pleasing photo -- something to help you get that positive edge while you're doing your work.

Cheering you on!

Harriet

Fredrickson's book is "Positivity: Groundbreaking Research Reveals How to Embrace the Hidden Strength of Positive Emotions, Overcome Negativity, and Thrive."

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Working adult students, on my mind...

I hope this blog will be helpful to friends and others involved in a variety of endeavors. However, I created the blog with students in mind and continue to develop it with that specific group as my focus.

I believe that with the increase in evening, weekend, and low-residency programs, students are working more and more in isolation. If we were all full-time students on campus, we would have the informal support that comes with being able to go down the hall and talk with a colleague, etc. But instead, we are working late nights and weekends at home in front of the laptop.

With that in mind, I hope the encouragement lounge provides brief moments of respite and energizing connection. This does not at all replace valuable face-to-face contact. Many aspects of the academic journey can only be addressed via in-depth conversations with colleagues and teachers. And I would always rather sit down and talk with someone than to communicate online. Nonetheless, my aim is to give you one more channel for quick hits of support.