From June 18 to 21, I and my therapist friends, Ria and Dianna, attended The First World Congress on Positive Psychology in Philadelphia.  Was it exciting and inspiring? You betcha!

Along with 1500 delegates we experienced “the father” of Positive Psychology, Martin Seligman (Learned Optimism and Authentic Happiness) along with other pioneers such as Phillip Zimbardo (The Lucifer Effect: Understanding How Good People Turn Evil), Barbara L. Fredrickson (Positivity: Groundbreaking Research Reveals How to Embrace the Hidden Strength of Positive Emotions, Overcome Negativity, and Thrive) and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience).

Here are some thought bites from the event:

Positive Psychology is interested in:

· Strengths (and weaknesses)

· Building the best in life and repairing the worst

· Concerned in improving people’s lives

Positive Interventions

· Optimism

· Positive emotions--name at least three blessings a day

· Engagement with others

· Signature Strengths see www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/Default.aspx

· Positive relationships

· Meaning and purpose—altruistic behaviors such as kindness towards others

(Seligman)

Heroism is the antidote to evil.

How to be a hero:

· Respect just authority and defy unjust authority

· Mindfully obey order

· Never dehumanize your enemy

· Maintain your integrity under stress. Stress is not an excuse.

· Question and challenge the ideology that supports illegal and immoral behavior

· Be a hero to your Mom

(Zimbardo)