745: Positive Psychology & the Science of Well-Being w/ Rob Mack

Positive psychology is a relatively new area of study and it’s garnered a ton of attention over the last few years - but what exactly is positive psychology, how is it connected to the relationships we have, and what can you start doing today to find more fulfillment, happiness, and success in life?
What to Listen For
What are the core teachings of positive psychology and how can you implement them to get through the lows of life?What is the danger of identifying yourself with work or hobbies or relationships and if those are not ideal, where should you draw your identity from?Rob Mack touches on cognitive agility and emotional regulation and why those two ideas help explain why so many people suffer from addictionWhy is it unhealthy to perceive relationships as something to “complete” you and how should you look at them instead?What can you say to someone who is clearly playing the victim and help them move beyond it?What is the one thing we know about the effective therapies around the world and how can you use it to ensure you don’t push people away?Why can comparing yourself to others be detrimental to your happiness and how can you avoid the comparison trap?What can you do to make life cooperate with you and make those challenging times more manageable?How can you interact with toxic people in a manner that allows you to maintain your positive attitude?

Happiness is both a choice itself, as well as the result of choices you make in various areas of your life. To be as happy as you want to be, you must take full responsibility for everything in your life, and that includes everything that happens to you. The more blame you try to shift onto other people and things, the more power you give away, and that power is what enables you to choose your happiness.


On top of that, the people you spend time with absolutely have an influence over your ability to choose your happiness, making it harder or easier to make that choice. You can be happy and fulfilled around toxic people, but if it’s easier to be happy when you’re around people who support and encourage you and choose to engage you in positive conversations, why would you want to spend your time with anything but?




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Resources from this Episode
Happiness from the Inside Out: The Art and Science of Fulfillment
Rob Mack


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