Today is Wednesday and the middle of the week, aka Hump Day. So to use an analogy, if the week was a hill one was climbing, then Wednesday was the peak of the hill, and so the hump of the week. Once this day has been conquered, the hardest part of the week is over and it’s relatively smooth sailing from then. The weekend is also just a couple of days away and it’s closer at the end of Wednesday than it was on Tuesday or Monday.
Wednesday or the middle of the week can also be associated with a lack of ambition or motivation, but once the hump of Wednesday is conquered, it’s an easy path to the weekend, so it’s no wonder people get excited. The day first came to be known as hump day since at least the 1950s.
Hump day rose to particular prominence in September, 2013 thanks to a popular commercial by the insurance company GEICO. In the commercial, a talking camel named Caleb walks through generic office cubicles asking his coworkers if they know what day it is. They roll their eyes, giving the impression that the camel does this every week. One of the office workers reluctantly answers him, to his delight: “It’s hump day.” Two men with guitars then explain that people who switch to GEICO insurance are “happier than a camel on Wednesday.” This commercial was the seventh most viewed on YouTube in 2013. The gag, of course, relies on a pun on the word hump, which Wednesdays metaphorically share with camel physiology.
So have a wonderful mid-week and may your week end just as strong as it started!
Mysterious places have this irresistible allure to them, maybe something about the forbidden that makes it more interesting than it is? A fascination with the unknown drives many travellers to the most bone-chilling corners of our world. Sometimes it’s a lonely place with a violent or macabre past, said to be haunted by the tormented souls of those already departed. At others, a quiet crypt or a reverent patch of ground calls to attention the impermanence of life and the ever-turning hands of time. I am in equal parts both fascinated and scared of such places and so thought I should find out which places in the world are mysterious. I am not including India in this list as I will make a separate list of India’s most mysterious places. So in no particular order, but following a westerly direction from the Americas to Oceania and Antarctica, here are some of the world’s most mysterious places to visit.
Lake Abraham, Canada In warmer months, Lake Abraham looks like a lovely turquoise lake, but during the winter, the frozen water gets filled with suspended white orbs that look like snowballs. While it may look like Christmas magic, these ice bubbles are dangerous pockets of flammable methane gas formed when the organic matter at the bottom of the lake decomposes.
Spotted Lake, Canada Located in the grasslands of Canada’s Okanagan Nation in British Columbia, the Spotted Lake looks like an ordinary, though beautiful water body in the cooler seasons. In the summertime, however, as it gets hot and water starts to evaporate, the lake transforms into many tiny colourful pools. These yellow, blue and green spots are caused by a high concentration of different minerals in each pond. The First Nations People believe that each of the different circles holds different healing properties.
Area 51, USA The United States Air Force facility commonly known as Area 51, located within the Nevada Test and Training Range, has captured the imagination of both conspiracy theorists and Hollywood for decades. The top-secret military base which is still operational is surrounded by barren desert, and the secrecy surrounding its Cold War-era stealth aircraft testing has led to rumours of UFOs and aliens, wild government experiments and even a staged moon landing on the premises. Civilians can explore the area around the base, which has become a tourist destination, although they aren’t permitted inside.
Devils Tower National Monument, USA The Devils Tower is a dramatic geologic feature that juts out of the rolling prairie surrounding the Black Hills region in Wyoming, and it became the first national monument in the country in 1906. It might seem like a majestic mountain, but it’s made of molten rock that hardened into fascinating geometric columns. This site is sacred to multiple Native American tribes, and its still the setting for Native American ceremonies as well as a popular destination for rock climbing and hiking.
Eternal Flame Falls, USA The Eternal Flame Falls lies in New York’s Chestnut Ridge Park. There’s a strange orange-red light glowing behind a waterfall that looks like something out of a fairy tale. The flame is fueled by natural methane gas escaping through cracks in the rock. The flame isn’t quite eternal though with the water sometimes extinguishing the fire, but visitors often start it up again with a lighter to keep the magic alive. Once lit, the flame can go on for up to one year, unless extinguished by force.
Papakolea Beach, Hawaii Known as the rainbow beach, the Papakolea Beach on the Big Island of Hawaii is also known as Green Sand Beach, the beach was carved out of the side of a volcano, and its sandy shores are almost the same hue as the surrounding grass due to olivine crystals left behind by the lava.
Island of the Dolls, Mexico The Isla de las Muñecas, Spanish for the Island of the Dolls, is an island located in the canals of the Xochimilco neighbourhood of Mexico City. As per legend, the island’s caretaker became haunted by guilt after he was unable to save a little girl who drowned there more than 50 years ago. He hung dolls around the island as a tribute. The unsettling dolls with severed limbs, decapitated heads and empty eye sockets remain there, and some people claim the island is haunted.
The Bermuda Triangle The Bermuda Triangle is an area of about 500,000 square miles that sits in the Atlantic Ocean between Bermuda, Puerto Rico and Miami, Florida. More than 20 planes and 50 ships are said to have mysteriously vanished into thin air or crashed without explanation. Though vessels manage to pass through the area with ease every day and there are no more disappearances in the Bermuda Triangle than in any other large, well-travelled area of the ocean, the unexplained accidents have still captured the public imagination. Intense electrical forces and a tunnel-like cloud have been reported, but other theories include rapidly changing weather patterns and alien abduction.
Stone Spheres or Palmar Sur, Costa Rica Also called the Stone Spheres of the Diquís or simply Las Balos, the Stone Spheres of Costa Rica remain one of the biggest mysteries in archaeology. The more than 300 spheres, which are almost perfectly round, were unearthed by workers clearing a field in the 1930s. They range in size and weigh up to 16 tons. They are amazing man-made creations, but no one knows how or why they were made by an ancient indigenous culture. Some of the stones are on display at the National Museum of Costa Rica while others are in their original spots at the Finca 6 Museum and Archaeological Site in Palmar Sur.
Great Blue Hole, Belize The Great Blue Hole is a massive, remote marine sea hole off the coast of Belize that is more than 1,000 feet across and 400 feet deep. It is the world’s biggest sinkhole and scuba divers flock here to experience its hypnotically crystal-clear waters, marine life and coral reefs.
Lake Maracaibo, Venezuela Off the Caribbean Sea in northwestern Venezuela, lightning storms take over the skies almost every night of the year at Lake Maracaibo. This weather phenomenon is known as Catatumbo Lightning, named for the river that flows into the lake. Lake Maracaibo has the highest concentration of lightning on Earth thanks to a combination of heat, humidity, air currents and the mountainous landscape. At night, lightning strikes Lake Maracaibo about 28 times a minute for up to nine hours.
The Nazca Lines, Peru More than 2,000 years ago, the ancient Nazca people of Peru carved hundreds of giant designs of humans, animals and plants into the desert plain. Despite being studied by scientists for more than 80 years, their function is still unknown. A UNESCO World Heritage Site today, the lines scar their way across the dusty desert landscapes of southern Peru. Most opt to do flyovers and see the great wonders from above, which is when the curious geoglyphs depicting spiders and monkeys come into full view. Some believe aliens created them as landing strips for their spacecraft.
Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia The world’s largest salt flat, Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia extends for more than 4,000 square miles. Its extreme flatness and dryness and bright blue skies help create a dreamy mirror-like reflective surface during the wet season while in the dry season, the plain becomes adorned with a fascinating pattern of polygonal cracks that look like floor tiles. It was formed when a prehistoric lake went dry. A thin film of water gathers on the salt surface and gives the mirror-like reflecting surface.
Easter Island, Chile The isolated Easter Island in the Pacific Ocean was once populated by the Rapa Nui civilization, which erected almost 1,000 giant stone statues known as moai approximately 900 years ago. These towering figures, which stand an average of 13 feet tall and weigh 14 tons apiece, captivated European explorers who first landed on the island in 1722. No one knows for sure why the ancient Polynesians carved and placed the statues across the island, though one recent theory hypothesizes that they were placed as markers of freshwater sources. When discovered in 1722, this 24 km island was completely isolated and uninhabited except for 800 enormous statues. Their huge size and weight, with some standing 30 feet tall and weighing over 75 tons, would have made them almost impossible to build and move. There are over more than 880 of the moai heads here, which are each thought to represent the final member of one of the tribal family clans.
The Great Pyramid of Giza, Egypt The only one of the seven wonders of the ancient world that’s still intact, the pyramids of Giza continue to be one of the most visited tourist attractions on Earth. Visitors and scholars alike are still baffled by how the 455-foot-tall pyramid was created without modern tools, although common theories are that they were constructed using some type of ramp system.
Valley of the Kings, Egypt The burial place of Egypt’s highest nobility, at least 63 tombs have been identified throughout the valley, including that of King Tut. The untimely deaths of several of Tut’s discoverers have been attributed by some to the Pharaoh’s Curse.
Ark of the Covenant, Ethiopia The search for the Ark of the Covenant, the golden container thought to hold the Ten Commandments, dates back to 586 BC when it vanished from King Solomon’s temple. Some scholars have speculated that the ark was brought to Ethiopia, while others believe the ark could be located in the Judean desert.
Richat Structure, Mauritania Also known as the mythical-sounding Eye of the Sahara, the Richat Structure is a 48 km wide circular feature that from space looks like a bull’s eye in the middle of the desert. Richat was initially theorised to be a meteorite impact site but is now believed to have been created by the erosion of a dome, revealing its concentric rings of rock layers. Its distinctive shape can be seen by astronauts aboard the International Space Station.
Lake Natron, Tanzania Also known as the Petrifying Lake, Lake Natron is said to have the power to turn birds into stone. The water temperature can reach 60 degrees Celcius and its pH level is 10.5, nearly as high as ammonia. The water is so caustic that it can burn the skin and eyes of animals that aren’t adapted to it. Its high levels of sodium carbonate also act as a preservative, leaving birds, bats and other animals that die in its waters almost mummified. The lake is, however, a safe breeding place for a flock of flamingos.
Fairy Circles, Namibia Millions of circular patches dot the Namibian desert landscape. These eerie ovals of soil surrounded by rings of grass are known as fairy circles because their defined shape and pattern look as if they’ve been created by small spritely creatures. They can range in size from about 12 feet to about 114 feet. While scientists have many theories, including creepy crawlies like sand termites, recent research seems to indicate that the pattern is created via plants competing for scarce water.
Skellig Michael, Ireland Skellig Michael is a mystical island that sits about 13 km off the coast of Ireland and towers more than 700 feet above sea level. A group of monks settled there and built a monastery as early as the sixth century that still stands. Not only is the island beautiful, but it’s also a movie filming location one can visit with the island being recognised as Luke Skywalker’s home in the Star Wars films.
Giant’s Causeway, Northern Ireland Giant’s Causeway is a natural wonder on the coast of Northern Ireland that features 40,000 polygonal black basalt columns that were created by volcanic activity. The dramatic, pavement-like formation inspired legends about a giant named Finn McCool, who threw chunks of the coast into the sea to create a stepping stone path to Scotland.
Stonehenge, England Stonehenge is a more-than-5000-years-old structure which consists of a circular cluster of humongous megalith stones made of unique bluestone material. It is believed that this unique bluestone is found only on the Preseli Hills in Pembrokeshire, which is some 322 km away in Wales. While it is generally accepted that it was built as a sacred temple and burial ground, how Neolithic people managed this massive architectural feat is still debated. Set deep in the middle of the verdant lowlands of south-central England, where Salisbury Plain emerges in peaks and troughs of heath from the oak forests, Stonehenge has long oozed mystery and magic. Mystery surrounds both how the Neolithic people managed to transport such huge rocks all that way, and the purpose of the building. Today, it’s wrapped up in Arthurian legends and attracts Pagans for the summer solstice
Tower of London, England One of London’s most notable historic sites, this former palace on the north bank of the Thames, was long used as the city’s most notorious prison and was the site of many executions, including two of Henry VII’s wives. To this day, visitors report sightings of numerous spirits continuing to inhabit the tower’s halls. Stories of hauntings and mysterious happenings began with the sighting of Thomas Becket, who is said to have stymied the construction of the palace’s extension from the grave. The apparition of Queen Anne Boleyn causes the biggest stir with her headless body seen lurking by the spot where she was killed at the behest of Henry VII back in the 1530s.
Loch Ness, Scotland Loch Ness is a large, deep, freshwater loch, or lake, in the Scottish Highlands famous for the sightings of its titular Loch Ness Monster, a mythical serpent-like creature nicknamed Nessie. Nessie’s existence has never been proven, but it has made this lake a popular tourist destination. Even if one doesn’t see any evidence of a monster, the area is gorgeous with many travellers considering Scotland to be the most beautiful country in the world.
Paris Catacombs, France Created to alleviate the burden of the city’s overflowing cemeteries, the bones of more than six million people now lie in the cavernous tunnels beneath the French capital. Many of these remains have been stacked into elaborate patterns throughout the catacombs, visible to visitors wishing to explore the Parisian underworld.
Devil’s Bridge, Germany Multiple places around the world have been named the Devil’s Bridge due to some supernatural connection, but the most famous one is located in the German town of Kromlau, in the beautiful Kromlauer Park. Known as Rakotzbrücke in German, the parabolic bridge dates back to the 1860s and is one of the most stunning bridges in the world, so unbelievably beautiful that some say it was built by Satan. The semi-circle bridge forms a perfect circle with its reflection in the water below, a feat only deemed possible with some otherworldly assistance.
Crooked Forest, Poland Just south of the city of Szczecin on Poland’s extreme eastern end, close to its borders with Germany, a small clutch of just over 400 peculiar pine trees has been garnering attention. Several hundred pine trees were planted there in the 1930s and grew with an almost 90-degree bend at their base, making them look like fishing hooks. The entire forest appears to be bent over almost 90 degrees at the trunk, before twisting back straight again and growing vertically. Some believe that a technique or human tool was used to make the trees curve like this, while others speculate that a winter snowstorm or some other damage could have given this fascinating forest its interesting shape.
Hill of Crosses, Lithuania A major Catholic pilgrimage centre, the Hill of Crosses lies about 12 km north of the city of Šiauliai, in northern Lithuania. The precise origin of the practice of leaving crosses on the hill is uncertain, but it is believed that the first crosses were placed on the former Jurgaičiai or Domantai hill fort after the 1831 Uprising. Over the generations, not only crosses and crucifixes, but statues of the Virgin Mary, carvings of Lithuanian patriots and thousands of tiny effigies and rosaries have been brought here by Catholic pilgrims. The exact number of crosses is unknown, but estimates put it at about 100,000.
Gate to Hell, Turkey The Gate to Hell at the ancient city of Hierapolis, in modern-day Turkey, is a stone doorway leading to a small cave-like grotto. The gate was built into one wall of a rectangular, open-aired arena, topped by a temple and surrounded by raised stone seating for visitors. 2200 years ago, its thermal springs were believed to have great healing powers. But a deep fissure running beneath Hierapolis constantly emits volcanic carbon dioxide, which pours forth as a visible mist. The gate, also known as the Plutonium, for Pluto, the god of the underworld, is built directly above it. In 2011, archaeologists showed that the gate is still deadly: Birds that fly too close suffocate and die.
Door to Hell, Turkmenistan Almost 50 years ago, a gaping, fiery crater opened up in the desert of northern Turkmenistan. The Darvaza Crater, also known as the Door to Hell, is still burning today, and at night its glow can be seen from kilometres away. The crater is thought to have been created by a Russian natural gas drilling mishap in which engineers set the area on fire to stop the spread of dangerous gases, unaware of how long the fire would burn. It is a natural gas field that collapsed in 1971 and to contain the spread of the Methane gas, geologists set it on fire and it has been continuously burning ever since.
Sea of Stars, Maldives Known as the Sea of Stars, the waters around Vaadhoo Island, part of the Maldives in the Indian Ocean, put on a magical nighttime display. When disturbed, billions of bioluminescent microorganisms called dinoflagellates in the water emit a bluish glow, much like aquatic fireflies. When the conditions are right, these floating lights can rival the splendour of the most stunning night sky or a spectacular sunset.
Plain of Jars, Laos The Plain of Jars is a megalithic archaeological landscape consisting of thousands of stone jars scattered around the upland valleys and the lower foothills of the central plain of the Xiangkhoang Plateau. The jars are arranged in clusters ranging in number from one to several hundred. Some stand 10 feet tall and weigh several tons. Archaeologists estimate the jars are 2,000 years old, but their purpose is unclear. The most common theories are that they were used as funeral urns with excavations supporting this interpretation with the discovery of human remains, burial goods and ceramics around the jars. Researchers using optically stimulated luminescence have determined that the jars were put in place as early as 1240 to 660 BC. The Plain of Jars is one of the most important prehistoric sites in Southeast Asia.
Zhangye Danxia Landform, China The Danxia landform refers to various landscapes found in southeast, southwest and northwest China that consist of a red bed characterized by cliffs. It is a unique type of petrographic geomorphology found in China and is formed from red-coloured sandstones and conglomerates of largely Cretaceous age. The coloured mountains were formed due to the natural weathering and erosion of the red sandstone and conglomerate laid down by sedimentation from lakes and streams in the region.
Kawah Ijen Lake, Indonesia The Kawah Ijen Lake and Volcano are both terrifying and breathtaking because of a rare natural phenomenon that occurs here. Sulfuric gases burst through the rocky surfaces around the lake, combusting when they hit the outside air. This creates flames that shoot up to 16 feet into the air. The fires appear to burn blue and liquid sulfur streams down the mountain like electric blue lava. The lake is recognised as the largest highly acidic crater lake in the world and is also a source for the river Banyupahit, resulting in highly acidic and metal-enriched river water which has a significant detrimental effect on the downstream river ecosystem.
Hanging Coffins, Philippines Hanging coffins are one of the funerary practices among the Kankanaey people of Sagada, on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. Believed to be centuries old, the coffins are placed underneath natural overhangs, either on natural rock shelves or crevices or on projecting beams slotted into holes dug into the cliff-side. The coffins are small because the bodies inside the coffins are in a fetal position. This is due to the belief that people should leave the world in the same position as they entered it, a tradition common throughout the various pre-colonial cultures of the Philippines. The coffins are usually carved by their eventual occupants during their lifetimes. The location depends on the status of the deceased as well as the cause of death. The hanging coffins in Echo Valley have become tourist attractions.
Lake Hillier, Australia With its bubblegum-pink waters, Australia’s Lake Hillier is located on the edge of Middle Island, the largest of the islands and islets that make up the Recherche Archipelago in the Goldfields-Esperance region, off the south coast of Western Australia. A long and thin shore divides the Southern Ocean or by some definitions, the Indian Ocean from the lake, which makes its natural colour pop in comparison. It has plenty of fish living in its waters and is even safe for swimming, although tourists aren’t allowed in the water. The reason for Lake Hillier’s colour, which is permanent is because it is due to the presence of the organism, Dunaliella salina. The lake’s colour does not alter when the water is taken in a container.
Uluru, Australia Also known as Ayers Rock, Uluru is a large sandstone formation in the centre of Australia that resembles the upper shell of a turtle. One of Australia’s most recognisable natural landmarks, it is sacred to the Pitjantjatjara, the Aboriginal people of the area, known as the Aṉangu. The area around the formation is home to an abundance of springs, waterholes, rock caves, and ancient paintings. Uluru is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It shoulders its way high above the flatlands that encompass it; a gargantuan block of sandstone rock that looks like the carapace of a petrified animal. It is believed to be one of the last remaining homes of the creator beings who forged the earth.
Moeraki Boulders, New Zealand The surprisingly spherical Moeraki Boulders formed about 65 million years ago before settling on Koekohe Beach near Moeraki. According to Maori legend, they are gourds washed ashore from the shipwreck of the canoe that brought their ancestors to New Zealand. The Moeraki Boulders are unusually large spherical boulders lying along a stretch of Koekohe Beach on the wave-cut Otago coast of New Zealand between Moeraki and Hampden. They occur scattered either as isolated or clusters of boulders within a stretch of beach where they have been protected in a scientific reserve. These boulders are grey-coloured septarian concretions, which have been exhumed from the mudstone and bedrock enclosing them and concentrated on the beach by coastal erosion.
Slope Point, New Zealand At the southernmost point of New Zealand’s South Island, the constant, fierce winds blowing up from Antarctica are so strong that they’ve bent the trees growing there into surreal, permanent shapes.
Blood Falls, Antarctica Antarctica is home to a crimson-hued waterfall called Blood Falls that pours down five stories along an icy white glacier. It is an outflow of an iron oxide-tainted plume of saltwater, flowing from the tongue of Taylor Glacier onto the ice-covered surface of West Lake Bonney in the Taylor Valley of the McMurdo Dry Valleys in Victoria Land, East Antarctica. Scientists determined that the grisly colour comes from salty, iron-rich water from inside the glacier oxidizing and rusting once it’s exposed to oxygen.
There is so much in our world that is unexplainable that I hope the evolution of science and techolony will answer. But for now, I hope to visit these places if I make it to specific countries. As for India, watch this space for a post that showcases India’s most mysterious places.
After reading my poem about my phone, one of the blog’s readers reached out to me asking if I could write a poem about a backpack. If you are reading this Akshitha, then this one is for you.
My Backpack
A faithful friend, a loyal companion My backpack, you are the chosen one You protect my valuables and possessions In any weather, under any circumstances
In school, you were enormous and more often than not a burden Filled and bursting with books and notes, typed and handwritten Then in college, you were filled with gadgets and gizmos Books were now secondary, these were my main cargoes
Then I grew up and started using you for work You held my precious laptops and electronics I made sure you were protected, else I would go beserk
You became my trusted travel buddy Always with me on every spree Busses, Trains or Planes, you were always by my side My friend, my hero, my pride
I dread the day when you will no longer be with me When I can no longer use you, I will be very blue The day when you will be torn and unusable Is when I send you off and hope your replacement is your equal
My backpack, my friend this is the truth You have seen me in all my glory, from my childhood to my youth I will miss you, but life goes on A new backpack will come and begin a new dawn
A couple of weeks back, I attended a webinar that spoke about positive psychology and what I heard intrigued me enough that I wanted to learn more about the topic. This blog post is the result of that learning and research.
Positive psychology is the scientific study of what makes life most worth living, focusing on both individual and societal well-being. It studies “positive subjective experience, positive individual traits, and positive institutions and aims to improve the quality of life.” A new domain of psychology, positive psychology began in 1998 when Martin Seligman chose it as the theme for his term as the president of the American Psychological Association.
Positive Psychology is a reaction against past practices, which have tended to focus on mental illness and emphasised maladaptive behaviour and negative thinking. It builds on the humanistic movement by Abraham Maslow, Rollo May, James Bugental, and Carl Rogers, which encourages an emphasis on happiness, well-being, and positivity, thus creating the foundation for what is now known as positive psychology. It is a scientific approach to studying human thoughts, feelings, and behaviour, with a focus on strengths instead of weaknesses, building the good in life instead of repairing the bad, and taking the lives of average people up to great instead of focusing solely on moving those who are struggling up to normal.
Positive psychologists have suggested several factors may contribute to happiness and subjective well-being. Social ties with a spouse, family, friends, colleagues, and wider networks; membership in clubs or social organizations; physical exercise; and the practice of meditation can help. Spirituality can also be considered a factor that leads to increased individual happiness and well-being. Happiness may rise with increasing financial income, though it may plateau or even fall when no further gains are made or after a certain cut-off amount.
Positive psychology focuses on eudaimonia, an ancient Greek term for the good life or good spirit and the concept of the reflection on the factors that contribute the most to a well-lived and fulfilling life. Eudaimonia is considered an essential element for the pursuit of happiness and good life and emphasises cherishing that which holds the greatest value in life and other such factors that contribute the most to having a good life. While not attempting a strict definition of what makes up a good life, positive psychologists agree that one must be happy, engaged, and meaningful with their experiences. Martin Seligman refers to the good life as using your signature strengths every day to produce authentic happiness and abundant gratification. Positive psychologists often use the terms subjective well-being and happiness interchangeably.
Positive psychology complements, without intending to replace the traditional fields of psychology and has placed a significant emphasis on fostering positive self-esteem and self-image. The basic premise of positive psychology is that human beings are often driven by the future more than the past. It also suggests that any combination of positive experiences/emotions, past or present, leads to a pleasant, happy life.
Positive psychology isn’t limited to feeling a sense of individual well-being itself, rather proponents of this science often refer to the Three Levels of Positive Psychology which include the Subjective level that centres around feelings of happiness, well-being, optimism, and similar emotions or feelings as they relate to your daily experience, the Individual level that combines the subjective level feelings of well-being with the qualities or virtues that make you a well-rounded person, such as forgiveness, love, and courage and the Group level which focuses on positive interactions with the community, and includes traits like altruism, social responsibility, and other virtues that strengthen social bonds.
Those who practice positive psychology attempt psychological interventions that foster positive attitudes toward one’s subjective experiences, individual traits, and life events to minimise pathological thoughts that may arise in a hopeless mindset and develop a sense of optimism toward life. Positive psychologists seek to encourage acceptance of one’s past, excitement and optimism about one’s future experiences, and a sense of contentment and well-being in the present.
According to Seligman and Peterson, positive psychology addresses three issues: positive emotions, positive individual traits, and positive institutions. Positive emotions are concerned with being content with one’s past, being happy in the present and having hope for the future. Positive individual traits focus on one’s strengths and virtues. And, positive institutions are based on strengths to better a community of people.
Seligman proposed the PERMA model to explain and define well-being in a broader sense. PERMA is an acronym for the five elements of well-being, and it has become a widely recognised model in the field of positive psychology. In the PERMA model,
P stands for Positive emotions – Experiencing positive emotions has a major impact on boosting well-being. Positive emotions may spring from fostering gratitude and forgiveness about past events, enjoying oneself at the moment, and being optimistic about the future.
E stands for Engagement – To enhance well-being, it is also important to develop a sense of engagement which can be done by completely absorbing oneself while doing something they enjoy and excel at. This sense of engagement produces an experience known as ‘flow’, a sensation one has when their skills are sufficient for a particular challenge with a particular goal in mind. The concept of “flow” was coined by Mihaly Csikszentmihaly, a leading figure in the field of positive psychology.
R stands for Relationships – As social beings, individuals often rely on building connections with other people to thrive, and the support they derive from these connections can give life purpose and meaning.
M stands for Meaning – Experiencing positive emotions alone is not enough to lead a happy life. Seligman suggests that finding meaning is the highest form of happiness. Meaning can be achieved by applying their strengths to the service of something larger — like a social cause — a substantial contribution to a community they’re a part of or a charitable duty.
Lastly, A stands for Accomplishment – There is no doubt that when one achieves their goals and succeeds, they feel a sense of fulfilment. If the drive to accomplish these goals doesn’t exist, a true sense of well-being is difficult to attain.
Positive psychology’s main aim is to encourage people to discover and nurture their character strengths, rather than channelling their efforts into correcting shortcomings. Positive psychology highlights the need for one to shift their negative outlook to a more optimistic view to improve quality of life. Each of us routinely experiences both good and bad outcomes but it often feels easier to focus on the negative outcomes, ignoring the ways we could harness the effect of good things to remedy the bad. Positive psychology is important because discovering what leads people to live more meaningful lives can translate to better strategies for managing mental illness, correcting negative behaviours, and increasing happiness and productivity.
In general, the greatest potential benefit of positive psychology is that it teaches the power of shifting one’s perspective. This is the focus of many techniques, exercises, and even entire programs based on positive psychology because a relatively small change in one’s perspective can lead to astounding shifts in wellbeing and quality of life. Injecting a bit more optimism and gratitude into your life is a simple action that can give you a radically more positive outlook on life.
So how do we incorporate positive psychology into our daily lives?
Practise Gratitude – Gratitude is one of the most popular positive psychology approaches and for good reasons. People who practice gratitude regularly experience more positive emotions, feel more alive, sleep better, express more compassion and kindness, and even have stronger immune systems. I’ve spoken about keeping journals before, so you could incorporate a few things you are grateful for in your daily journal. I started doing this at the beginning of the year, then missed writing my daily gratitude for a few months now, so this is a reminder for me to restart practising daily gratitude. Gratitude is a great buffer against negative emotions because it involves a focus on the present moment and appreciating what is instead of focusing on what could be.
Practise Mindfulness – I’ve written about mindfulness and mindful meditation many times, but one of the easiest ways to incorporate positive psychology daily is to practise mindfulness. Mindfulness meditation is a focus on the present moment achieved through the directing of attention towards one’s immediate experiences, thoughts, feelings, emotions, and sensations. It involves paying attention to thoughts and feelings with a sense of acceptance and non-judgment. In very simple terms it implies that instead of focusing on what one should be feeling or experiencing, they are present and aware of how they are feeling. It is not about trying to change anything, just tuning in to the experience of the moment.
Use more Humour – There’s a reason that videos of laughing babies and goats in pyjamas are so popular, they make us feel better by quickly shifting our focus onto something fun, hopeful, and uplifting. We all know from experience that laughter is good medicine and research confirms that laughter reduces physical pain, improves mood, counteracts stress, and increases resiliency. So, spend some time daily laughing as much as you can, it’s a time well spent!
Smile more – It turns out that one doesn’t need to have a good belly laugh to experience mental and physical health benefits. The simple act of smiling can shift the mood from negative to positive. Smiling not only increases happiness and emotional well-being but also reduces stress, makes one more likeable and appear more competent, and is associated with longer-lasting and more fulfilling marriages. To harness some of the amazing powers of smiling, all one has to do is smile more. Since smiling is contagious, try to spend more time around others who smile often. One can also watch something funny or do something silly to get smiling.
Be more self-compassionate – Most people are incredibly hard on themselves and are judgmental and critical, finding fault with every little imperfection. By fixating on and amplifying mistakes and flaws, they train themselves to focus on the negatives. Not only does this damage their self-esteem and self-confidence, but it also dampens the mood and interferes with their ability to enjoy positive experiences and events in their lives. Self-compassion is the natural antidote for self-criticism. When one treats themselves with kindness and grace, they are acknowledging their imperfections and struggles and loving themselves anyway. People who practice self-compassion are less likely to suffer from depression, insomnia, and physical aches and pains. And self-compassion is associated with greater psychological well-being, motivation, and greater relationship satisfaction.
Visualise success – Another way to stay motivated and think positively is to visualize oneself acting in new ways. This creates a mental picture of success which strengthens their confidence and reinforces optimistic thinking. To do this, find a quiet place to sit, relax the body, and close the eyes. Paint a mental picture of yourself completing the big work assignment or giving a presentation with confidence. Tune in to all the details from the voice and posture to self-talk. Visualisation exercises help to relax the body and mind and create a sense of calm and well-being that can translate into greater confidence and focus and less stress and tension. If this is difficult, visualise a desired state of mind, such as relaxation, contentment, or peace of mind. Imagine yourself in a comfortable, pleasant place someplace that you associate with your desired mood and create a visual image of yourself in this place by imagining every detail and using all your senses. Notice how your muscles relax, you breathe deeply, and you feel a deep sense of peace and contentment. A guided visualisation like this is a mini-vacation for the mind.
Anticipate, Savour and Remember – There are three simple ways to increase the enjoyment of pleasurable experiences. One can boost happiness using anticipation by spending time anticipating the job of an upcoming enjoyable event. All activities leading to the event should be seen as part of the enjoyment rather than as chores. The second part of amplifying happiness is to savour the good times. Life is so rushed that it’s easy to let things pass without fully engaging in them. The idea behind savouring an experience is to be fully present. So put everything aside and enjoy the moment at hand. And the final way to increase pleasure is to look back and reflect on the good times. Most of us do this by looking at photos and retelling stories. One can also make scrapbooks, keep a journal or make videos. Remembering in these ways helps sharpen the memories and allows us to re-experience some of the joy that was felt when the event first occurred.
Other ways one can be happier are focusing less on attaining wealth and spending more on experiences rather than on physical and material possessions. Oxytocin may provoke greater trust, empathy, and morality in humans, meaning that giving hugs or other shows of physical affection may give one a big boost to one’s overall well-being and the well-being of others. Those who intentionally cultivate a positive mood to match the outward emotion they need to display benefit by more genuinely experiencing the positive mood. In other words, putting on a happy face won’t necessarily make one feel happier, but putting in a little bit of effort likely will.
Someone who practices a positive psychological outlook in life is more likely to be successful, be it at home or work. Not only does success make us happier, but feeling happy and experiencing positive emotions increases our chances of success.
Here are a couple of Ted Talks from the people who brought us positive psychology that I hope you will find as interesting and useful that I did.
Derived from the Greek word mousike or the art of the muses, music is the art of arranging sounds in time through the elements of melody, harmony, rhythm, and timbre and is one of the universal cultural aspects of all human societies. Different styles or types of music may emphasise, de-emphasize or omit some of these elements. Music is performed with a vast range of instruments and vocal techniques ranging from singing to rapping and there are solely instrumental pieces, solely vocal pieces like songs without instrumental accompaniment and pieces that combine singing and instruments.
Also known as World Music Day or Make Music Day, the Fête de la Musique is an annual music celebration that takes place on 21 June where people are urged to play music outside in their neighbourhoods or public spaces and parks. Free concerts are also organised, where musicians play for fun and not for payment. World Music Day later became celebrated in 120 countries around the world.
The first all-day musical celebration on the day of the summer solstice was originated by Jack Lang, then Minister of Culture of France, as well as by Maurice Fleuret, a French composer, music journalist, and radio producer who was also the Director of Music and Dance at the ministry. He discovered in a 1982 study on the cultural habits of the French, that in a population of five million people, one young person out of two, played a musical instrument and so began to dream of a way to bring people out on the streets. The first edition of the World Music Festival first took place in 1982 in Paris as the Fête de la Musique. Since then, the festival has become an international phenomenon, celebrated on the same day in more than 700 cities in 120 countries, including India, Germany, Italy, Greece, Russia, Australia, Peru, Brazil, Ecuador, Mexico, Canada, the United States, the UK, and Japan.
The goal of Fête de la Musique, or World Music Day is to provide thousands of free concerts throughout the day with public areas brimming with live music and participatory music-making opportunities. On this day, amateur and professional musicians are encouraged to perform in the streets, under the slogan Faites de la musique or Make music and many free concerts are organized, making all genres of music accessible to the public. Two of the caveats to being sanctioned by the official Fête de la Musique organisation in Paris are that all concerts must be free to the public, and all performers donate their time free of charge.
To mark this day, veterans and budding learners come out to showcase their talent and make music. Every year on this day, free concerts are held across the world to make music accessible to all.
So tomorrow, make some music or if, like me, you do not have any musical talent, then listen to your favourite music and let the magic take you on a wonderful journey!
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Memories and Such 
