Direction/intention

In an effort to direct my reading of the Oxford Handbook of Positive Psychology (my birthday gift from my husband), I’ll be posting my reflections on the chapters as I go. Reflections imply 1) I have found the time to read the chapters and 2) I have been able to cognitively process the information in some way, shape or form. With twinfants, I will set no expectations for output. Already I have some catching up to do. I conventionally began by reading Martin Seligman’s intro, but then jumped ahead to the final section, the future of the field, led by a chapter on positive ethics. I’ll return to actual commentary on these chapters in later posts. This evening all I can muster is to set my intention for this blog and give a bit more context.

Why, you might ask, did a mother of infant twins request an academic tome for her birthday versus, say, a day at the spa? Don’t get me wrong, I’ve made sure to partake in some cherished massages these past months. Admittedly part of me feared my mind would go to mush with new motherhood, so I  reached for an intellectual outlet along with some indulgences. By doing this exploration, I am honoring my interest in positive psychology. When I first became interested in positive psychology, the field still didn’t have a name, but it was what I was seeking when I enrolled in my masters program in sport psychology.  That program no longer exists. Nor do many jobs in the field of sport psychology. Hence my MBA.

Complementing this exploration of positive psychology, my husband and I just started the 8-week Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program of Jon Kabat-Zinn with Erica Rayner-Horn, so insights gained there will be shared as well.

Read. Reflect. Rest.

Resting will win more often than not in the near term. But I’ll be back when it doesn’t.