Authentic Happiness : Using the New Positive Psychology to Realise Your Potential for Lasting Fulfilment

In this important, entertaining book, one of the world's most celebrated psychologists, Martin Seligman, asserts that happiness can be learned and cultivated, and that everyone has the power to inject real joy into their lives. In "Authentic Happiness", he describes the 24 strengths and virtues unique to the human psyche. Each of us, it seems, has at least five of these attributes, and can build on them to identify and develop to our maximum potential. By incorporating these strengths - which include kindness, originality, humour, optimism, curiosity, enthusiasm and generosity - into our everyday lives, he tells us, we can reach new levels of optimism, happiness and productivity. "Authentic Happiness" provides a variety of tests and unique assessment tools to enable readers to discover and deploy those strengths at work, in love and in raising children. By accessing the very best in ourselves, we can improve the world around us and achieve new and lasting levels of authentic contentment and joy. This book introduces the idea of Positive Psychology, which focuses on strengths rather than weaknesses, asserting that happiness is not the result of good genes or luck. The author teaches readers that happiness can be cultivated by identifying and using many of the strengths and traits that they already possess - including kindness, originality, humour, optimism, and generosity. By frequently calling upon these 'signature strengths', they can move their lives up to a new, more positive plane. (Adapted from back cover) This title describes 24 strengths and virtues which each person can develop to their maximum potential. It provides a variety of tests and assessment tools to enable readers to discover and deploy those strengths at home and in the home