A hero is generally understood to be a person who is admired or idealised for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities—often scripted to 'save the day' in storytelling and to possess supernatural powers. When we look to Hollywood, we can see that in critical or life-changing situations, it is more likely that hopeful, productive, resilient, and optimistic characters will become the Hero, swooping in to claim victory.
As the founder of Cappfinity in the UK, Dr Alex Linley’s aim of ‘strengthening the world’ focuses on leveraging expertise to apply strengths psychology to organisational development and people practices. Alex is globally recognised as an expert in strengths. Alex has a PhD in Psychology from the University of Warwick; he is the author of Average to A+ and the creator of the Strengths Profile, the leading strengths assessment. Alex has changed the face of recruitment and development across many organisations.
Self-compassion is not the same as simply being easy on yourself. Often confused with self-pity or self-indulgence, it is, in fact, a strength that can lead to reaching your full potential. The scientific research reveals that self-compassionate people have high standards, are more likely to set new goals for themselves and have more intrinsic motivation in life.
Positive psychology is a growing field, one which we live and breathe at Langley Group. It has positively altered the direction and language of mainstream psychology, opening career opportunities in coaching, counselling, and organisational consulting for practitioners to enhance wellbeing in ever-increasing ways.
Dr Ellen Langer is a pioneer, a maverick, a leader, and an all-around fabulous human being. Described as the "mother of mindfulness," she has written extensively on several aspects of positive psychology. As Professor of Psychology at Harvard, she has inspired many to follow in her research footsteps. She is the founder of The Langer Mindfulness Institute and consults with organisations to foster mindful leadership, innovation, strategy, and work/life integration.
The science of happiness continues to change the way we work, think and live. The value happy employees bring to workplaces deserves attention in the business world, perhaps now more than ever. After decades of psychological research and inquiry into what makes people happy, the evidence that continues to emerge is compelling.
Throughout a flourishing career, her research has been published in International academic journals and several edited volumes. Denise shared her insights in an equally candid and considered chat, touching on an array of concepts including psychological safety, ruthless prioritisation and radical acceptance. When asked why she is in the wellbeing space, Denise responded, “the deep, deep, truth is that you teach what you need to learn.” As a self-confessed ‘recovering pessimist’, it is perhaps Denise’s humility that allows her to share views on wellbeing psychology in such a relatable way.
Parenting doesn't come with a set of instructions – or does it? Parenting has instinctively occurred since the beginning of time, yet science-backed research into how our parenting styles effect children is a relatively new field.
Positive education brings together the science of positive psychology with best practice teaching, encouraging individuals and school communities to thrive. Positive Education goes beyond acquiring factual knowledge and focusing on individual achievements – in addition to academics, it thoroughly incorporates wellbeing outcomes
SECRETS OF THOSE WHO HAVE THRIVED THROUGH THE PANDEMIC The ‘silver linings’ of life during a global pandemic have been anecdotally reported since the early stages of Covid-19. When it comes to publishing facts and figures, the headlines have focused on the mental health fallout and stress-related challenges of life during these times.
