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A review by bittersweet_symphony
Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life by Martin Seligman
5.0
I read Learned Optimism for the first time several years ago. It pulled me out of a dark place and into more flourishing place. This 2nd reading took me to a new level of optimism and hope about my ability to control my emotional reaction to adversities in life. Reading it again in a few years should bring me to a real level flourishing I really want to be in.
Seligman challenges conventional notions about depression. He makes a hopeful case that pessimism is not a symptom of depression but the primary cause of it. We each have inner dialogues constantly playing in our minds. These dialogues come in reaction to adversity. Those of us with "pessimistic explanatory styles" develop depressive symptoms--it is common sense but quite profound. Optimism can be learned; depression can be cured.
In the tradition of humanistic psychology and cognitive therapy, Seligman provides us a tool for growing toward an optimistic explanatory style: ABCDE. Adversity occurs. When we ascribe a pessimistic (pervasive, permanent, personal) explanatory belief, we experience emotional consequences. We can dispute the belief with an explanation that is specific, temporary, not personal. Read the book to find out the power of this.
We have poor ways of explaining the difficulties in our life, mostly on a subconscious level. We can quickly tap into our inner dialogue and begin to challenge these destructive thought patterns. Once we begin disputing these patterns, and we replace them, we become energized by positive and empowering emotions. Only in extreme cases are we slaves to depression.
I would recommend this book to anybody looking for a way to believe in themselves again, to believe they can take control of their emotional life and live the rich life they have always wanted to live.
Seligman challenges conventional notions about depression. He makes a hopeful case that pessimism is not a symptom of depression but the primary cause of it. We each have inner dialogues constantly playing in our minds. These dialogues come in reaction to adversity. Those of us with "pessimistic explanatory styles" develop depressive symptoms--it is common sense but quite profound. Optimism can be learned; depression can be cured.
In the tradition of humanistic psychology and cognitive therapy, Seligman provides us a tool for growing toward an optimistic explanatory style: ABCDE. Adversity occurs. When we ascribe a pessimistic (pervasive, permanent, personal) explanatory belief, we experience emotional consequences. We can dispute the belief with an explanation that is specific, temporary, not personal. Read the book to find out the power of this.
We have poor ways of explaining the difficulties in our life, mostly on a subconscious level. We can quickly tap into our inner dialogue and begin to challenge these destructive thought patterns. Once we begin disputing these patterns, and we replace them, we become energized by positive and empowering emotions. Only in extreme cases are we slaves to depression.
I would recommend this book to anybody looking for a way to believe in themselves again, to believe they can take control of their emotional life and live the rich life they have always wanted to live.