I was in London at the weekend again for the second weekend of my masters degree course. I study at the University of East London which is based in Stratford, the home of the 2012 Olympics. The course is really interesting so far and its nice to catch up with friends in London when im there.
Positive Psychology is a relatively new branch of Psychology, which has been around for the last 10 years or so. It is the scientific study of what allows people and communities to thrive. In the past Psychology has been centred around mental illness and why things go wrong, whereas Positive Psychology focusses instead on well-being and optimal human functioning.
I have been reading some really interesting books recently, one that is worth mentioning is Dan Gilbert's 'Stumbling upon Happiness', which sounds suspiciously like a self help book, but actually takes a more theoretical and philospohical approach to the idea of happiness, and looks at why it is that people always think that doing certain things will make them happy. It's a really funny and well written book and definitely worth a read! Taking a quote from the book........'If on a particularly slow Tuesday you feel compelled to dissect your own eyeball', I suggest you decide against it and read this book instead. http://www.randomhouse.com/kvpa/gilbert/
The area of research that I am most interested in is how exercise can impact positively on well-being. Throughout my academic and practical career I have witnessed the positive impact that exercise can have, and my experience, as well as scientific research, shows that participation in physical activity can build self esteem, reduce stress levels, and increase happiness. My undergraduate dissertation looked at the impact of practising feelings of gratitude on athlete well-being, and I am hoping to write my postgraduate dissertation on how a weekly community run (namely parkrun) can promote flourishing. This project idea is very much just an idea at the minute though!
Last weekend we had yet another record turn out at Newcastle parkrun, with 143 runners turning up at 9am to run the 5km course around the Town Moor. It's really great to see continued growth in numbers, and to know that so many runners are enjoying it. Last weeks results can be seen at http://www.parkrun.org.uk/newcastle/Results/LatestResults.aspx and as you can see the field ranges from those competitive (and very fast) runners that complete the course in 16-17 minutes, to those who jog and walk the route in around 45 minutes. Newcastle parkrun is on every Saturday at 9am and I suggest you give it a go, not only to improve your fitness, but also to make yourself feel good.....its a great start to the weekend, and is completely free. If you don't fancy running then why not come along and help as a volunteer? Just email me at newcastledirector@parkrun.com to get involved. We have a mobile coffee van at the finish line so runners and volunteers can enjoy a drink and have a chat too.
I have been doing some early morning training this week, getting up at 5am and doing half an hour of running and cycling. I love being up so early, although it makes you feel a little mad when you leave the house and there are still stars in the sky! Early morning cardio is great for fat burning, especially if you train on an empty stomach. I really think it sets you up for the day too and energises you.
Hope that you are all good!
Niyc xx
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