Graphic demonstration of Seligman\'s concept of "learned optimism."

2. The slide you just saw is an example of how
“what you focus on, is what you see.”

3. Why is that concept important?

4. According to the book Learned Optimism by Martin Seligman, mental habits
are the most influential factor in determining a person’s experience of life,
including mental health.

5. Have you ever considered that your mental habits can be even more
influential on your life than your genetic pre-dispositions or unchangeable
personality characteristics?

6. The good news is that the optimistic mental habits can be learned.

7. As optimistic mental habits are practiced, they become more habitual over
time and can create:
– good mental health;
– the tendency toward happiness, understanding and compassion;
– better immune function;
– overall physical good health; and
– longer life.

8. The next slide is an example of how YOU can control your own perception.

9. Take a close look at the picture below. It is not animated. Your eyes are
making it move. To test this, stare at one spot for a couple seconds and
everything will stop moving. Or look at the black center of each circle and it will
stop moving. But move your eyes to the next black center and the previous will
move after you take your eyes away from it.

10. The tables on the following slides are compiled from Seligman’s book as a
summary of the “mental habits” employed by optimists and pessimists.

11. In good times, or when something good happens:
Optimists believe:
Time -This good situation will last forever.
Space -This goodness is an example of what happens every
where else.
Pervasiveness -This goodness is an example of what happens usually
and repeatedly, as goodness is the natural state of life.
Personal Self- -This good situation is related to my goodness, it is
perception happening by design, it is my benefit and I deserve it.

12. In good times, or when something good happens:
Pessimists believe:
Time -This good situation is short-term.
Space -This goodness is not an example of what happens
every where else.
Pervasiveness -This goodness is not an example of what usually and
repeatedly happens, as badness is the natural state of
life.
Personal Self- -This good situation is a coincidence or fluke, is
perception happening accidentally, despite my problems, it has
nothing to do with me and I do not deserve it.

13. In bad times, or when something bad happens:
Optimists believe:
Time -This bad situation is short-term.
Space -This badness is not an example of what happens
every where else.
Pervasiveness -This badness is not an example of what usually and
repeatedly happens, as goodness is the natural state
of life.
Personal Self- -This bad situation is a coincidence or fluke, is
perception happening accidentally, it is not my fault, and I do not
deserve it.

14. In bad times, or when something bad happens:
Pessimists believe:
Time -This bad situation will last forever.
Space -This badness is an example of what happens every
where else.
Pervasiveness -This badness is an example of what usually happens
and repeatedly, as badness is the natural state of life.
Personal Self- -This bad situation is not a coincidence or fluke, is
perception happening by design, because of my problems, it is
my fault and I deserve it.

15. Similarly, pessimistic mental habits can also be learned.

16. As pessimistic mental habits are reinforced, they become more habitual
over time as well and create:
– difficulties in mental health;
– the tendency to be anxious, angry or depressed;
– reduced immune function;
– physical illness; and
– shorter lifespan.

17. Happily, this theory has been tested on people who commonly exercise
pessimistic mental habits. When they learn optimistic ones, their overall
health improves and they become less susceptible to depression, and
illness.

18. Another interesting fact is that, studies published of grade school boys and
girls show that the boys tend to be more habitually optimistic, while the girls
tend to be more habitually pessimistic.

19. There seems to be strong correlations between the mental habits of the
dominant parent’s mental habits and those learned by the children, as well
as a correlation between mental habits of parents and their same sex
children.

20. Some studies postulate that these correlations could be related to the
general prevalence of male dominance. In this case, perhaps optimistic
mental habits common to males are linked to their having control of their
outer environment.

21. The opposite may also be true, where female subjugation is the general
norm. In that case, perhaps pessimistic mental habits common to females
are linked to their lacking control over their outer environments.

22. Given the correlations above, it is no surprise that there are also ethnic
differences noted in societies known for inter-ethnic or other forms of
oppression. In the analysis, the dominant group demonstrates optimistic
mental habits, presumably associated with having control of the outer
environment.

23. Is it surprising that the subjugated group would be more likely to
demonstrate pessimistic mental habits, perhaps conversely associated to
lacking control over the outer environment?

24. It is likely that in societies where inter-ethnic or other oppression is
pervasive for longer periods of time, the tendency for the subjugated group
to experience pessimistic mental habits increases.

25. Further, in post-conflict societies, where oppression led to prolonged
hostilities and violence, it is likely that these tendencies toward pessimistic
mental habits would be even more pervasive, and perhaps harder to
overcome because of the absence of what may perceived to be good
situations and conditions.

26. The same may be true of populations in countries with a legacy of
totalitarian government, where a small group of elite people dominated the
resources and freedom of the larger population for a long period of time.

27. In the next slide, imagine yourself as the dot in the center of the circles…

29. Are you willing to take action to change your own perceptions of the world
around you?