Positive Psychology Interventions (Part Two)
Positive Interventions (part Two)
Positive Psychological Interventions (PPIs) are scientifically based techniques that help us increase our health and happiness (in their broadest sense). PPIs must address at least one positive psychology construct or theory, and their effectiveness should have been supported by empirical research evidence.
PPIs are designed to promote positivity in people’s lives and help them cope with adverse events, emotions and moods that they may experience. Research suggests that the best results from PPIs were achieved in therapeutic settings and coaching; nonetheless, carefully self-administered PPIs are still effective in improving well-being.
More than one hundred positive psychology interventions have been suggested, and most of them are backed by empirical evidence that supports their efficacy in improving people’s well-being and happiness.
Person-Activity Fit
PPIs are indeed useful, but like any other technique, they have their own time, place and limitations. It is crucial to think critically when using PPIs or any other intervention approaches in clinical, coaching or therapeutic practices.
Meta-analyses (studies of previous studies) have generally found PPIs are beneficial (to varying degrees, depending on circumstances). They are undeniably appealing to mental health practitioners, counsellors and coaches. However, some people with a particular culture, personality type, attitude, or health condition do not benefit from some of these interventions (and may even be harmed by them).
Therefore, positive psychology practitioners (therapists, counsellors and coaches) should not apply PPIs universally to every person without considering who they are and whether they would benefit from the selected PPI (person-activity-fit principle). Below, you find a summary of the most common PPIs.
Therapeutic Aspects of Arts
Expressive or creative arts can be utilised to help self-discovery, change and healing. They can give people a way to express themselves, develop their talents and live a productive and pleasant life.
The expressive arts have been an integral part of human life throughout history. We painted our caves, faces and bodies, danced around the fire, sang songs, and played drums and flutes for millennia. We’ve gathered, written and told stories of ourselves and our ancestors in words and actions. Expressive arts provide a safe place to reconnect internally to our deepest core and externally to everyone else worldwide. The main disciplines used for expression, connection and healing are visual and performing arts, music and writing, with considerable overlaps and no clear boundaries.
Visual Arts: Painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, pottery, ceramics, photography, filmmaking, design, crafts, etc.
Performing Arts: Dance, drama, body movement, theatre, circus skills, etc.
Music: Playing musical instruments, composing music, singing, DJs, etc.
Writing: Narrative practices, storytelling and poetry.
You do not need to be an artist to use these disciplines for healing and therapy. You can be a novice with no previous background or experience. Simple, low-skill and creative works in any of these areas help you open your senses and access your imagination. So, you can understand and utilise your internal resources, express your values and offer your best to the world.
Although there is evidence that art-based interventions effectively reduce adverse physiological and psychological outcomes, the extent to which these interventions enhance health status has not been thoroughly researched. However, a growing number of sources on the impact of the arts and humanities demonstrate that physicians, nurses and other healthcare workers who pursue creative and artistic interests inside and outside of clinical work are more likely to bring such curiosities to their exchanges with their patients. Professionals who cultivate a generally humanistic approach, from clinicians to teachers, often report higher professional satisfaction, vocational renewal, personal well-being and resilience to stress.
Expressive Arts Therapy
Expressive arts therapy (EAT) integrates imagery, storytelling, dance, music, drama, poetry, movement, horticulture, dreamwork, and visual arts to foster human growth, development, and healing. It is a distinct therapeutic discipline and a multi-modal speciality in which the therapist and client freely move between drawing, dancing, music, drama and poetry.
Paolo Knill, Shaun McNiff, Norma Canner and a few others co-founded Expressive Arts Therapy (EAT) in the 1970s at Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. EAT is an art-based therapy rooted in phenomenology (the study of consciousness experienced from the first-person point of view), deliberative systems theory (an approach to understanding and analysing different perspectives and ideas) and humanistic psychology. Its philosophy incorporates a multidisciplinary approach, integrating original healing systems with contemporary theoretical developments.
Knill introduced the method of "decentring" into his practice in the 1990s. This method removes the individual from the restrictions of problem-based thinking and acts in the dynamic and lively space of artistic forms, where their sensory experiences are neither predictable nor intentional. People can find lucid clarity in that space, which points to liberating possibilities. In this context, Knill developed the "theory of crystallisation". He suggested that in EAT, meaning arises (crystallises) from the artwork and the interactions between the individual and the therapist. He called the emergence of such a therapeutic phenomenon the “incommunicable third.” Knill continued to develop an artistic methodology for working with large communities (community art).
The accessibility of EAT is due to its focus being on the creative process rather than the artistic outcomes. EAT is called a low-skill, high-sensitivity approach because people who engage in EAT do not need artistic skills. It’s just enough if they use their imagination and senses in full. The main difference between EAT and other art therapies is that EAT draws from various art forms (multi-modal or intermodal). In contrast, other art therapies use one art form (e.g., journaling or music).
At the core of EAT is the concept of poiesis (a Greek word meaning to make or to create), which refers to a natural process that comes from an emotional place deep inside us. The creative process takes us through a profound journey of self-discovery and understanding, and creating becomes an expressive pathway to our feelings, leading to clarity and self-discovery. In other words, the creative process becomes the road to emotional healing. Art materials such as sand, water, paint, clay and paper have unique properties, and the physical experience of using them can reach deep. Sometimes, holding something physical can help individuals express their inner world stronger than just talking about it.
Narrative Practices
“We are the co-authors of our own narratives…; we enter onto a stage and find ourselves part of an action that was not our own making.” Alasdair McIntyre, in Linderman-Nelson, 2001. The stories people tell themselves, and others can influence their well-being. Stories have long been used to tell people what to value and how to live. Storytelling is woven into our psyche through cultures and social interactions. It could be a conduit for expressing and reflecting on our emotions, helping us to incorporate clarity and meaning into our lives.
Narrative practice/therapy is a process of co-authoring the story of our lives and, hence, turning literature (storytelling/writing) into a practice that helps us understand our role (our place) in life and heal ourselves. In this process, the therapist serves as the clients’ writing coach (storytelling coach), supporting them in working through their problems through writing (telling the story of their lives).
There are many ways to think or talk about our experiences in life. We may remember or tell our success story, focusing on our hard work, relentless commitment and dedication that made us successful. Or we can brush off these strengths and relate our success to luck or good fortune. Likewise, when we recall or reveal our failures, we may focus on them as unavoidable features of our lives or accept them as occasional obstacles that help us find our way.
Our narratives let us reflect on our triumphs and shortcomings and help us tailor our current beliefs and actions to fit our future. What’s important is that people can change their narratives in response to their successes or failures. They can positively use their stories (narratives) to motivate themselves, strengthen their resolve, and build a better future.
Story writing/telling, autobiographical narratives, writing journals, letters and reflective descriptions are different types of narrative practices used as positive interventions for helping people understand and cope with depression and anxiety and increase their confidence and conviction.
The concept behind narrative practices considers our lives as long stories that recount their meanings. Narrative therapy believes that storytelling is a powerful way of exploring our lives and discovering the values we hold or pursue. We do this by being the "narrator" of our own lives. Sometimes, it’s possible, and perhaps essential, to change our life stories and rewrite them to separate ourselves from our troubles and traumas and reduce their impact on our lives.
For example, when a severe sickness strikes someone’s life, the very foundation of that life is shaken. The everyday safety of life is replaced with fear and uncertainty of tomorrow. In such situations, the human need to make sense of life can be the driving force behind their coping strategy. After the initial diagnosis, such patients must begin to piece together their lives and build new and firmer foundations.
Narrative Therapy
Narrative therapy emerged from a post-modern social-constructionist (claiming that reality is subjective and is actively constructed through social interactions, language, and cultural practices) background and presented a unique approach to personal healing through writing/telling as a meaning-making activity.
Narrative therapy was developed by Michael White (Australian social worker and family therapist, 1948-2008) and David Epston (a New Zealander, therapist and co-director of the Family Therapy Centre in Auckland), who believed it was essential to see people as separate from their issues.
Narrative therapy came about in the 1980s as a non-blaming and non-pathological therapy. White and Epston made it extremely clear that they didn't want clients to be viewed as a problem, as though there was something wrong with them. They believed that people aren't broken and should not be labelled defective. They can be empowered to take control and confidently deal with the challenges of their lives by changing the way they tell their stories. They identified three components to narrative therapy: respecting (externalising or distancing), absolving (not blaming) and accepting clients’ expertise (autonomy).
Respecting
People who engage in narrative therapy work through a problem, but they aren't the problem. So, they and their therapist should not see them as broken or messed up. They should work hard to detach or distance the person from their shortcomings or flaws (externalising), and hence respect the person as a human being who has gone through bad times (rather than being a bad person).
In narrative therapy, the individual is not the problem. They are people who move through life, developing their own stories as they go. The concept of distancing from problems is called externalisation. It happens when people separate/differentiate themselves from their pain or problem (i.e., you are not a failure; your attempt at something has failed). Externalisation helps us view our problems from an objective, non-judgmental point of view, where change is possible and we can heal.
Absolving
It's easy to blame ourselves or others when things go wrong, but blaming doesn't help healing/recovery. Above all, the client should not be blamed for their problems or blame other people. They should acknowledge their story and work actively to change maladaptive thoughts and behaviours. Blaming focuses on the person rather than the problem. Narrative therapy helps the client focus on the problem and find alternative ways to handle it.
The Client Is the Expert: A significant aspect of narrative therapy is that the clients are the experts in themselves. They know their lives better than anyone else. What the therapist does is help them to identify the patterns of thinking or behaving that might be maladaptive. They get to make the final decisions as the author of their stories. Narrative therapy is person-centred, and therapists don't view themselves as authority figures or experts. So, the therapy becomes a collaborative process where the client plays the leading role. They're narrating and creating their own stories, and the therapist has a supporting and guiding role.
Narrative therapy helps people understand their story (develop their narrative) and find their voice. It also allows individuals to identify dominant themes/patterns and see their impact on their lives. Then, they can steer in a new direction and improve their lives as if their story were now ending differently.
Narrative therapy proposes the idea that we can make sense of the realities of our lives by telling our stories. The therapist helps the individual explore different elements of their story, showing that even in situations where they don't have complete control, they can still choose their response.
However, if we examine everything in our lives at once, we will probably feel anxious, overwhelmed and powerless. So, in narrative therapy, we break our problems down into pieces (deconstruction), taking smaller parts one at a time. The process of deconstruction makes our problems less overwhelming and allows us to see that they can change.
Our story doesn't have to end one way. We have the choice to change the narrative, the storyline and the ending. Narrative therapy helps us understand that there are many options in life, and we can change our choices based on how we tell/write the story of our lives.
At the root of narrative therapy is the idea that reality is a social construct, and our interactions with other people influence what we see as real. In short, there is no objective or single reality; reality is peoples’ interpretation of their interactions with others. At least some realities are subjective; that is, the person’s perception is the reality and what may be true for one person won't necessarily be the case for someone else.
Carlick and Biley (2004) identified the role that narrative practices can play in helping cancer patients cope with their illness. Narrative techniques objectify, diminish and distance the person from the problems, help them understand their situation, establish meaning, and decrease emotional distress. Their studies concluded that narrative practices could help patients cope with their cancer and urged counsellors and nurses to incorporate narratives into their routines.
Minyoung Lee (the Seoul Institute, South Korea, 2010) explained two historical examples of storytelling's therapeutic effects. One is the Germanic myth about Thor (the god of thunder). In ancient times, people could not understand the nature of thunder and lightning and feared them. In this myth, people overcame their fear of thunder by worshipping Thor, and their belief in Thor removed their fears. This was an example of coming up with a solution to a problem.
The other example Lee introduced was the story of Scheherazade in Arabian Nights. After a thousand and one nights, Scheherazade's stories cured the king. She healed his broken heart and helped him stop killing women. This is an example of the productive use of storytelling. After listening to the Scheherazade tales, the king devised an alternative story with healing power (providing meaning and values of life), which led to a behavioural change in him.
Further Reading and Resources
Linderman-Nelson, H. (2001). Damaged Identities, Narrative Repair. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.
Gu, Y. (2018). Narrative, life writing, and healing: the therapeutic functions of storytelling. Neohelicon, 45(2), 479-489.
Carlick, A., & Biley, F. C. (2004). Thoughts on the therapeutic use of narrative in the promotion of coping in cancer care. European Journal of Cancer Care, 13(4), 308-317.
Adler, J. M., & McAdams, D. P. (2007). Telling Stories About Therapy: Ego Development, Well-Being, and the Therapeutic Relationship.
Johannes Bodo Heekerens & Michael Eid (2021) Inducing positive affect and positive future expectations using the best-possible-self intervention: A systematic review and meta-analysis, The Journal of Positive Psychology, 16:3, 322-347.
Lee, M. (2010). Storytelling as Therapy and Its Two Modalities: Myth and Arabian Nights from the Perspective of Storytelling Therapy. Journal of Humanities Therapy, 1, 145-156.
Morgan, A. (2000). What is narrative therapy? (p. 116). Adelaide: Dulwich Centre Publications.
Madigan, S. (2011). Narrative therapy. American Psychological Association.
Beels, C. C. (2009). Some historical conditions of narrative work. Family Process, 48(3), 363-78.
Carey, M., B.A., Walther, S., M.A., & Russell, S. (2009). The absent but implicit: A map to support therapeutic enquiry. Family Process, 48(3), 319-31.
Malchiodi, Cathy A. (2003). Expressive Therapies. New York: Guilford Press.
Levine, E. G., & Levine, S. K. (Eds.). (1998). Foundations of expressive arts therapy: Theoretical and clinical perspectives. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Knill, P. J., Levine, E. G., & Levine, S. K. (2005). Principles and practice of expressive arts therapy: Toward a therapeutic aesthetics. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Heather L. Stuckey and Jeremy Nobel, (2010). The Connection Between Art, Healing, and Public Health: A Review of Current Literature. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2008.156497
Questioning
Humans can reflect on their lives, including their thoughts, emotions, habits, and relationships. One of the most valuable tools for self-reflection is asking questions. However, the questions we ask ourselves determine the type of solution we may find and how we may feel about ourselves, the task at hand and life in general. Imagine that the only laptop computer you need to do your work is broken (beyond repair). Let’s consider two sets of questions that you may ask yourself.
Set-one questions: a) Whose fault is it? (Blame game!) b) How much time and business will you lose because of this problem? (Magnifying the problem.) c) How difficult is it to buy a new computer? (Deepening the problem), and d) how difficult is it to prepare the new computer before you can use it efficiently? (Catastrophising). These questions seem to be justifiable and are indeed important, but how can they solve the problem you have at present (you’re falling behind in crucial work and need a new computer)? They don’t solve your problem, but they make you feel angry, disappointed, and dejected, which is not favourable when dealing with an important issue.
Set two questions: a) what do I want now instead of this problem? (Probably, a new and better computer.) b) Who can help me choose and buy one very quickly? (Remembering a friend who is knowledgeable in this area.) c) How can I finance this new purchase? (See if you can use your savings, buy on credit, etc.) d) What is the first step to getting what I want? (Pick up the phone and ask your friend about his technical opinion.) This second set of questions is solution-focused. They make you feel motivated and in control and point you in the right direction to solve the problem as soon as possible.
You now see how your questions are crucial to your resilience and recovery. So, make sure that you ask helpful, “how-to”, outcome-directed or solution-focused questions before considering any other question (set one question) that may also be important at some stage (like, who broke it and why?).
Seeking Help
The decision to seek help is not always easy. The fear of being rejected, criticised or stigmatised could lead us to avoid seeking help. More importantly, self-stigma is an internal form of stigma. We may label ourselves undesirable because we have difficulty and need external support. Self-stigma can stem from the threat posed to our sense of self, including self-esteem, self-regard and self-confidence.
Nonetheless, adaptive help-seeking is a valuable strategy that depends on the person's attitude and personality, the difficulty of the problem, and available solutions. Using the principles of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) and questioning our thoughts behind the fear of social rejection and self-stigma has proved very effective, almost in all cases where CBT was used for this reason.
Stress Response and Relation Response
The stress response is the body's emergency response system (fight-or-flight response). It is responsible for preparing us for emergencies and keeping us safe. The stress response includes physical, emotional, cognitive and behavioural reactions to risky situations. When the stress response is turned on, hormones like adrenaline and cortisol are released into our bloodstream, making us feel, perceive and react in certain ways to situations identified as dangerous or challenging.
When someone experiences a stressful event or a dangerous situation, the amygdala (a part of the brain that contributes to emotional processing) sends a distress signal to the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus communicates with the rest of the body through the autonomic nervous system, controlling involuntary body functions such as breathing, blood pressure, heartbeat and the dilation or constriction of pupils, critical blood vessels and small airways (called bronchioles) in the lungs.
The stress response is initiated by the neuronal activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and changes in the hormonal chemistry of our blood. It involves the secretion of pituitary hormones and the activation of the sympathetic nervous system. Changes in pituitary secretion have secondary effects on hormone secretion from target organs (kidney, pancreas and thyroid). The overall impact of these hormonal changes is increased heart rate, raised blood pressure, faster breathing, tunnel vision, tense muscles, and sweating.
This carefully orchestrated and almost instantaneous sequence of hormonal changes and the ensuing physiological responses helps us fight the threat or flee to safety. Unfortunately, the body can also overreact to stressors that are not life-threatening, such as traffic jams, work pressure and family difficulties. Over time, repeated activation of the stress response contributes to high blood pressure and the formation of artery-clogging deposits. It causes neuronal changes that contribute to anxiety, depression, obesity and addiction.
The autonomic nervous system has two components: the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system triggers the fight-or-flight or stress response, giving the body a burst of energy to respond to perceived dangers. In contrast, the parasympathetic nervous system promotes the relaxation or resting response that calms the body down after the threat has passed. The relaxation response is the opposite of the body's stress response, which takes effect when the body no longer feels in danger. Our body’s hormonal level neutralises during the relaxation response; we calm down, and our blood pressure, heart rate and other physiological functions return to normal.
Fortunately, people can manage their stress and induce a relaxation response by using a combination of approaches, including slow abdominal breathing, meditations, visualisation (or guided imagery) and various types of relaxation exercises. It’s important to regularly practice some of these techniques to reduce the effects of day-to-day stress and learn how to relax when required.
Slow and Deep Breathing Exercise
Slow and deep breathing focuses our minds and replenishes our energy. It’s a simple yet powerful exercise that can be practised almost anywhere and provides a quick way to lower our stress. All we need is a few minutes on our own. This calming technique can also relieve anxieties and panic attacks, and it’s a good runup for the progressive muscle relation exercise you may do later.
The key to this type of breathing is inhaling from the abdomen (using your diaphragm) to get as much fresh air as possible into your lungs. The more fresh air we get, the less tense and anxious we feel.
Sit comfortably with your back straight. Make yourself as comfortable as you can. Loosen any clothes that restrict your breathing.
Put one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach. Breathe through your nose and inhale deeply, but do not force it. The hand on your stomach should visibly rise, but the hand on your chest should move only slightly (not visible). You can put a small book on your stomach and try to breathe so that the book rises as you inhale and falls as you exhale. After a while, when you learn to breathe correctly, you do not need to use a book or put your hands on your stomach.
Exhale slowly and thoroughly through your mouth, breathing out as much air as possible (without pushing) while contracting your abdominal muscles.
Exhale as if you are blowing out a candle. This type of breathing helps you activate your diaphragm, which most people don’t use much. The hand on your stomach should move in as you exhale.
Continue breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth. Try to inhale deep enough so that your lower abdomen rises.
Gently counting 1 to 3 or 4 can help you breathe slowly, deeply and rhythmically. However, you must remain focused on your breathing. Continue doing this for at least 3 to 5 minutes.
You can do this breathing exercise standing up or sitting. But, if you find breathing from your abdomen difficult, try lying on the floor (where possible). Do this exercise a couple of times each day (or more if necessary), and you quickly start thinking and performing better.
Progressive Relaxation Exercises
This relaxation exercise was developed by renowned physician Edmund Jacobson (1888-1983). Sit or lie down. If seated, keep your back straight in a comfortable chair. Place your feet flat on the floor to support your body as you relax. Let your hands rest comfortably on your lap. Close your eyes so you can easily focus on your internal sensations. Let yourself relax as deeply as you can.
You’re going to tense some specific muscles while letting your other muscles remain relaxed. Focus your attention on the feelings of tension that come from those tensed muscles. Then, you'll release the tensions all at once and notice how those muscles feel as you allow them to relax progressively deeper and deeper. You will be more aware of the difference between tension and relaxation and can let yourself relax more deeply.
To begin, gently shift your attention to your hands and lay them on your lap. Let them remain there as you clench your fists. Let all your other muscles stay relaxed. Focus just on the feelings of tension in your forearms and hands. Notice the location of the muscles that are tensed. Then, relax the tension all at once. Don't ease off; let go straightaway. Notice the sensation in your hands and forearms as the muscles relax further.
Then, raise your eyebrows and feel the tense muscles in your forehead. Try to let go approximately half of the tension from your forehead while keeping the remaining tension constant. Now, let half of that tension (half of the remaining half) go and hold the remaining tension steady. Then, release the other half of that tension. But try to maintain just a tiny level of tension. And relax. Then, let all the tension go and enjoy the good feeling as your forehead rests gradually, relaxing deeper and deeper. Remember what your forehead feels like when it is relaxed so that you can be aware of even the smallest amount of tension during the day. This awareness is the key to relaxing the rest of your body.
Next, close your eyes tightly (not forcefully). You should feel the tension in the muscles around your eyes. Then, relax. Let all the tensions leave. Allow your eyelids to rest gently while your eyes remain closed. Now, slowly roll your eyes to the right in a large circle. It's easy to strain these muscles, so roll your eyes wide enough to feel the muscles, but don't strain them. Feel the tension in the muscles moving your eyes, and as they tense (slightly), move your eyes downward, to the left, up and around. Then, go back around to your left. Just think of looking at nothing and be aware of the sensations as you let the tensions leave these muscles.
Now, pucker your lips. Feel the work of the circular muscles around your mouth. Relax. Then, clench your teeth. Let your lips remain relaxed while clenching your teeth. Feel the muscles in your jaw and temples tighten (your temples are the sides of your head between the eyes and the ears). If you can't feel the tension in your temples, just reach up with your fingers and touch your temples to feel the tension. Relax, let your jaw hang loose, and let all the tension go out. At this stage, imagine yourself humming a restful low note that vibrates throughout your body.
Now tense the muscles in your neck that move your head back. While keeping those muscles taut, try to move your head forward so that you're tensing one set of muscles against another. In addition, try to move your head to the right and the left. Hold it, and then let the muscles in your neck relax all at once. Let your neck relax so deeply that if a breeze came along, it could blow your head from side to side. Now, move your shoulders forward as if trying to make your shoulders touch each other in front of your chest. Then, relax and pull your shoulders back as if you are trying to make them touch behind you. And relax. Just feel the relaxation spread all over your shoulders and upper back.
Next, tighten the muscles that move your knees towards each other; then, tighten the muscles that move your knees apart. Next, tense the muscles that push down and raise your thighs. Finally, think of crossing your right leg over your left and your left leg over your right (you may do these crossings if they help you feel the tension). Notice all the feelings of stress and tension. Then, relax and let those muscles lengthen and smooth out. Feel the muscles gradually extend as they relax more and more.
Now, point your toes downward so they align with your legs. Feel the muscles that are tensed in your calves. And relax. Then, pull your toes up as if you want to touch your shins. Feel the muscles working up your shins. Then, relax and just let go. Next, work on your toes; be careful not to tense them too hard because you can cramp these muscles. Make a fist with your toes by curling your toes. Feel the muscles tighten up under your arch and relax. Repeat this a couple of times.
Learning a skill such as this takes practice. So, choose a time each day (when your stomach is empty) to practise this relaxation technique. Don't worry about doing it precisely as it has been described. Doing it is more important. Try to find out what parts helped you the most and enjoy learning to relax. Relaxation techniques reduce our stress symptoms and help us live better, happier and more fulfilling lives.
Niksen (doing nothing)
Niksen (a Dutch word from the Netherlands) means doing nothing or, more precisely, doing something without a purpose, like staring out the window, hanging out in a park or listening to music and not feeling guilty as if it’s a waste of time.
We strive to work hard and do something useful, so doing nothing can seem outrageous. Like most people in the West, the Dutch, too, feel pressured to fill their free time with productive and goal-oriented activities. When not working, they cycle, jog, or meet with friends. However, none of these activities qualify as Niksen because leisure activities have a purpose and require energy and attention. Niksen is about enjoying a pause, tuning out, doing nothing and stopping to pay attention to anything.
Niksen has been promoted as a type of mindfulness, but Niksen doesn’t match up with the central tenet of mindfulness, i.e., staying in the moment. Mindfulness is about focusing on the object of thinking, while Niksen is about not focusing and not doing. Niksen only allows the free-floating of thoughts rather than concentrating one’s thoughts on something. In other words, when you practice Niksen, you only allow your mind to wander without purpose, which is not easy.
Italians, too, have an expression for simply allowing themselves to be still and quiet: la dolce far niente, which means: “the sweetness of doing nothing”. They have also been able to do nothing, so much so that it’s delightful for them. Nowadays, our day-to-day lives continue to run at a fast pace, so it’s not a surprise that we are willing to embrace serenity, silence and stillness. People who live a busy, hectic life are keen to adopt ideas from other cultures that help them achieve calmness and serenity. For example, Hygge, the Danish approach, encourages us to stay indoors and get cosy and comfy. The Swedish concept of Lagom teaches us to approach life with moderation. And the Scots art of Coorie, getting back to basics and keeping warm in heart and mind; going outdoors come rain, hail or shine; and maintaining balance.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) recently officially recognised burnout as a chronic health illness caused by stress from modern life. The pace of life today is fast because there is much more to do, and we are very active in keeping fit, building relationships and developing more and more resources. But for many people, this pace of life is hard to manage. Niksen provides relief for people who feel overwhelmed by the pace of life. It is also attractive to those who are not overwhelmed but still feel pressured.
Niksen, like other similar ideas (e.g., hygge and lagom), may seem like laziness, but it’s not easy. One way to start might be to ensure you have at least one open afternoon or evening every week to allow yourself to do nothing. To practice Niksen, you can sit alone on a park bench (doing nothing or something semi-automatic like knitting), gaze out of a window, take a walk or lie down on your bed, daydreaming or looking at the clouds (switch your mobiles off) and let the time be yours, only yours.
Another way to practise Niksen is to include it in various daily tasks. For example, do nothing while waiting for the coffee machine to make your coffee. Or, when you finish a task, don’t move to another immediately if you don’t have to, but don’t spend that time browsing Twitter or Facebook. Instead, sit for a moment and do nothing.
It’s up to you to rest and find time to be idle (doing nothing). Whether sitting in the garden doing nothing or simply staring out of a window, no one can dictate when such idle moments should be enjoyed, and it’s your choice to think about downtime seriously. Stop seeing Niksen (doing nothing) as a waste of time. It can be the best use of your time.
For more information, read the book Niksen by Olga Mecking (the Netherlands-based journalist).
