ABSTRACT
You will learn more about this question throughout the pages of this volume. But, let me start with a bit of folklore or perhaps informal history about the inception of positive psychology as we know it today. It all began on a beautiful beach in Hawaii. I’ve long discovered that many of the best things in life as we know it originate from the ocean and beautiful beaches across the planet. In this case, an adventurous Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi was swimming off the volcanic coast of the Big Island of Hawaii, Kona. Underestimating the force of swell he found himself being smashed against the volcanic rock and struggling for his survival. Beaten and bloodied, he was barely able to struggle his way back to the beach. A man on the beach had been watching this frightening incident, and had made his way down to the beach to help Dr. Csikszentmihalyi. The man guided Mihaly back to the lifeguard station near the resort where they both were staying. As fate would have it the helpful bystander was President-elect of the American Psychological Association – Professor Martin Seligman from the University of Pennsylvania. Mihaly and Marty began what would become a special relationship as they walked
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along that beach. The rest of their Hawaiian vacation was fi lled with breakfasts and dinners together and serious conversations about what was missing from the discipline and profession of psychology.
