An experimental documentary titled How to Thrive was filmed in Australia, focusing on the lives of 7 people.
The documentary was made under the supervision of Associate Professor Peggy Kern from the Centre for Positive Psychology at the University of Melbourne, and the progress of the participants was followed for 18 months.
Evidence-based strategies were applied in the documentary, which is also a kind of psychology experiment.
Kern wrote in The Conversation that these strategies made the participants feel good and succeed in certain ways.
The academic explained those strategies in 5 steps.
1. Find the group you belong to
Throughout the documentary, the participants became a community. “Humans have an inherent need to belong. Loneliness is associated with mental and physical illness and even early death,” Kern wrote:
Find people you can belong to and connect with on a deep level beyond superficial friendships.
2. Engage in meaningful activities
According to the academic, research shows that engagement in life is an important sign of healthy ageing:
Try to find activities that fill you up and give you a sense of life, rather than those that drain you.
3. Be compassionate
“Be compassionate with yourself and others,” Kern also said:
“We are often our own worst critics. But we do the best we can. Be kind to yourself and extend that kindness to others.
4. Be optimistic
Another important step, according to the academic, is to be optimistic and hopeful about the future. “Things may not always go well,” Kern wrote:
“But if we are prejudiced against the odds, the results may surprise us.
5. Take care of yourself
Maintaining physical, mental and social health is also very important. “Eat well and rest, engage in moderate physical activity,” the academic said:
“Actively participate in activities that make you feel good and function.
