Woven with positive psychology, a book on the ‘search for self’

By Siddhi Jain

New Delhi, April 9 (SocialNews.XYZ) Interweaving light pick-me-ups throughout the story, author Ankit Jhamb in his new novel 'Lost and Found at 35', makes a strong case for positive psychology application in real life -- via the tale of a 35-year-old man who turns his life around after a failed suicide attempt and self-discovery through interactions with six strangers, including a 100-year-old man, a little girl aged four, a war widow and a monk.

"A very large part of our ability to deal with depression, stress, anxiety depends upon being able to create a passionate lifestyle with purpose and discipline," Jhamb tells IANS.

He adds: "Hence, the book is dedicated to the cause of spreading the word on positive psychology. It talks about how if people find their passion, pursue it with discipline they insure their life from mental illness and various afflictions. I wanted to share the lessons, practice insights and tips to create your own daily routine and life in a way that increases the happiness index and the quality of one's life."

The 4 Ps -- 'Passion, Pursue, Process and Purpose' makes for the book's fundamentals. "A life if built on these 4 Ps guarantees the resilience to fight stress, traumas and tragedies," says Jhamb.

'Lost and Found at 35' touches upon self-discovery through meaningful interactions and gradual turning around one's life. Often, immersion in someone else's story can reveal pearls of wisdom that one can apply in their own life.

What positive psychology lessons or pick-me-ups can readers hope to find in the book?

"Just having passion is not sufficient -- you have to pursue it with discipline and then learn the art and craft of whatever your passion is. The ability to forgive shall lead to a lighter life and a more creative life. Enhance your life and your personality by building up a routine which is based on your strengths rather than weakness. A large part of our physiological and pathological issues are actually emotional problems manifesting through our bodies," are some of the nuggets shared by Jhamb.

Finally, who should pick up the book? "Anyone!" exclaims the author.

"If you have some burning questions in life regarding your purpose, regarding your passion, happiness, fulfilment or just living a more peaceful, graceful life, go read the book. However people who continuously feel they are in the wrong job, struggle to answer the question "What are my passions" or find it tough to derive a sense of happiness from their work -- they should definitely read the book," he concludes.

(Siddhi Jain can be contacted at siddhi.j@ians.in)

Source: IANS