ABSTRACT
Positive psychology is a modern area of study which explores how and why positive thinking and an optimistic outlook can make a difference to people’s lives and wellbeing. Critics (e.g., Coyne, 2013; Miller, 2008) say it is a luxury which applies only in affluent societies to well-off people. Others think it can apply everywhere. I want to explore how people sustain their resilience and are able not just to cope, but to prosper in situations where things appear stressful, unrewarding, tough, and unfulfilling. In particular, I want to focus on work and employment, where people spend so much of their adult lives. At the end of the chapter, I report on my findings from a small survey of 78 people working in public and private sector occupations in Kabul, Afghanistan, in some of the most testing situations in the world. The way they feel about their work, and their hopes and fears for the future, make for challenging reading.
