Show Notes
“Fine” is the most frequently logged mood on the Clearhead platform, yet it often masks a deeper sense of stress, disconnection, or simply going through the motions. We often answer "I'm fine" without truly reflecting on how we're doing, especially when we're stuck in survival mode. In this episode, we explore what it really means to move beyond "fine." Unpacking the shift from surviving to thriving, drawing on the science of positive psychology to offer practical tools for building resilience and mental wellbeing, both in life and at work.
Suzy biography: Dr Suzy Green is a Clinical Psychologist and Founder & CEO of The Positivity Institute, an organisation dedicated to the research and application of the science of optimal human functioning in organisations and schools. She is a leader in Coaching Psychology and Positive Psychology and published over twenty peer-reviewed journal articles. She lectures at University of Sydney and is a fellow at Australia’s Black Dog Institute and has worked with many large organisations such as ANZ, Fitbit, Nivea, Officeworks and more.
In this episode, we dive deep into answering the following thorny questions:
00:00 - Introduction 02:20 - How Suzy is using the lessons she’s learnt to deal with recent losses in her life. 04:30 - Defining thriving vs surviving when there are multiple life challenges. 10:50 - What is a “normal” proportion of thriving vs surviving? 15:45 - The power of therapy in helping with processing grief. 17:30 - The importance of removing stigma from therapy. 18:45 - What is the difference between coaching and therapy? 22:45 - What should you do if someone says they are fine but you can see they are struggling? 27:00 - What are the steps to take if you are struggling? 31:30 - How does Acceptance and Commitment Therapy help one build the right mindset? 36:20 - Why is it hard to change our mindset? 39:15 - Are employers doing enough to help employees thrive at work? 44:20 - A real-world example of an organisation embedding positive psychology in the workplace. 47:45 - How we can use flow theory and self-reflection to find balance between wellbeing and performance? 53:20 - What is Suzy’s one wellbeing practice?
Learn more about Suzy: https://thepositivityinstitute.com.au/
Helpful Resources: Steven Covey’s Circles of Control: https://positivepsychology.com/circles-of-influence/
The Serenity Prayer: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serenity_Prayer
Dr. Kristin Neff: https://self-compassion.org/
Clearhead’s Blog on ISO 45003: https://www.myclearhead.com/blog/what-is-iso-45003/
Social and Emotional Contagion Theory: https://positivepsychology.com/emotional-contagion/
Finding Purpose Tool: https://www.myclearhead.com/en-au/finding-purpose
Jon Kabat-Zinn: https://jonkabat-zinn.com/
Learn more about Clearhead https://www.myclearhead.com/
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