by Malinda Douglass | KEZA Sales

Over the past decade, a major shift has begun to occur in the field of psychology.  Since WWII, psychology has been primarily concerned with disorders of the mind and the focus of treatment has aimed at eliminating the symptoms of these pathologies.  Depression, anxiety, PTSD, ADHD, you name it, the goal has been to isolate the biological and psychosocial factors that contribute to these problems and attack them head-on with meds and psychotherapy.

But those within the field that is now known as Positive Psychology started to think differently.  Rather than continuing to look solely at what’s wrong, they began to ask, “What’s right?”  Knowing that people aren’t simply a bundle of pathologies and problems, they started to study strengths, virtues, talents and values within their patients and dared to consider the idea that if these character traits could be nurtured, perhaps pathology would shrink in their presence or fail to surface in the first place.  Sort of a form of alternative mental health care, so to speak.

The nature of consciousness remains a great mystery, but there’s plenty of evidence to suggest that what we give our attention to grows.

What if we decided to view the developing world through the lens of Positive Psychology?  What if we looked beyond the poverty, beyond the disease, beyond the hunger?  It’s not that these issues don’t need to be addressed.  They do.  Now. In very smart, intentional and sustainable ways.  But, what if we started to also ask, “What’s right?”  What if we truly paid attention to the strength, the beauty, the talent and fortitude of its people?  Would these things grow?  Might all these problems, slowly but surely, begin to shrink in their presence?

I never thought that being involved with an ethical fashion label would find me drawing parallels with my previous work in psychology.  But this is exactly what KEZA is doing.  KEZA is stepping back, taking a broader look at the developing world and asking, “What’s right?”  And you can see the answer reflected in everything they do.  The beauty, the creativity, the talent, the resourcefulness, the determination.  These are all strengths and virtues that are prevalent in the developing world.  And it’s about time we began to see them.

Start asking, “What’s right?”  When you find the answer, pay attention.

You can take your own Values in Action (VIA) Survey of Character Strengths for free at: http://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/Default.aspx