MSI Press Blog

  Positive psychology is the study of what makes life worth living. It asks not only how people survive hardship, but how they flourish — how they find joy, purpose, and resilience even amid difficulty. Traditional psychology often focuses on illness and dysfunction: anxiety, depression, trauma. Positive psychology complements that by exploring strengths, virtues, and well‑being. It’s not about ignoring pain; it’s about understanding the forces that help us heal and grow. The Core Idea At its heart, positive psychology studies the conditions that allow humans to thrive. It looks at gratitude, hope, compassion, courage, creativity, and meaning — qualities that build psychological strength and deepen our sense of connection. Researchers like Martin Seligman and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi helped shape the field, emphasizing that happiness is not a fleeting emotion but a cultivated state rooted in engagement, relationships, and purpose. The Science of Flourishing Positive psychology ident...

    It is Tuesday. Monday's madness is over, and Wednesday will take us over the hump, so Tuesday it is--for some serious discussion with authors. Tuesday talks mean to address authors in waiting and self-published authors who would like to go a more traditional route or who would at least like to take their steps with a publisher by their side.  This week, we share some of the reasons we've seen why would-be authors never get their first book out the door. We also look at what could be done about each of these reasons. Lack of Focus The problem: Many new authors try to cover too much ground, making their subject too broad. They end up feeling overwhelmed and directionless. A possible solution: List a narrow group of people you want to address and then, in one sentence, write an overarching summary of what you want them to come away from your book knowing, thinking about, or feeling. Then use only related details, no matter how tempting to throw in your entire expanse of ...