Rebecca Yolland – The Power Of Positive Psychology In Overcoming Challenges And Leading With Strength

Rebecca Yolland

Event Management Freelancer, International Sport Events

Geelong, Australia

Alumni: Byron Bay, Australia

The Power of Positive Psychology in Overcoming Challenges and Leading with Strength

What drew you to complete the Diploma of Positive Psychology and Wellbeing?

I was drawn to do the Diploma as it was strongly recommended to me by a good friend of mine. She knows me well, works in HR, has completed the course herself and has also worked in the same industry I do, so she was in a very good position to advise me!

She also raved about Sue as a facilitator and how much she had gained from the studies. I was feeling a bit adrift, having just finished working on an intensive overseas contract, and she really thought this would help me to expand my skillset for my current work whilst also opening the door to other possibilities.

The course structure was ideal for me, too. There was flexibility in terms of hours, so I could manage it around contracted work, which is often incredibly all-consuming. The diploma level suited me as I had just finished some post-graduate study and wasn’t keen to return to University. The course also had a good balance of science-backed theories and a strong practical element, including some work on myself, so it felt the right choice to gain new skills whilst also working on some personal challenges and finding better direction.

How was your experience of the Diploma of Positive Psychology and Wellbeing?

My experience was incredible, particularly as my father passed away directly after the course. Sue, Kim, Rox, and the Langley Group Institute team were incredibly supportive of the challenges I faced and really went above and beyond. I found it so helpful to have all these freshly learned tools at my disposal to help me work through it all, such as undertaking the gratitude letter assignment at that time.

As life began to return to some semblance of normality and I focused on the full coursework again, I found it a very interesting lens to work through.

My own experiences clearly showed the theories playing out in very real circumstances! It was fascinating and such fun!

I found some particularly profound lessons as I explored strengths, mindfulness and mindset in particular.

I had never considered using strengths to lift ‘weaknesses’ or how much trouble a fixed mindset could give rise to throughout one's life in a myriad of ways and, conversely, how much potential sat within a growth mindset. I had done some work on the mind-body connection previously, yet mindfulness added different aspects to my learning and fostered connections I hadn’t considered before.

I loved absorbing as much of it as I could and still am – as I continue to read and explore these various topics well past completing my Diploma!

How are you spreading your positive ripples, and how has the Diploma of Positive Psychology and Wellbeing helped you achieve this?

Positive ripples I have noticed have been in some changes in my closer relationships that are clearly for the better and have become sustained, which feels such a gift in and of itself.

This has allowed for more synergy and a greater capability from myself and others. I also noticed its positive impact as people became involved in supporting me with the various assignments. For example, I wrote best-self stories for anyone who sent me a story during the reflected best-self assignment and was delightfully surprised by some people's reactions to those. They told me how much it meant for them, particularly as they hadn’t expected any stories in response. It made me realise how important genuine positive feedback is for people, as it doesn’t seem to be as common as I had perhaps thought.

I have also had a lot of interesting discussions with various friends on the overall course learnings and have been able to share resources I discovered through my learnings (Carol Dweck’s book ‘Mindset’ and any of Ellen Langer’s work is high up on the list of general recommends!), as well, of course, people doing the course if they feel it resonates – it is so worthwhile.

It is a challenge to equate the improvements in my work, given that I work contracts that are often relatively short in different countries and of a very intense nature. I have also been lucky that I have loved all the contracts I worked on since starting the course, so again, it is hard to specify. I feel I am much more conscious of how I approach people and various situations, especially when in a leadership and/or management role. I am also more aware if I am in situations that could likely be better managed through Positive Psychology and try to infuse them in where I can. I have also noticed coaching elements coming in quite a bit in the workplace, especially when I am working with much younger staff or volunteers. I have really enjoyed watching them flourish, and it has been an exciting learning experience for me through that process, too.

Overall positive ripples for me have been hard to define, perhaps as I have noticed more the impact on myself rather than how my learning has impacted others. I know this development in myself would have likely had positive ripples for others by default, yet it is hard to stipulate.

The difference between how I was when I started the Diploma and where I am now is immense, and I am so looking forward to where it all leads now as I continue to integrate my learnings, share what I can and explore the many positive rabbit holes full of all kinds of wonderous twists and turns!