Integrating Positive Psychology, Spirituality, and Meaning in Life to Foster Resilience Among Solopreneurs

Authors

  • Mehdi Ebrahimi Skills Academia Research & Insights Collective for Excellence, Australia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24191/aej.v11i1.14098

Keywords:

Positive psychology, spirituality, resilience, entrepreneurship psychology, solopreneur

Abstract

From natural disasters and public health crises to economic shocks, conflict, and war, unforeseen challenges can repeatedly disrupt lives and businesses, often posing significant hurdles for solo entrepreneurs and self-employed individuals running their own small businesses. Even in the face of such adversity, these challenges create conditions that, when navigated effectively, can open up opportunities for developing resilience, growth, and adaptive strategies. This study, drawing on theoretical perspectives such as Conservation of Resources theory, resilience theory, and Frankl’s Will to Meaning theory, explores the literature on the intersection of positive psychology, spirituality, and meaning in life, particularly as these concepts apply to solo entrepreneurs navigating challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic. The study emphasises the necessity of avoiding toxic positivity while advocating for a grounded, holistic approach to entrepreneurial well-being and productivity during crises. Practical implications include strategies and evidence-based insights for fostering adaptability, resilience, and well-being in solo entrepreneurs, also known as solopreneurs. Based on well-established theoretical foundations and by integrating positive psychology constructs, spiritual and mindful practices, and purpose-driven approaches, this study proposes a conceptual map as a guiding tool for enhancing resilience in solopreneurs. While acknowledging its limitations, this study contributes to an underexplored area of solopreneurship and entrepreneurial psychology literature, providing a foundation for further scholarly investigation. Future research directions are suggested, focusing on demographic diversity, cross-geographical comparisons, and resilience-building interventions, particularly exploring the impact of spiritual practices and positive psychology constructs during crises. This work contributes to the gradually expanding, yet still limited, body of literature on resilience, well-being, and sustainable productivity among solopreneurs.

References

Abonil, M., Shrivastava, A., & Hyland, L. (2024). Resilience and well-being among expatriate entrepreneurs: Envisioning life after

a global crisis. Global Business and Organizational Excellence, 43(2), 107–121. https://doi.org/10.1002/joe.22225

Ahmed, A., Jan, G., Barkat, W., Ahmed, R., & Mahmood, A. (2021). The impact of spirituality on resilience and engagement during

the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Management, Spirituality & Religion, 18(5), 400-424.

https://doi.org/10.51327/NAEU8792

Aknin, L. B., & Whillans, A. V. (2021). Helping and happiness: A review and guide for public policy. Social Issues and Policy

Review, 15(1), 3–34. https://doi.org/10.1111/sipr.12069

Allan, B. A., Duffy, R. D., & Collisson, B. (2018). Helping others increases meaningful work: Evidence from three experiments.

Journal of Counseling Psychology, 65(2), 155–165. https://doi.org/10.1037/cou0000228

Alamri, A. A. H., & Al-Abyadh, M. H. A. (2024). Gratitude predicts prosocial tendency through psychological resilience—Crosssectional study in Arab cultures. Frontiers in Psychology, 15, 1382093. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1382093

Allen, M. S., & McCarthy, P. J. (2016). Be happy in your work: The role of positive psychology in working with change and

performance. Journal of Change Management, 16(1), 55-74. https://doi.org/10.1080/14697017.2015.1128471

Aly, M., Audretsch, D. B., & Grimm, H. (2021). Emotional skills for entrepreneurial success: The promise of entrepreneurship

education and policy. Journal of Technology Transfer, 46(6), 1611–1629. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10961-021-09866-1

Australian Government Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. (2023, September 21). COVID-19 response inquiry summary

report: Lessons for the next crisis. https://www.pmc.gov.au/resources/covid-19-response-inquiry-summary-report-lessonsnext-crisis/introduction

Baethge, C., Goldbeck-Wood, S. & Mertens, S. SANRA—a scale for the quality assessment of narrative review articles. Res Integr

Peer Rev 4, 5 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41073-019-0064-8

Barba-Sánchez, V., Salinero, Y., Jiménez Estévez, P., & Ruiz-Palomino, P. (2024). How entrepreneurship drives life satisfaction

among people with intellectual disabilities (PwID): A mixed-method approach. Management Decision, 62(2), 426–449.

https://doi.org/10.1108/MD-11-2022-1568

Bartik, A. W., Bertrand, M., Cullen, Z., Glaeser, E. L., Luca, M., & Stanton, C. (2020). The impact of COVID-19 on small business

outcomes and expectations. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 117(30), 17656–17666.

https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2006991117

Belt, P., Paloniemi, K. J., & Sinisammal, J. (2015). One-person enterprises and business growth. Journal of Enterprising Culture,

23(3), 381-404. https://doi.org/10.1142/S0218495815500132

Berenbaum, H., Huang, A. B., & Flores, L. E. (2018). Contentment and tranquility: Exploring their similarities and differences. The

Journal of Positive Psychology, 14(2), 252–259. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2018.1484938

Bolton, G. (2014). Reflective practice: Writing and professional development (4th ed.). Sage Publications.

Büssing, A., Rodrigues Recchia, D., Dienberg, T., Surzykiewicz, J., & Baumann, K. (2021). Awe/Gratitude as an Experiential

Aspect of Spirituality and Its Association to Perceived Positive Changes During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Frontiers in

psychiatry, 12, 642716. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.642716

Cabanyes-Truffino, J. (2010). Resiliencia: Una aproximación al concepto. Revista de Psiquiatría y Salud Mental, 3(4), 145–151.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rpsm.2010.09.003

Caliendo, M., Graeber, D., Kritikos, A. S., & Seebauer, J. (2023a). Pandemic Depression: COVID-19 and the Mental Health of the

Self-Employed. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 47(3), 788–830. https://doi.org/10.1177/10422587221102106

Caliendo, M., Kritikos, A. S., & Rodríguez, D. (2023b). Self-efficacy and entrepreneurial performance of start-ups. Small Business

Economics, 61(4), 1027–1051. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11187-022-00728-0

Canet-Juric, L., Vernucci, S., Andrés, M. L., & et al. (2023). As time goes by: A longitudinal study on the mental health of

Argentinians during the COVID-19 pandemic. Trends in Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43076-023-00285-9

Cardon, M. S., & Arwine, R. P. (2024). The many faces of entrepreneurial loneliness. Personnel Psychology, 77(1), 225–277.

https://doi.org/10.1111/peps.12614

Chandran, K. M., & Sasidharan, K. (2024). Quality of life before and after the practice of yoga: A comparative analysis. Indian

Journal of Ancient Medicine and Yoga, 17(2), 69–76. https://dx.doi.org/10.21088/ijamy.0974.6986.17224.1

Chowdhury, M. R. (2019, April 9). The neuroscience of gratitude and effects on the brain. Positive Psychology.

https://positivepsychology.com/neuroscience-of-gratitude/

Collins, R. (2022). Leading Forward: Embracing Feedback and Moving Toward Authentic Positivity, Nurse Leader, 20(3), 270-

272. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mnl.2022.02.008

Csala, B., Springinsfeld, C. M., & Köteles, F. (2021). The Relationship Between Yoga and Spirituality: A Systematic Review of

Empirical Research. Frontiers in psychology, 12, 695939. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.695939

Cullen, W., Gulati, G., & Kelly, B. D. (2020). Mental health in the COVID-19 pandemic. QJM: An International Journal of

Medicine, 113(5), 311–312. https://doi.org/10.1093/qjmed/hcaa110

Curry, O. S., Rowland, L. A., Van Lissa, C. J., Zlotowitz, S., McAlaney, J., & Whitehouse, H. (2018). Happy to help? A systematic

review and meta-analysis of the effects of performing acts of kindness on the well-being of the actor. Journal of Experimental

Social Psychology, 76, 320–329. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2018.02.014

Dees, J.G. A Tale of Two Cultures: Charity, Problem Solving, and the Future of Social Entrepreneurship. J Bus Ethics 111, 321–

334 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-012-1412-5

Dissanayake, S., Pavlovich, K., & Kovács, G. (2024). Improving community vitality: Spiritually informed entrepreneurial actions.

Journal of Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEEE-08-2023-0321

Duckworth, A. L., Steen, T. A., & Seligman, M. E. (2005). Positive psychology in clinical practice. Annual review of clinical

psychology, 1, 629–651. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.clinpsy.1.102803.144154

Dunford, D., Dale, B., Stylianou, N., Lowther, E., Ahmed, M., & de la Torre Arenas, I. (2020). Coronavirus: The world in lockdown

in maps and charts. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-52103747

Ebrahimi, M. (2024). The pulse of connection: Trust and confidentiality in internal coaching dynamics. Journal of Social,

Behavioral, and Health Sciences, 18(1), 332–363. https://doi.org/10.5590/JSBHS.2024.18.1.22

Egozi Farkash, H., Lahad, M., Hobfoll, S. E., Leykin, D., & Aharonson-Daniel, L. (2022). Conservation of resources, psychological

distress, and resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic. International Journal of Public Health, 67, 1604567.

https://doi.org/10.3389/ijph.2022.1604567

Emmons, R. A., & McCullough, M. E. (2003). Counting blessings versus burdens: An experimental study of gratitude and subjective

well-being in daily life. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84(2), 377-389. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-

3514.84.2.377

Faulkner, G. (2019). Physical activity: Positive psychology in motion? Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 22(S2).

https://doi.org/10.xxxx/j.sams.2019.06.014

Fehr, R., Fulmer, A., Awtrey, E., & Miller, J.A. (2017). The Grateful Workplace: A Multilevel Model of Gratitude in Organizations.

Academy of Management Review, 42, 361-381. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.2014.0374

Feng, B., & Chen, M. (2020). The Impact of Entrepreneurial Passion on Psychology and Behavior of Entrepreneurs. Frontiers in

psychology, 11, 1733. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01733

Fowler, J. W. (1995). Stages of faith: The psychology of human development (Illustrated ed.). HarperCollins Religious US.

Frankl, V. E. (1963). Man's search for meaning: An introduction to logotherapy. Beacon Press.

Frankl, V. E. (1985). Man’s search for meaning. Washington Square Press.

Frankl, V. E. (2000). Viktor Frankl recollections: An autobiography. cambridge mass perseus pub.

Franklin, S. D. (2010). The influence of spirituality on servant leadership among small business entrepreneurs (Doctoral dissertation,

Walden University) https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1823&context=dissertations

Gable, S. L., & Haidt, J. (2005). What (and Why) is Positive Psychology? Review of General Psychology, 9(2), 103-110.

https://doi.org/10.1037/1089-2680.9.2.103

García-Herrero, A. (2022, December 1). The COVID-19 pandemic and China's economic slowdown. China Leadership Monitor,

Winter 2022 Issue 74. https://www.prcleader.org/post/the-covid-19-pandemic-and-china-s-economic-slowdown

Garrett, R., & Zettel, L. (2021, March 25). Entrepreneurial Resilience. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Business and

Management. https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190224851.013.314

Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional intelligence. Bantam Books, Inc.

Greeson, J. M., Webber, D. M., Smoski, M. J., Brantley, J. G., Ekblad, A. G., Suarez, E. C., & Wolever, R. Q. (2011). Changes in

spirituality partly explain health-related quality of life outcomes after Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction. Journal of

behavioral medicine, 34(6), 508–518. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-011-9332-x

Harel, R. (2021). The Impact of COVID-19 on Small Businesses’ Performance and Innovation. Global Business Review, 0(0).

https://doi.org/10.1177/09721509211039145

Hartmann, S., Backmann, J., Newman, A., Brykman, K. M., & Pidduck, R. J. (2022). Psychological resilience of entrepreneurs: A

review and agenda for future research. Journal of Small Business Management, 60(5), 1041–1079.

https://doi.org/10.1080/00472778.2021.2024216

Hendriks, T., Schotanus-Dijkstra, M., Graafsma, T., et al. (2021). Positive emotions as a potential mediator of a multi-component

positive psychology intervention aimed at increasing mental well-being and resilience. International Journal of Applied

Positive Psychology, 6(1), 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41042-020-00037-5

Hirschheim, R. (2008). Some guidelines for the critical reviewing of conceptual papers. Journal of the Association for Information

Systems, 9(8), 432–441.

Holmgreen, L., Tirone, V., Gerhart, J., & Hobfoll, S. E. (2017). Conservation of resources theory: Resource caravans and

passageways in health contexts. In C. L. Cooper & J. C. Quick (Eds.), The handbook of stress and health: A guide to research

and practice (pp. 443–457). Wiley Blackwell. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118993811.ch27

Hu, W., Xu, Y., Zhao, F., & Chen, Y. (2022). Entrepreneurial passion and entrepreneurial success—The role of psychological capital

and entrepreneurial policy support. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 792066. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.792066

Jaakkola, E. (2020). Designing conceptual articles: Four approaches. AMS Review, 10(1), 18–26. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13162-

020-00161-0

Jain, P. (2024). Exploring solopreneurs' journey in the digital era. In S. F. A. Hossain (Ed.), Utilizing AI and smart technology to

improve sustainability in entrepreneurship (pp. 67–87). https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3693-1842-3.ch005

Kabat-Zinn, J. (2003). Mindfulness-based interventions in context: Past, present, and future. Clinical Psychology: Science and

Practice, 10(2), 144-156.

Katare, B., Marshall, M. I., & Valdivia, C. B. (2021). Bend or break? Small business survival and strategies during the COVID-19

shock. International journal of disaster risk reduction : IJDRR, 61, 102332. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2021.102332

Kauanui, S. K., Thomas, K. D., Rubens, A., & Sherman, C. L. (2010). Entrepreneurship and spirituality: A comparative analysis of

entrepreneurs’ motivation. Journal of small business & entrepreneurship, 23(4), 621-635.

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08276331.2010.10593505

Kipkosgei, F. (2022). Perceived entrepreneurial stress and entrepreneurial resilience; the mediating role of the well-being of

entrepreneurs and moderating role perceived online social support. Merits, 2(1), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.3390/merits2010001

King, A. W., & Lepak, D. (2011). Editors’ comments: Myth busting—What we hear and what we’ve learned about AMR. Academy

of Management Review, 36(2), 207–214. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.36.2.zok207

Klein, N. (2016). Prosocial behavior increases perceptions of meaning in life. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 12(4), 354–361.

https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2016.1209541

Klemke, E. D. (2017). Introduction. In E. D. Klemke & S. M. Cahn(Eds.), The meaning of life: A reader (4th ed., pp. 1–4).

OxfordUniversity Press

Laguna, M. (2010). Positive Psychology Inspirations for Entrepreneurship Research. M. Lukes & M. Laguna (Eds.),

Entrepreneurship, a Psychological Approach, 73-88.

Laranjeira, C., & Querido, A. (2022). Hope and Optimism as an Opportunity to Improve the "Positive Mental Health" Demand.

Frontiers in psychology, 13, 827320. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.827320

Lecompte-Van Poucke, M. (2022). ‘You got this!’: A critical discourse analysis of toxic positivity as a discursive construct on

Facebook. Applied Corpus Linguistics, 2(1), 100015. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acorp.2022.100015

Li, I., Chen, A. Z., Newby, J. M., Kladnitski, N., Haskelberg, H., Millard, M., & Mahoney, A. (2022). The uptake and outcomes of

an online self-help mindfulness programme during COVID-19. Clinical Psychologist, 26(3), 255–268.

https://doi.org/10.1080/13284207.2022.2045866

Liu, X., Wu, X., Wang, Q., & Zhou, Z. (2022). Entrepreneurial mindfulness and organizational resilience of Chinese SMEs during

the COVID-19 pandemic: The role of entrepreneurial resilience. Frontiers in psychology, 13, 992161.

https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.992161

Jing, F., Xu, Z., Sun, J., Wang, X., Feng, Y., Liu, Y., Chen, Y., Wang, J., Chen, Z., & Chen, K. (2024). SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence

and antibody trajectories after easing of COVID-19 restrictions: A longitudinal study in China. Frontiers in Public Health, 12,

Article 1420993. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1420993

MacInnis, D. J. (2011). A framework for conceptual contributions in marketing. Journal of Marketing, 75(4), 136–154.

https://doi.org/10.1509/jmkg.75.4.136

Mallery, S. T., & Mallery, P. (2022). Centers of value and the quest for meaning in faith development: A measurement approach.

Frontiers in psychology, 13, 975160. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.975160

Martin, A. J. (2005). The Role of Positive Psychology in Enhancing Satisfaction, Motivation, and Productivity in the Workplace.

Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 24(1–2), 113–133. https://doi.org/10.1300/J075v24n01_07

Maurya, R. K., DeDiego, A. C., & Bruce, M. A. (2021). Application of Yoga as a Spiritual Practice to Enhance Counselor Wellness

and Effectiveness. Counseling and Values, 66(1), 57-72. https://doi.org/10.1002/cvj.12144

Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Solopreneur. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved February 5, 2025, from

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/solopreneur

McColman, C. (2023). The new big book of Christian mysticism: An essential guide to contemplative spirituality. Broadleaf Books.

McCullough, M. E., Kilpatrick, S. D., Emmons, R. A., & Larson, D. B. (2001). Is gratitude a moral affect?. Psychological bulletin,

127(2), 249–266. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.127.2.249

McLaren, S., Green, E. C. R., Anderson, M., & Finch, M. (2023). The importance of active-learning, student support, and peer

teaching networks: A case study from the world’s longest COVID-19 lockdown in Melbourne, Australia. Journal of

Geoscience Education, 72(4), 303–317. https://doi.org/10.1080/10899995.2023.2242071

Mills, P. J., Redwine, L., Wilson, K., Pung, M. A., Chinh, K., Greenberg, B. H., Lunde, O., Maisel, A., Raisinghani, A., Wood, A.,

& Chopra, D. (2015). The Role of Gratitude in Spiritual Well-being in Asymptomatic Heart Failure Patients. Spirituality in

clinical practice (Washington, D.C.), 2(1), 5–17. https://doi.org/10.1037/scp0000050

Nilsen, P., Seing, I., Sekhon, M., Kallemose, T., Tjørnhøj-Thomsen, T., Stefánsdóttir, N. T., Vrangbæk, K., Andersen, O., & Kirk,

J. W. (2023). Acceptability of restrictions in the COVID-19 pandemic: A population-based survey in Denmark and Sweden.

Frontiers in Public Health, 11, 988882. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.988882

Oosthuizen, R.M. (2021). Resilience as Moderator Between Workplace Humour and Well-Being, a Positive Psychology Perspective.

In: Vanderheiden, E., Mayer, CH. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Humour Research. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-78280-1_14

Park, C. L. (2013). The Meaning Making Model: A framework for understanding meaning, spirituality, and stress-related growth in

health psychology. The European Health Psychologist, 15(2).

https://www.ehps.net/ehp/index.php/contents/article/view/ehp.v15.i2.p40

Raco, J., Ohoitimur, J., & Sobon, K. (2019). Spirituality: The power of entrepreneurship. Emerging Markets Journal, 9(1).

https://doi.org/10.5195/emaj.2019.161

Ramanathan, U., Aluko, O., & Ramanathan, R. (2022). Supply chain resilience and business responses to disruptions of the COVID19 pandemic. Benchmarking: An International Journal, 29(7), 2275–2290. https://doi.org/10.1108/BIJ-01-2021-0023

Reynolds, G. (2022). Toxic positivity. Anxiety and Depression Association of America. https://adaa.org/learn-from-us/from-theexperts/blog-posts/consumer/toxic-positivity

Rivera, G. N., Vess, M., Hicks, J. A., & Routledge, C. (2020). Awe and meaning: Elucidating complex effects of awe experiences

on meaning in life. European Journal of Social Psychology, 50(2), 392–405. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.2604

Ronkainen, N., & Nesti, M. (2019). Meaning and spirituality in sport and exercise: Psychological perspectives (1st ed.). Routledge.

Sansone, R. A., & Sansone, L. A. (2010). Gratitude and well being: the benefits of appreciation. Psychiatry, 7(11), 18–22.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3010965/

Sawyer, K. B., Thoroughgood, C. N., Stillwell, E. E., Duffy, M. K., Scott, K. L., & Adair, E. A. (2022). Being present and thankful:

A multi-study investigation of mindfulness, gratitude, and employee helping behavior. Journal of Applied Psychology, 107(2),

240–262. https://doi.org/10.1037/apl0000903

Seidel, L. J., Daniels, J. K., & Ostafin, B. D. (2022). The role of meaning in life in psychological distress during the COVID-19

pandemic. Anxiety, Stress, & Coping, 36(1), 67–82. https://doi.org/10.1080/10615806.2022.2113993

Seligman, M.E.P. (2003). Authentic happiness. London: Nicholas Brealey.

Seligman, M. E. P. (2011). Flourish: A visionary new understanding of happiness and well-being. Atria Books.

Seligman, M. E. P., & Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2000). Positive psychology: An introduction. American Psychologist, 55(1), 5-14.

Sgherza, T. R., DeMarree, K. G., & Naragon-Gainey, K. (2022). Testing the Mindfulness-to-Meaning Theory in Daily Life.

Mindfulness, 13(9), 2324–2336. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-022-01961-0

Shang, Y. (2024). The inspiration of Lao Tzu’s philosophical thoughts to the entrepreneurial spirit of mediation and production.

Trans/Form/Ação, 47(6). https://doi.org/10.1590/0101-3173.2024.v47.n6.e02400300

Sharma, G., & Yukhymenko-Lescroart, M. A. (2024). Life Purpose as a Predictor of Resilience and Persistence in College Students

During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice, 26(2), 334-354.

https://doi.org/10.1177/15210251221076828

Shepherd, D. A., & Williams, T. (2020). Entrepreneurship responding to adversity: Equilibrating Adverse Events and

Disequilibrating Persistent Adversity. Organization Theory, 1(4). https://doi.org/10.1177/2631787720967678

Sherman, C. L., Randall, C., & Kauanui, S. K. (2016). Are you happy yet? Entrepreneurs’ subjective well-being. Journal of

Management, Spirituality & Religion, 13(1), 7–23. https://doi.org/10.1080/14766086.2015.1043575

Snyder, C. R., & Lopez, S. J. (2001). Handbook of positive psychology. Oxford University Press.

Su, X., Liu, S., Zhang, S., & Liu, L. (2020). To be happy: A case study of entrepreneurial motivation and entrepreneurial process

from the perspective of positive psychology. Sustainability, 12(2), 584. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12020584

Tanyi, R. A. (2002). Towards clarification of the meaning of spirituality. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 39(5), 500–509.

Tart, C. (1975). Introduction. In C. T. Tart (Ed.), Transpersonal psychologies (pp. 3–7). Harper & Row.

Trzebiński, J., Cabański, M., & Czarnecka, J. Z. (2024). Reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic: The influence of meaning in life, life

satisfaction, and assumptions on world orderliness and positivity. In Loss and trauma in the COVID-19 era (1st ed.). Routledge.

Tufvesson, A. (2020). The downsides of positivity: Dismissing distress in favour of good vibes only can have an undesired effect;

Here's how to quash toxic positivity and enjoy better emotional health. LSJ: Law Society of NSW Journal, (73), 52.

https://lsj.com.au/articles/the-downsides-of-positivity/

Upadhyay, I. S., Srivatsa, K. A., & Mamidi, R. (2022). Towards toxic positivity detection. In Proceedings of the Tenth International

Workshop on Natural Language Processing for Social Media (pp. 75–82). Association for Computational Linguistics.

https://doi.org/10.18653/v1/2022.socialnlp-1.7

Van Ness, P. H. (1999). Yoga as spiritual but not religious: A pragmatic perspective. American Journal of Theology & Philosophy,

20(1), 15–30.

Van Zyl, L. E., Gaffaney, J., van der Vaart, L., Dik, B. J., & Donaldson, S. I. (2023). The critiques and criticisms of positive

psychology: a systematic review. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 19(2), 206–235.

https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2023.2178956

Van Zyl, L. E., & Rothmann, S. (2022). Grand challenges for positive psychology: Future perspectives and opportunities. Frontiers

in Psychology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.833057

Varambally, S., & Gangadhar, B. N. (2012). Yoga: A spiritual practice with therapeutic value in psychiatry. Asian Journal of

Psychiatry, 5(2), 186-189. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajp.2012.05.003

Vivek, S., & Amrith, V. (2017). Spirituality and productivity: A relationship perspective. Purushartha: A Journal of Management

Ethics and Spirituality, 10(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.21844/pajmes.v10i1.7796

Wagnild, G. M., & Young, H. M. (1993). Development and psychometric evaluation of the Resilience Scale. Journal of Nursing

Measurement, 1(2), 165-178.

Welter, F., Baker, T. & Wirsching, K. Three waves and counting: the rising tide of contextualization in entrepreneurship research.

Small Bus Econ 52, 319–330 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11187-018-0094-5

Wiklund, J., Nikolaev, B., Shir, N., & Bradley, S. (2019). Entrepreneurship and well-being: Past, present, and future. Journal of

Business Venturing, 34(4), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusvent.2019.01.002

Williams, T. A., Gruber, D. A., Sutcliffe, K. M., Shepherd, D. A., & Zhao, E. Y. (2017). Organizational response to adversity:

Fusing crisis management and resilience research streams. Academy of Management Annals, 11(2), 733-769.

https://doi.org/10.5465/annals.2015.0134

Williamson, A. J., Gish, J. J., & Stephan, U. (2021). Let’s Focus on Solutions to Entrepreneurial Ill-Being! Recovery Interventions

to Enhance Entrepreneurial Well-Being. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 45(6), 1307-1338.

https://doi.org/10.1177/10422587211006431

Witvliet, C. vanOyen, Richie, F. J., Root Luna, L. M., & Van Tongeren, D. R. (2018). Gratitude predicts hope and happiness: A

two-study assessment of traits and states. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 14(3), 271–282.

https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2018.1424924

Wolfe, M. T., & Patel, P. C. (2021). Everybody hurts: Self-employment, financial concerns, mental distress, and well-being during

COVID-19. Journal of Business Venturing Insights, 15, e00231. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbvi.2021.e00231

Wood, A. M., Froh, J. J., & Geraghty, A. W. (2010). Gratitude and well-being: A review and theoretical integration. Clinical

psychology review, 30(7), 890-905. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2010.03.005

Wong, P. T. P. (2014). Viktor Frankl’s meaning-seeking model and positive psychology. In Meaning in positive and existential

psychology (pp. 155-173). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-0308-5_10

Zhu, J. L., Schülke, R., Vatansever, D., & others. (2021). Mindfulness practice for protecting mental health during the COVID-19

pandemic. Translational Psychiatry, 11(329). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-021-01459-8

Downloads

Published

2025-04-22

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Integrating Positive Psychology, Spirituality, and Meaning in Life to Foster Resilience Among Solopreneurs (M. Ebrahimi, Trans.). (2025). Asean Entrepreneurship Journal, 11(1), 82-100. https://doi.org/10.24191/aej.v11i1.14098