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Childhood experiences play a decisive role in shaping long-term physical and mental health as well as overall well-being in adulthood. In recent years, alongside adverse childhood experiences, increasing attention has been directed toward positive childhood experiences, which not only compensate negative effects, but also independently contribute to resilience and to maintaining mental health. This paper reviews how these experiences support adult well-being, outlines the theoretical frameworks that help in understanding their diversity and impact mechanisms, and highlights potential measurements in science and intervention practice. Special emphasis is placed on the importance of strengthening positive, protective and compensatory experiences in the fields of prevention, health promotion, and clinical interventions. Our aim is to demonstrate how positive childhood experiences can open new perspectives in understanding and supporting well-being. Keywords: adverse childhood experiences, positive childhood experiences, protective and compensatory experiences, resilience, well-being, mental health, developmental assets, supportive relationships, health promotion, trauma-informed approach.