Introducing Psychology
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These Character Strengths are the supports for the modern theory of Well-Being within Positive psychology. As mentioned before, these strengths are attribute which all people have to varying degrees. Each one contributes to a person’s enjoyment of experiences and the overall satisfaction with life. Though the strengths affect many disparate avenues of life, engaging them as much and as deeply as possible is the path to a meaningful and flourishing life. The aspects of life and personality that were affected were defined further by the Positive psychology researchers into six categories. These categories were said by the researchers to all have a cultural and evolutionary basis and to be evident in most cultures throughout history. Though there has been some disagreement about the number of categories and distribution of the Character Strengths the underlying descriptions remain sound.
There are several models and schools of thought as to the distribution, use and enhancement of these strengths though. While these theories may differ in the details, they are all focused on helping individuals live better lives, not cure illnesses, as with all Positive psychology. One of the most prominent approaches to the twenty-four Character Strengths and implementing them in the flourishing life is known as the PERMA model. This is the model developed by Martin Seligman, one of the founders of Positive psychology and someone involved in the original research on learned helplessness. After criticism of his original model based on the three types of life and happiness, Seligman identified the Character Strengths and sought to further categorize them to better examine their impacts on human well-being. Seligman arrived at a division of five elements that all contribute to well-being, are pursued for their own sake, and can be measured independently of the other four elements. Within each of these five elements the expression of Character Strengths is important and the utilization of more of the strengths at higher levels leads to greater satisfaction with life and well-being.
Positive Emotions
The P in the PERMA method stand for positive emotions. These are not just the obvious emotions like happiness and joy but also excitement and anticipation. Pride in a group or pleasure at the taking on of a difficult task are also positive emotions that deal with other Character Strengths that can exhibit positive emotions. While these positive emotions can be associated with other outcomes it is an essential element of the PERMA model that they are also pursued for the experience of the emotions themselves. This element can lead to a building of Optimism and resilience in life. Physical feelings of pleasure are certainly an aspect of Positive Emotions as well as the deeper feelings of accomplishment or successful struggle. Also, experiencing and focusing on Positive Emotions can lead to the increase of many other Character Strengths and even physical health improvement. Ways to increase the positive emotions in life are an important part of the model. Building Character Strengths and utilizing them in the pursuit of Positive Emotions can lead to the increased experience of them. For instance, by cultivating Gratitude and Forgiveness a person can come to experience Positive Emotions around events in the past. Practicing Mindfulness and Appreciation of Beauty and Excellence are ways to increase Positive Emotions surrounding the here and now. It is also important to a flourishing life to have Positive Emotions regarding the future and the Character Strengths of Optimism and Hope are essential in this regard. Positive psychology has not only identified these strengths and virtues but also determined they can be applied and strengthened. By practicing and utilizing these strengths and virtues in life it is possible to lead to a life of enjoyment and meaning.
Engagement
The E in PERMA is Engagement. This component of well-being is one with many facets. Work that requires focus can vary in degrees of physical skill and mental taxation. Because of this range Engagement is an aspect of the flourishing life that can be attained through the building of several Character Strengths. The study into this particular foundation of well-being has led to the discovery a particular state of Engagement. Flow is the state where a person is using all of their physical and mental skills to the point of intense focus. Through this intense sense of Engagement a person feels as though time has been distorted because the concentration is so high. This is the extreme level of Engagement though. Character Strengths that help improve the experience of Engagement are Zest. As a person builds these strengths the experience of Engagement will be more readily achieved. Furthermore, activities and ideas that lead to Engagement will and should be sought out in order to achieve and maintain well-being. Goal setting and record keeping can help with the feeling of Engagement and the building of the Character Strengths associated with it. Journaling is a tool often used to increase Engagement through building the Character Strengths mentioned. The establishing of a goal and the detailed noting of struggles and strategies to overcome then are essential to this component of well-being.
Relationship
Relationship is the word for the next letter of the acronym. This refers to individual relationships as well as our place in a larger context. Relationships a person has with other individuals provide context and can also provide larger meaning to life. Love and Kindness are strengths that lead to and build strong Relationships. Building the Character Strength of Social Intelligence will also lead to the creation of greater pleasure from relationships. In addition to personal relationships the Relationship of an individual to the world in a larger sense is important to well-being as well. Spirituality is a Character Strength that can be exercised to build a stronger Relationship to a higher purpose or meaning. Appreciation of Beauty and Excellence is also important in creating perspective and building a positive Relationship to larger groups and concepts. Just as important as the previously mentioned strengths is Gratitude. Exercising Gratitude and Forgiveness in Relationships, personal or otherwise, is important to a building and maintaining those that are vital to well-being. Another Relationship that is crucial to flourishing is the that with one’s self. Humility and Honesty are essential to understanding our own motivations and emotions. By utilizing these Character Strengths in the pursuit of positive Relationships a person can truly learn to lead the good life. Seeking out mentors or scheduling time to talk with family are important tools for building Relationships.
Meaning
Next in PERMA is Meaning. In order for a person to flourish they must have Meaning in their life. This Meaning can come from a variety of sources but all of them are outside of the self. Political causes or religious beliefs can be a source of meaning. Exercising Spirituality and Love help to build and establish Meaning in a person’s life. Developing these strengths to find Meaning in life is an essential component of well-being. Also strengthening a sense of Appreciation of Beauty and Excellence contribute to the finding of Meaning in a person’s life.
Accomplishment
Accomplishment is the final letter in the model acronym. This is another foundation of the model that can be experienced by strengthening many of the twenty-four Character Strengths. A person can use goal-setting to experience Accomplishment while building resilience and many other Character Strengths. Seeking to excel at a particular skill set or in an environment are ways Accomplishment can be experienced but also as part of a team or organization. All five of these components in this model are equally important to living a flourishing life. Additionally, it is important to seek to activate as many Character Strengths as possible in the pursuit of these five foundational building blocks, as outlined by the PERMA model of well-being.
Exercises and Tools
The developing and strengthening of the twenty-four Character Strengths defined by Positive psychology is a worthy goal with many benefits. Obviously, by working on and building Hope and person will become and feel more hopeful about life. Along the same lines, focusing on increasing Appreciation of Beauty and Excellence can lead to greater well-being. This increase in well-being is undeniably a benefit of practice as it not only alleviates potentially negative aspects of life but also makes the enjoyable moments in life more so. By using Positi
ve psychology a person can increase their emotional and physical health as well as their enjoyment of everyday life. Many techniques have been developed by researchers to treat depression, improve health, increase motivation and focus, and strengthen leadership and relationship values in large organizations. One of the many aspects of Positive psychology is its ability to be applied to groups and individuals. Also, the practices involved can have huge impacts on the functioning of the groups and individuals.
One way an individual can increase many of their Character Strengths is to write a letter to themselves. This specific exercise asks that the individual write what is called a self-compassion letter. As the name implies this letter will be written about and to the self. There are several important aspects of this exercise that make it so impactful. Firstly, by utilizing the Character Strengths of Honesty and Humility the individual is asked to identify aspects of themselves they dislike or disagree with. Begin the self-compassion letter by writing in detail about the feelings surrounding whatever aspect or aspects were chosen. By identifying feelings, a person is becoming more introspective and familiar with their emotions and actions surrounding those emotions. Being aware of these emotions is an essential part of being able to control them and our reactions to them. Building Prudence and the other strengths associated with the virtue of Temperance are a large aspect of this exercise. Also in this part of the letter situations caused or affected by these negative aspects should be explored. Character Strengths of Social Intelligence and Fairness are exercised when these negative aspects are placed in a context with other people. It is important to not only identify how these negative aspects of life may affect ourselves but those around us as well. As discussed earlier, Relationships are essential to well-being and understanding how we affect our Relationships positively and negatively is very important. After the first letter has been written in which an individual identifies and examines negative aspects of their life, another letter should be written from a different perspective. The suggested perspective is an imaginary one. Create a person who is unconditionally supportive and loving. This person views the writer of the letter’s negative aspects as avenues for growth and change. Taking this forced perspective is important for the second part of this exercise as it highlights different Character Strengths. To continue the exercise the individual should write a letter about the same aspects from this imaginary friend’s point of view. By using this invented friend to write a letter about the same negative characteristics a person can develop their Forgiveness and Kindness. This exercise also helps develop Mindfulness as a person can put their feeling in perspective, keeping a balanced view of the impact they can have on well-being. After writing this letter it is recommended to keep it for a while but to leave it unattended. Come back to the letter every so often to check on how the feelings have changed around the negative aspects. Reflection is an important part of the learning cycle and by going back to both letters a person can identify how they felt in the past and compare it to how they feel after the exercise. Furthermore, by reading the letter written by the “friend” a person can build Hope and Optimism. This exercise can be effective even if the individual does not necessarily agree with the letter written by their “friend.” Similar to many of the Character Strengths and most aspects of well-being, it can be faked into existence simply by practicing. This is only one of many exercises developed by researchers and can be used separately or in combination with other exercises mentioned later.
Another popular exercise for increasing well-being in life is called taking a vacation. This does not refer to a prolonged vacation or even the physical act of vacating a space for a period of time. This exercise focuses on the vacating of spaces occupied by the mental processes and emotions. If a person feels as though they are living life at full speed and lacks the time and energy to enjoy the special things in life this exercise can be greatly helpful. As mentioned, this is not a physical vacation or even the cessation of work. This exercise is intended to increase the quantity of positive emotions and experiences a person has in their daily life. Research has shown that the amount of happiness a person experiences has a larger impact than the depth of happiness on the overall feeling of well-being and happiness experienced in life. So, taking a vacation is an exercise recommended every single to every person happy and healthy or otherwise. The first and most important aspect of this exercise is the mental state before and during. This vacation is specifically set aside in order for a person to relax. Work will be done on Character Strengths and increasing well-being in this exercise but the mental state is essential to that work happening while maintaining the feeling of relaxation. This part of the exercise requires reflection on the intrapersonal Character Strengths and the building of Perspective to allow an individual to grow beyond the immediate concerns of the day. After realizing and accepting the purpose of accepting this mental state the real work may begin. Taking a vacation every single day will help to build other Character Strengths like Zest and Optimism. Every day of the week a different “vacation” is taken. As discussed earlier this vacation is not physical but a mental focus on relaxation and introspection. Sometimes this vacation can focus on building Relationships or Creativity in a person but always on positive emotions and experiences. An example of a “vacation” is a scheduled activity during the work day. Whether taking a walk or painting a landscape, taking this mental vacation and allowing one’s self time to reflect on tasks performed and prepare for tasks in the future will improve happiness and well-being. Another important aspect of this exercise is to be aware of Character Strengths that can be utilized or built during the process. This can be done best by being present and mindful of the experiences that are occurring during the vacation. In order for this to happen though, one must be willing to accept the beginning state of the exercise and truly go on vacation. After going on a daily vacation it greatly improves the efficacy of this exercise if a journal or even self-conversation is used to reflect on the experience. Not only realizing the positive physical aspects or time saving aspects of this practice but truly reflecting back on the emotions felt and the thoughts had during vacation can greatly increase the impact on daily life. Making this exercise part of a daily routine will also lead to building of other strengths and revelations not initially anticipated. After taking a single vacation during the day, try to make it a point to go on “vacation” every day. By engaging in this practice every day, a person can detail and catalogue their experiences. This awareness is the first step in building strengths and virtues and increasing well0being and happiness throughout life. Vacationing every day can lead to significant increases in feelings of connectedness and the building of those strengths associated with Transcendence and hope for the future. When a person fills their life with joy they begin to expect and work for more joy, vacationing will help with that. To make this an everyday habit one should keep a journal and a schedule. Firstly, the schedule will make sure a vacation is taken every day and the journal will record the efficacy of that particular vacation. Secondly, by making this a part of the schedule every day a person can guarantee a respectable sample size regarding what are efficacious treatments. Lastly, but not least, is doing this every day leads to the developing of mindfulness and perspective. Often times small sample sizes lead a person to draw conclusions based on too little evidence. This journaling and pursuit of happiness every day leads to significant insights and changes. Additionally, the identification of emotions and motivations during specific times in life can influence how a person approaches other aspects of life. By recording the feelings, thoughts, and emotions associated with the before and after of daily vacations a person can better be aware of and manage their emotional and psychological approach to life.