A Step Closer To Happiness
A Step Closer To Happiness
More often than not, our actions are guided by the end goal of achieving happiness. Yet, the concept of 'happiness' has been somewhat of a mystery to define accurately.
Life satisfaction, peace, freedom,purpose, joy etc. are all terms that we associate to define happiness. Whatever the end goal may be, can we learn how to achieve this 'good life'?
Martin Seligman, the founder of Positive Psychology is the force behind the theory of the PERMA model, a theory on well-being consisting of 5 dimensions that have shown a positive relationship with job satisfaction, life satisfaction and physical health.
The 5 constructs are those that people pursue because they add to internal motivation and wellbeing.
P- Positive Feelings
It is important to understand that positive feelings don’t only refer to happiness. It also includes hope, gratitude, excitement, curiosity, joy and even love!
When we feel these emotions, we perform better and flourish in various areas of our life. Learning to explore and integrate these emotions in our daily life leads to improved habitual ways of thinking and therefore behaving.
Few ways to achieve these positive feelings:
Indulge in hobbies and activities that you enjoy.
Spend time with those that make you feel warm.
Practice gratitude.
Be inspired by music, people and the environment around you.
E - ENGAGEMENT
Have you ever experienced a time where you were enjoying the moment so much that you were completely absorbed by it? Working on a project that was so engaging that hours just slipped by? So enthralled by an episode of your favorite show that you didn’t notice the sky change from blue and black?
These experiences are examples of FLOW. Flow is the loss of self-consciousness and being completely absorbed by the task on hand. It's like living in the present moment and only focusing on what's before you.
Research on engagement, showed that people who try to use their core strengths in daily life and different activities reported feeling happier & less depressed!
Few ways to increase engagement:
Make the best of what is presently before you. Live in the moment!
Spend time in nature. Be observant to the cues around you. (Petersen et al., 2021).
Self reflect to identify your strengths.
Do more of what you love doing.
R - (Positive) RELATIONSHIPS
Humans are social animals! We need physical and emotional contact with others which adds to intimacy and connection. Have you noticed that our wellbeing suffers when we are in a fight with someone we love? Do we feel lonely when there is a lack of love and connection?
This comes to show how important relationships are for overall well being.
They are a source for being valued, supported and being loved by others.
Few Ways to build relationships:
Take your time to actually get to know people better.
Connect with people that you may have lost touch with
Reciprocate the good vibes when you see them
M- MEANING
Having a purpose in life is what pushes us to work through the hard days. It is also important for us to recognize the meaning of the world that is greater than us.
Meaning can be pursued in various ways like a social cause, profession, creativity and even religion.
What guides are actions or adds meaning to those actions depends greatly on our personal values, things that we find important.
Few Ways to build meaning:
Consider how your passion can help others.
Indulge in creative pursuits that interest you
Get involved in a cause that matters to you.
A- Achievement
The final building block that helps us flourish is achievement. Having a sense of achievement adds to being satisfied with life along with driving passion. It is great for well being because it fills us with a feeling of pride.
It’s important to know what we can do well so that we can set goals and enjoy the success that follows.
Few ways to achieve accomplishment:
Reflect on past achievements and things you’ve already excelled in.
Celebrate the small wins. No victory is too small.
Set goals that are realistic, achievable and flexible.
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