DAILY AWARENESS OF STRENGTHS
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DAILY AWARENESS OF STRENGTHS One of the great things about positive psychology is that it encourages individuals to identify and utilize their strengths in order to boost their well-being and live happier, more productive lives. According to extensive research done by positive psychology pioneers, Martin Seligman and Chris Peterson, there are six universal virtues that are valued across all cultures and faiths: • Humanity • Courage • Wisdom • Justice • Temperance • Transcendence
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HOW ARE THESE VIRTUES OBTAINED? According to Seligman and Peterson, they are developed through the development of strengths. They found 24 strengths, which all people possess to varying degrees. These strengths correspond with the virtues, as follows: Humanity
Kindness, Love, Social encouragement
Courage
Bravery, Honesty, Persistence, Zest
Justice
Fairness, Leadership, Teamwork
Wisdom
Creativity, Curiosity, Judgment, Love of learning, Perspective
Temperance
Forgiveness, Humility, Self-control, Prudence
Transcendence
Appreciation of beauty, Gratitude, Hope, Humor, Spirituality
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Your personal strengths aren’t just things you are good at – they energize you and make you feel aligned. So, it would follow that regularly doing activities that exercise your personal strengths will improve self-confidence, make life more enjoyable, and provide a sense of purpose and well-being. To discover the strengths and virtues you measure highest in, take the free assessment at: www.viacharacter.org/www/Character-Strengths-Survey Next, take some time to reflect on the activities that fill your time in a typical week – whether they are part of your work day, social life, recreation, or obligations. Are you aligned with the things that you do? Use this chart to help you reflect over the next week, and record your findings. Activity: Enjoyment:
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Ease of Activity:
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Energy Level:
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Strength(s) Exercised:
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Activity: Enjoyment:
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Ease of Activity:
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Energy Level:
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Enjoyment:
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Ease of Activity:
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Energy Level:
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Strength(s) Exercised:
Activity:
Strength(s) Exercised:
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Taking a wide angle view of your chart and your activities for the week,
would you say that you do more things that are in line or out of line with your strengths? What things are you doing that aren’t bringing you a sense of joy, energy, or alignment?
Can you brainstorm any ideas to modify these activities?
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What are some activities you aren’t doing that align with your strengths? List them, and schedule time to incorporate them into your week. It may feel like you don’t have time for these things. But, remember: The more things you do that are aligned with your strengths, the more positive energy you’ll have!