Learning To Flourish
“Make the most of yourself, for that is all there is of you.”
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
The idea of human flourishing dates as far back as early Greek times with Aristotle’s philosophical study of happiness in his work entitled, “Nicomachean Ethics”. He used the term, “eudaemonia” to describe a well-lived, complete life rooted in virtues and ethics. In the modern day study of positive psychology, Dr. Martin E. Seligman proposed a more holistic approach to flourishing which expands on those ideas of Aristotle. Seligman coined the acronym - PERMA - to describe the attributes which need to be in place for any human being to thrive and live what he calls, “the good life”. They are as follows:
P - Positive Emotions
E - Engagement
R - Relationships
M - Meaning
A - Accomplishments
So how can we cultivate more PERMA in our lives and go from simply enduring day after day to actually flourishing? The answer is learning how to make more intentional choices for ourselves which will in turn, move us towards greater optimism, well-being and positivity.
As humans, we have a tendency to focus on what is broken and what is not working for us rather than what is good in our lives. This natural tendency to focus on the negative is what’s called a, “negativity bias”. As psychologist Dr. Rick Hanson describes it, “The brain is like Velcro for negative experiences, but Teflon for positive ones”. Meaning, it takes far more effort to be positive and stay focused on the good than it does to default to the negative. The good news is, we have the ability to change our mindset and move away from this negativity bias. When we learn how to change the lens from which we view our circumstances, we open ourselves up to seeing a whole different perspective or rather, the “big picture” of our lives. This awareness and broadening of possibilities allows us to take the necessary steps towards change and flourishing. Using the framework of SPIRE, we will explore the five dimensions of well-being that contribute to an increase in positive emotions, meaning and the like.
S - Spiritual (Leading a meaningful life and savoring the present)
P - Physical (Caring for the body and tapping into the mind/body connection)
I - Intellectual (Engaging in ongoing learning and being open to new experiences)
R - Relational - (Nurturing connections with others)
E - Emotional (Feeling the full range of emotions and moving towards positivity and resiliency)
As you can see, the SPIRE framework of well-being is very closely aligned with the PERMA construct on human flourishing. The SPIRE model provides a simple way to check-in with yourself on a regular basis (daily or weekly) to bring awareness to those areas where you are doing well and to those areas which might need a little more attention. A SPIRE check-in requires you to assess what your experience is right now across the five dimensions, become aware of what you need more or less of, and then take corrective action. Begin by asking yourself:
WHAT IS MY EXPERIENCE RIGHT NOW? - On a piece of paper or in a journal, draw a vertical line underneath each of the letters for SPIRE and at opposite ends of the line write “low” and “high”. Now rate yourself on each of the SPIRE dimensions.
WHAT ELSE CAN I BE AWARE OF? - Dig a little deeper by writing underneath your rating some of the reasons behind why you rated yourself the way you did. For example, maybe you gave yourself high rating for the Physical dimension because you walked every day this past week. Note that.
WHAT ACTION CAN I TAKE? - Now that you can see the full picture of where you are in the moment, you can begin to take corrective action. Note, it might not always be the lowest rating that requires your immediate attention. It can also be that your highest rating is pushing down everything else and maybe you have “too much” focus all in one area. Decide where you need to put your focus today and then take one small action step. For example, maybe you gave yourself a low rating for the Relational dimension as you haven’t been able to connect with friends recently. Your corrective action could be to call up a friend and schedule a coffee date.
Although this is a quick and simple way to check-in with yourself it provides a wealth of insight into how you are doing in the moment and how you can do better for yourself going forward. Becoming aware of what you need more or less of is the first step in cultivating more positivity and living a life where you are flourishing. So why not take a moment today to check-in with yourself, you might be surprised at what you discover!
IDEAS FOR CORRECTIVE ACTION STEPS
Spritual
Pay attention to your breathing
Think about what is most meaningful to you
Remind yourself of your values and strengths
Physical
Go for a walk
Eat a healthy meal
Take a nap
Intellectual
Visit a museum
Read a book on a topic that you’re curious about
Do something you’ve never done before
Relational
Tell someone what you appreciate about them
Hug someone you love
Spend some uninterrupted, focused time with friends or family
Emotional
Smile more
Ask yourself what you need in this moment to feel greater joy
Recall a time when your strengths helped you to overcome adversity
