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©Copyright 2004-‐2015, VIA Institute on Character. All Rights Reserved. Used with Permission. www.viacharacter.org ©Copyright 2015, Positive Psychology Learning 3WEEKS2 improve your strengths course

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3WEEKS2 Improve Your Strengths

Introduction

On Positive Psychology Learning’s free strengths course, you will learn about the

science of strengths, why they are important, what your own signature strengths are

and finally, how to apply your strengths to benefit different areas of your life, e.g.

self-‐development, work, relationships, wellbeing, health and achieving your goals.

At Positive Psychology Learning we are passionate about bringing the science and

research from positive psychology to make it easy for you to understand and more

importantly, apply. This course will begin with

• an introduction to what strengths are

• provide you with a language to describe them

• share the reasons why awareness and use of your strengths will be of benefit

to you

We will provide you with a link to one of the leading psychological strengths

questionnaires where you can discover the hierarchy of your personal strengths.

In week one you will be encouraged to practice one of your top five strengths (your

‘signature’ strengths every day for a week and the same again in week two and week

three. We will share suggestions and ideas about different ways you can do this.

Why learn about strengths?

You may have heard the phrase, “play to your strengths”, but how often do we really

do it? Research about strengths in the workplace, found that only 50% of people had

the opportunity to use their strengths on a daily basis and you may have


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experienced being told to work on your weaknesses to be at your best. The thing is,

working on your weaknesses can be draining, uninspiring and demotivating. Now,

we’re not saying that we can forget about our weaknesses, much in the same way as

if your car has a puncture then we would recommend that you fix it, but to perform

at your best, you should find different ways of applying your strengths.

This has been backed up in an array of studies which have found that a focus on

using your strengths has shown:

• An increase in focus and engagement of tasks

• Greater productivity

• Improved wellbeing

• More job satisfaction

• Greater life satisfaction

• To achieve goals more effectively

• To reduce stress levels

What is a strength?

Often, when we ask this question people respond that a strength is something that

we’re excel at. Yes this is true and there is more to the definition, because you could

be good at a task, but it could be quite boring for you or it may be draining for you

doing the task. We prefer to think of a strength as something that we excel at,

something that brings us enjoyment and energy, as well as something that comes

naturally. We think the last point is important, as often we find that people don’t

notice that a strength of theirs is at play because they think that anyone can do it. In

a recent example, we were working with someone who was talking about how

“everyone just finds another way of around it if they suffer a setback”, not realising

that the strength of perseverance came naturally to him, but not everyone.

In his book, Average to A+: Realising Strengths in Yourself and Others, leading

researcher in the science of strengths, Dr Alex Linley, defined a strength as a “pre-‐


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existing capacity for a particular way of behaving, thinking or feeling, that is

authentic and energising to the user, and enables optimal functioning, development

and performance.”

Do we all have strengths?

Yes! We all have strengths, but we may not know what they are. Research suggests

that only 30% of people can name what their own strengths are, which might be why

people may feel that they don’t have any strengths.

A language for strengths

It has been said that if we don’t have a language for something then we don’t see it.

Fortunately, world renowned psychologists have have come together to create a

classification of strengths (Peterson & Seligman, (2004), which defines 24 character

strengths. They have also created the VIA Survey, which has been taken by over 2.6

million people, for you to find out your strengths, with your top five strengths being

seen as your signature strengths.

Peterson, C., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2004). Character strengths and virtues: A

handbook and classification. New York: Oxford University Press and Washington, DC:

American Psychological Association. www.viacharacter.org

Warning!

Just as we can underuse our strengths, we can also overuse them. Having a greater

awareness of our strengths can help to find the optimal point of applying a given

strength in the appropriate amount and in the appropriate situation

3WEEKS2 Improve my Strengths?

The aim of our course is to build your awareness of your strengths and your

application of them help you to improve one or many of the following:

• Focus and engagement of tasks


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• Productivity

• Wellbeing

• Happiness

• Job satisfaction

• Life satisfaction

• Achieving your goals

• Stress levels

Why offer a free Positive Psychology Learning course?

At Positive Psychology Learning we are passionate about bringing the science and

research from positive psychology to make it easy to understand and more

importantly, share how it can be applied in everyday life.

Our free 3 week Positive Psychology Learning Strengths course will take you through

simple steps to provide you a basic understanding of what strengths are and how

they can be of benefit to you.

Who is this course designed for?

Whether you have already heard about the exciting research in the area of

‘strengths’ and are eager to find out how this can benefit you or if you are someone

who has never even considered what your strengths are (although might be acutely

aware of your own perceived ‘weaknesses’) this course is designed for you.

Research shows that you can utilise your strengths to improve and maximise your

potential in key areas of your life, including self-‐development, work, relationships,

wellbeing, health and goal achievement. (statistic about success and happiness?)

On Positive Psychology Learning’s free 3 week strengths course.

You will discover -‐

• what your unique top 5 signature strengths are

• why they are so important for your happiness, success and wellbeing

• how to apply them in different ways in different situations


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You may have heard the phrase, “play to your strengths”. It’s good advice but first

you need to know what your strengths are and second, how to use them. Our aim on

this free 3 three work course is to help you discover both.

And your undiscovered strengths

You might describe a strength as something you excel at. Whilst this can be true

there is more to it than that. For instance, you could be good at a task, but find it

boring or draining. We believe that the characteristics of a strength are something

that brings you enjoyment and energy, as well as something that comes naturally

to you. You may not notice or value something as a strength if you believe that most

people also possess it. For instance, on one of our recent courses we were working

with someone who said “everyone just finds another way to solve a problem if they

suffer a setback’. You probably realise this isn’t true unless of course, like our

delegate, you also have the strength of perseverance and mistakenly think everyone

does.

In his book, Average to A+: Realising Strengths in Yourself and Others, leading

researcher in the science of strengths, Dr Alex Linley, defined a strength as a “pre-‐

existing capacity for a particular way of behaving, thinking or feeling, that is

authentic and energising to the user, and enables optimal functioning, development

and performance.”

Perhaps you have already gained new insight into what could be a strength of yours?

Use your strengths to improve life at work

Research about strengths in the workplace, found that only 50% of people had the

opportunity to use their strengths on a daily basis. You may believe or have been

told that in order to be at your best you should work on your weaknesses but in fact

evidence shows that not only is this ineffective but it is often draining, uninspiring

and demotivating. However, numerous studies show that by focussing instead on

your strengths you are likely to experience a number of benefits including -‐

• An increase in focus and engagement of tasks


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• Greater productivity

• Improved wellbeing

• More job satisfaction

• Achieve goals more effectively

• A reduction of stress

Do we all have strengths?

Yes! Everyone has strengths, but you might not be aware of them yet. Research

suggests that only 30% of people can identify and name their own strength. Simply

knowing what your tops strengths are can make a huge difference how you feel

about yourself. Using your top strengths can help you to fully optimise your potential

in every area of your life.

I’m struggling to describe my strengths?

It has been said that if we don’t have a language for something then we don’t see it.

This may be a reason why people overlook their own strength

Fortunately, world renowned psychologists have have come together to create a

classification of strengths (Peterson & Seligman, (2004), which defines 24 character

strengths. They have also created the VIA Survey, which has been taken by over 2.6

million people.

I don’t know what my strengths are?

Most people are able to create a list of perceived weaknesses quite easily but

struggle when they are asked to list their strengths. Even people who are aware of

some of their strengths may still have some that they do not recognise or appreciate

it. We will provide you with access to one of the leading psychological strengths

questionnaires and then give you a personalised 3 week plan where you practice

using your top 3 strengths.


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What are signature strengths?

Your top five strengths are regarded as your signature strengths. In our free online

course we have decided to concentrate only on your top three but you may want to

discover more about your other strengths later. The full description of all the

character strengths are published in Character strengths and virtues: A handbook

and classification. New York: Oxford University Press and Washington, DC: American

Psychological Association. www.viacharacter.org

Why practice my strengths?

Practice makes perfect! You may have underutilised or unrecognised strengths.

During this 3 week course you will be encouraged to use each of your 3 strengths in

different ways to see what a difference it makes. Each week we will send you an

email with ideas and suggestions of different ways you can utilise each of your

particular strengths in different ways.

Is there any downside to using my strengths?

Just as we can underuse our strengths, we can also overuse them. Having a greater

awareness of our strengths can help to find the optimal point of applying a given

strength in the appropriate amount and in the appropriate situation.

What about weaknesses?

We don’t suggest that we can simply forget about our weaknesses and in fact

becoming aware of and utilising your strengths can be an effective way of improving

the things that you are not so good at. In the same way we would first advise you to

fix a puncture to your car if you wanted to set out on a journey so too would we

advise you to pay attention to any weakness if it was having an extreme negative

effect on your work, relationships or health. However, our course is designed to help

you go from good to great and the best way to do that is to work with your

strengths.


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Can I connect with other people on the course?

We won’t share any of the information you give us with anyone else. However, there

is a Positive Psychology Learning Facebook page where you may like to share your

daily experiences and on request we will be happy to provide a closed group

specifically for people on this course

3WEEKS2 Improve Your Strengths

Before you start

Unless you already know what you character strengths are please go to the VIA

website to create an account and then complete the strengths survey, which should

take between 20-‐30 minutes. viacharacter.org/survey/account/register

Your results will be emailed to you in descending order starting with your five

‘signature strengths’.

The 24 character strengths are listed in 6 categories of wisdom, courage, humanity,

justice, temperance and transcendence and your will find each of your strengths in

one or more them.

Each strength has a title and a short definition. An image is provided with a simple

phrase to help you remember how you can use each strength. Each of these phrases

were first published on the blog of Ryan Niemiec, award winning psychologist, coach

and the Education Director of VIA Institute. http://www.viacharacterblog.org/a-‐

simple-‐phrase-‐for-‐each-‐character-‐strength/ and we are most grateful that we have

been granted permission to share them with you here.


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Practice Your Strengths

You can start the course whenever you are ready.

Each week for three weeks choose one of your signature strengths to practice. You

can pick any of the five signature strengths but you may like to consider picking one

that you are aware that you use often, one that you feel that you use less frequently

and one that appeals to you for whatever reason. Even if you are used to using a

particular strength we encourage you to find different ways of doing this.

Once you found your particular strength you will find seven suggestions of ways to

use each strength. You may choose to use a different one each day, a combination of

a few or find your own way to practice them. If you have any ideas that you think

may be of benefit to anyone else doing this course, please share them with us via

our website or on our Positive Psychology Learning Facebook page. You may find

other ideas and inspiration from this list created and shared by Psychologist Tayyab

Rashid Phd http://www.viacharacter.org/resources/ways-‐to-‐use-‐via-‐character-‐

strengths/

There is no right or wrong way to do this course but we do encourage you to

complete the full three weeks. One of the things emphasised in positive psychology

is ‘right fit,’ -‐ finding what suits you personally rather than a ‘one-‐fit-‐for-‐all’

approach. However, we would suggest that you also try some things that may feel a

little out of your comfort zone to provide you with a challenge and maybe a few

surprises!


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24 VIA Character Strengths® List

CORE VIRTUE – WISDOM & KNOWLEDGE

Acquistion and use of knowledge

Curiosity

VIA describe the strength of curiosity as not shrinking from taking an interest in

ongoing experience for its own sake; finding subjects and topics fascinating;

exploring and discovering.

Here are 7 suggestions for how you can apply your strength of curiosity over the

coming week. If you have your own ideas, please go ahead and apply them in the

appropriate measure and appropriate situation. Consider sharing them with others

by posting them on the Positive Psychology Learning Facebook page. We’d love to

see some photographs of some of how you’ve put your strength into practice.


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1. Taste a new food that you have never tried before

2. Read a book on a subject you know nothing about

3. Visit an art gallery, a museum or place of interest

4. Trace your family tree and discover what you can about your ancestors

5. Visit a place you’ve never been before or take a walk in part of your

neighbourhood unfamiliar to you

6. Discover which famous people were born on the same day as you. Do you

have anything in common with them?

7. Interview someone much older you than and ask them what life was like

when they were growing up

Creativity


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VIA describe the strength of creativity as thinking of novel and productive ways to

conceptualize and do things; includes artistic achievement but is not limited to it.

Here are 7 suggestions for how you can apply your strength of creativity over the





1. Fill a notebook with doodles, sketches or drawings

2. Write a short imaginative story or verse

3. Rearrange your office space or a room at home

4. Do one of your routine tasks in a completely different way from usual

5. Create some model animals using tin foil, clay or another material

6. Think of novel ways to raise some money for a charity

7. Wear items from your wardrobe in a different way and different colour

combinations


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Judgment/critical thinking

VIA describe the strength of judgement as thinking things through and examining

them from all sides; not jumping to conclusions; being able to change one's mind in

light of evidence; weighing all evidence fairly.

Here are 7 suggestions for how you can apply your strength of judgement over the





1. Pick a controversional topic and make an argument for both sides

2. Review a recent decision you’ve made and see if you still believe it was the

best one. Change your mind if you need to

3. Help a friend/family member/colleague to make a decision. Point out the up

the pros and cons of the choices they have


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4. Watch or listen to the news and notice where reports are based on

assumptions and conclusions reached that may not be based on fact

5. Join a debating society and practice defending an idea that you may not

necessary believe is true

6. Think about a time when a decision you’ve made or an argument you’ve won

has had subequent negative consequences. If you’d been aware of the bigger

picture would you have acted differently?

7. Don’t take claims made for different products and foods at face value but

look for other information such as how many people were in the study and

who paid for the research? A food is ‘low fat’ but is it high in sugar?

Love of learning

VIA describe the strength of love of learning as mastering new skills, topics, and

bodies of knowledge, whether on one's own or formally; obviously related to the


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strength of curiosity but goes beyond it to describe the tendency to add

systematically to what one knows.

Here are 7 suggestions for how you can apply your strength of love of learning over

the coming week. If you have your own ideas, please go ahead and apply them in the




1. Ask someone to teach you a simple skill that they have and you don’t.

2. Pick a subject you’re interested in and learn something new about it

3. Use a dictionary to discover a word that is new to you and use it in

conversation as often as you can

4. Learn how to say hello, goodbye and thank you at least 4 different languages.

Try and use them with native speakers of each language when you can

5. Share something that you’ve recently learnt with someone else

6. Attend a workshop or seminar to learn something new

7. Participate in a team quiz or watch a quiz programme on TV. If you don’t

know the answer do some research to find out more


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Perspective

VIA describe the strength of perspective as being able to provide wise counsel to

others; having ways of looking at the world that make sense to oneself and to other

people.

Here are 7 suggestions for how you can apply your strength of perspective over the





1. Offer advice to someone who is experiencing some difficulty

2. Read or listen to an account of something that expresses the opposite view

to yours and consider how it differs from yours

3. Offer an alternative perspective to a person who has a strong opinion about

something


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4. If you compare yourself to others more fortunate than yourself, address the

balance by also comparing yourself to those less fortunate

5. When you are faced with something that is very upsetting consider whether

how much it will matter in a few days/week/month/year etc.

6. There is a tendency to pay more attention to the negative than the positive

and rarely does anything fail by 100% remember to look at all the

information

7. When things go wrong look remember to look at the bigger picture. For

instance, being stuck in traffic is inconvenient but it may be because of a fatal

road accident

CORE VIRTUE -‐ COURAGE

Exercising will to accomplish goals in the face of opposition, external or internal

Bravery


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VIA describe the strength of bravery as not shrinking from threat, challenge,

difficulty, or pain; speaking up for what is right even if there is opposition; acting on

convictions even if unpopular; includes physical bravery but is not limited to it.

Here are 7 suggestions for how you can apply your strength of bravery over the


appropriate

measure and appropriate situation. Consider sharing them with others by posting

them on the Positive Psychology Learning Facebook page. We’d love to see some

photographs of some of how you’ve put your strength into practice.

1. Do something that takes you out of your comfort zone but isn’t challenging

enough to be frightening. It could be something involves bring attention to

yourself, or something that challenges a fear.

2. Admit a personal vulnerability to yourself or somebody else. Tell someone

about a time where you made an error or embarrassed yourself publicly.

3. Accept a new challenge even if it’s as small as getting up 30 minutes earlier

so that you can do some exercise

4. Offer a different viewpoint to a popular opinion and defend your beliefs

5. Recall a time when you have shown courage to overcome a difficulty and

think about the resources you used

6. Do one thing that you’ve been making excuses not to do because you fear

you might fail

7. Stand up for someone who doesn’t have the courage or ability to stand up

for themselves.


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Perseverance

VIA describe the strength of perseverance as finishing what one starts; persisting in a

course of action in spite of obstacles; “getting it out the door”; taking pleasure in

completing tasks.

Here are 7 suggestions for how you can apply your strength of perseverance over





1. Choose a task that you have been putting off, set a deadline and ensure you

meet it

2. Make a list of short-‐term goals and display it where you will see it each day.

Enjoy scoring out each one as your achieve it


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3. Identify a long-‐term goal and the small sequential steps you need to take to

achieve it. Create a timetable and deadline for each step, set your intention

to complete them and reward yourself when you do.

4. If you don’t feel like doing an unpleasant task make the commitment to do it

for 5 or 10 minutes only. Often it is inertia that holds us back and once we

start we find it easy to continue.

5. Put your task on post-‐it notes and display them somewhere where you will

see them. As you complete each one, screw it up and throw it away.

6. Combine an unpleasant task with a pleasant one. Listen to music or watch a

TV programme when doing a domestic chore like ironing, or phone a friend

when walking the dog.

7. Don’t give up when you meet resistance or obstacles in your way. Be

determined to either get over them or get around them. Remind yourself of

why this is important to you and don’t let set-‐backs deter you.

Honesty


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VIA describe the strength of honesty as speaking the truth but more broadly

presenting oneself in a genuine way and acting in a sincere way; being without

pretense; taking responsibility for one's feelings and actions.

Here are 7 suggestions for how you can apply your strength of honesty over the





1. Admit something to yourself that you’ve been denying or feels

uncomfortable

2. Be honest to someone in a way which will have a positive impact on them

and won’t hurt their feelings

3. If you have made a mistake, take personal responsibility to apologise for it

and correct it if you can

4. Be authentic when interacting with people rather than trying to impress or

display the behaviour you believe they expect or desire from you

5. Tell the truth even when it would be easier to lie

6. Sincerely compliment another person

7. Admit to yourself when you feel jealous, resentful or judgemental of others


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Zest

VIA describe the strength of zest as approaching life with excitement and energy; not

doing

things halfway or halfheartedly; living life as an adventure; feeling alive and

activated.

Here are 7 suggestions for how you can apply your strength of zest over the coming

week. If you have your own ideas, please go ahead and apply them in the




1. Find something new that interests you and get involved with it

2. Do something adventurous and exciting such as a sport, or go on thrilling

fairground ride

3. Plan to do something or go somewhere that excites you in the near future


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4. Fully participate on a task that you may not have been fully committed to

previously

5. Talk about something you are passionate about to someone else

6. Ask someone to speak about a subject they are passionate about

7. Do something that energised you in the past that you haven’t done for a

period of time

CORE VIRTUE-‐-‐-‐-‐HUMANITY

Tending and befriending others

Love

VIA describe the strength of love as valuing close relations with others, in particular

those in which sharing and caring are reciprocated; being close to people.

Here are 7 suggestions for how you can apply your strength of love over the coming



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1. Verbally express your love to someone who matters to you. Choose someone

that who is not used to hearing you say this. If you feel uncomfortable doing

it face to face, use the telephone, email or letter.

2. Do something special, no matter how small, for someone you love

3. Take opportunities to express your love physically through hugs, kisses and

cuddles ensuring that it is appropriate and welcomed by the other party.

4. Collect photos of loved ones and spend time looking at them before

displaying them somewhere that you will see them often

5. Practice loving kindness meditation this is a link to some on the website of

positive psychologist Barbara Fredrickson

http://www.positivityresonance.com/meditations.html

6. Notice and appreciate the loving feelings you have things that are not human

such as pets, animals, nature, objects

7. Build relationships within your community by joining a club, organisation or a

charity that cares for others


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Kindness

VIA describe the strength of kindness as doing favors and good deeds for others;

helping them; taking care of them.

Here are 7 suggestions for how you can apply your strength of kindness over the





1. Perform some simple random acts of kindness such as picking up rubbish,

running an errand or helping someone to manage a task

2. Help someone in need by donating money, time or working for a charity

3. Spend time with someone who is lonely and would appreciate your company

4. Be a patient and kind driver


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5. Donate items of value that you no longer need to a charity shop

6. Learn the names of people that you see often so you can greet them by name

7. Take more care of your body and nourish it with good food, exercise and

plenty of rest

Social intelligence

VIA describe the strength of social intelligence as being aware of the motives and

feelings of other people and oneself; knowing what to do to fit into different social

situations; knowing what makes other people tick. Consider sharing them with

others by posting them on the Positive Psychology Learning Facebook page. We’d

love to see some photographs of some of how you’ve put your strength into

practice.

Here are 7 suggestions for how you can apply your strength of social intelligence

over the coming week. If you have your own ideas, please go ahead and apply them

in the appropriate measure and appropriate situation.


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1. If you disagree with someone, resist saying anything until they have fully

expressed their view. Continue to listen to what they are saying rather than

forming your own response

2. Notice how different emotions affect different parts of your body and see if

you can notice changes in the body language of other people when they are

in particular moods

3. Practice being empathetic and see things from the view of others even if you

don’t agree

4. In conversations with others, ask questions, check for understanding and

show that you are genuinely interested in what they are saying

5. Notice the things that make you feel stressed and experiment with different

ways of relieving it, for instance, going for a walk, meditation, exercise, being

in company etc.

6. Be less critical and place your attention on what has gone right rather than

wrong when you are giving feedback to friends, colleagues and family

7. Practice being responsive rather than reactive. Set a positive intention before

communicating with others, especially when you feel emotional


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CORE VIRTUE-‐-‐-‐-‐JUSTICE

Healthy community life

Teamwork

VIA describe the strength of teamwork as working well as a member of a group or

team; being loyal to the group; doing one's share.

Here are 7 suggestions for how you can apply your strength of teamwork over the




see some photographs of some of how you’ve put your strength into practice

1. Support a colleague and offer help even if it’s not asked for. If you can’t help

with the task they are doing ask if there is something else you can do for

them

2. Create a rota at home or/and work so that everyone contributes to mundane

tasks that need to be done regularly


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3. Get involved with organisations that support your local community or

consider starting one yourself

4. Join a local sports team, drama group or other organisation and fulfill a

supporting role

5. Get to know your neighbours and the people you work well and take an

interest in their activities and news

6. Let people know that you are always available to help, support or offer

advice if it’s needed. Make sure people know how to contact you

7. Praise people and show your appreciation for their efforts both at work and

at home

Fairness


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VIA describe the strength of fairness as treating all people the same according to

notions of fairness and justice; not letting personal feelings bias decisions about

others; giving everyone a fair chance.

Here are 7 suggestions for how you can apply your strength of fairness over the





1. Acknowledge your personal bias but put it aside when making decisions

2. Allow other people to express their opinion especially those who may be shy

or quiet

3. Think about people who suffer or have suffered from injustice. How would

you feel in the same situation?

4. If you believe something is unfair make your voice heard. Complain in a calm

and rational way, using the correct procedures – write a letter, speak to the

person in charge etc.

5. Commit to treating people as you would like to be treated yourself, show

respect, appreciation and patience

6. Show tolerance for something that may usually irritate you

7. Consider getting involved in a cause that you feel passionate about, sign a

petition for instance


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Leadership

VIA describe the strength of leadership as encouraging a group of which one is a

member to get things done, and at the same time maintaining good relations within

the group; organizing group activities and seeing that they happen.

Here are 7 suggestions for how you can apply your strength of leadership over the





1. Organise an enjoyable activity for others, a trip, party or outing for example

2. Give clear guidance to person or group as to what you expect from them if

this is your role. Be available and approachable should they need further

clarification

3. Check that people around you are happy and have the resources they need

to accomplish their tasks. Let them know you care about how they feel.


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4. Set a good example and never ask anyone to do something you would not do

yourself.

5. Think of different ways that you can motivate other people to succeed.

Encourage them to achieve things that you believe they are capable of even if

they don’t. Congratulate them when they are successful

6. Allow others to take a leading role when appropriate and encourage their

efforts

7. Mentor others and share your knowledge and skill set, in the organisation

you work and/or schools, charities or other groups

CORE VIRTUE-‐-‐-‐-‐TEMPERANCE

Protecting against excess

Forgiveness


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VIA describe the strength of forgiveness as forgiving those who have done wrong;

accepting the shortcomings of others; giving people a second chance; not being

vengeful.

Here are 7 suggestions for how you can apply your strength of forgiveness over the





1. Acknowledge that we all make mistakes and behave badly sometimes

2. Forgive yourself for a mistake you made in the past and commit to making

sure you don’t repeat it in the future

3. Write a letter forgiving a person who has wronged you in the past. You can

choose to send it or destroy it afterwards

4. Think about the following phrase -‐ "Holding onto anger is like grasping a hot

coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets

burned." Then decide if you can let go of some anger you feel towards

someone else.

5. In a quarrel be the first to say sorry even if you believe it wasn’t your fault

6. Make a list of any wrongs that have been made against you. Read the list to

see if there are any things that you have never done yourself!

7. Think of all the times you have wronged someone and they have forgiven

you. How did it feel? How would you feel if they had not forgiven you and

they still hold a grudge?


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Humility

VIA describe the strength of humility as letting one's accomplishments speak for

themselves; not regarding oneself as more special than one is.

Here are 7 suggestions for how you can apply your strength of humility over the



by posting them on the Positive Psychology Learning Facebook page.

We’d love to see some photographs of some of how you’ve put your strength into

practice.

1. Ensure you have thanked and praised those who have helped you in the past

and consider doing it again

2. Resist the temptation to show off even when it would feel good to do so


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3. When you receive praise, acknowledge the efforts of others who made it

possible

4. Praise others and acknowledge those who are more talented and skillful than

you are

5. Pay sincere and authentic compliments to others in preference to flattery

6. Allow others to stand in the limelight and be the centre of attention

7. Ask for feedback about what you could do better as well as what you do well

Prudence

VIA describe the strength of prudence as being careful about one's choices; not

taking undue risks; not saying or doing things that might later be regretted.

Here are 7 suggestions for how you can apply your strength of prudence over the




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1. Take time to consider all options before making a decision

2. Don’t take unnecessary risks such as driving too fast, or ignoring safety

procedures

3. Seek the opinions of others before making important decisions

4. Think about the long-‐term effects of short-‐term decisions instead of being

impulsive

5. Write important emails in draft form then leave them for a period of time

before reading them again. This will give you the opportunity to consider

whether it is likely to be received in the manner you intended so you can edit

or delete it accordingly.

6. Don’t make important decisions when you are tired, hungry or upset

7. Ask yourself what could go wrong before taking a chance on something going

right. Weigh up the risk factors against the possible gain before making your

choice.


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Self-‐regulation

VIA describe the strength of self-‐regulation as regulating what one feels and does;

being disciplined; controlling one's appetites and emotions.

Here are 7 suggestions for how you can apply your strength of self-‐regulation over





1. Set yourself a series of small goals for the day that will support your

wellbeing and keep to them, for instance, personal hygeine, household tasks,

exercise and what you eat and drink

2. Become aware of your breathing. Practice breathing exercises to get you in

the habit of breathing from the abdomen rather than shallow breathing

3. Make sure you get enough sleep. Don’t do work or watch TV in the bedroom

and stick to a regular bedtime routine


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4. Take frequent breaks during the day to keep you energised

5. Plan in advance how you will resist temptations and distractions that will

interfere with your plan for the day

6. When you complete a demanding task or fulfill a goal reward yourself with a

reward that you have thought about in advance

7. Change routines or do things differently to build your resolve. For instance

use your nondominant hand for simple tasks or keep your car keys in a

different place

CORE VIRTUE-‐-‐-‐-‐TRANSCENDANCE

Forging connections to the larger universe and providing meaning

Appreciation of beauty and excellence

VIA describe the strength of appreciation of beauty and excellence as noticing and

appreciating beauty, excellence, and/or skilled performance in various domains of

life, from nature to art to mathematics to science to everyday experience.


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Here are 7 suggestions for how you can apply your strength of appreciation of

beauty and excellence over the coming week. If you have your own ideas, please go

ahead and apply them in the appropriate measure and appropriate situation.

Consider sharing them with others by posting them on the Positive Psychology

Learning Facebook page. We’d love to see some photographs of some of how you’ve

put your strength into practice.

1. Take a walk in nature and make a mental note of all the things that give you

pleasure. Consider the different sights, smells, sounds and sensations you are

aware of.

2. Notice something in your home or office that has been well-‐designed. It may

be a functional piece of equipment, a piece of art or architecture. Consider

the way it was created and the purpose it serves.You may see everyday

objects in a different way.

3. Observe another person is performing well and reflect on what strength they

are displaying

4. Write about at least one thing/person/event that inspires you and the reason

why

5. Find an opportunity to watch someone doing something they are very skilled

at. A sports person, musician, artist, carpenter, chef, public speaker for

instance. What do you notice about the way they perform? How do they

look? What strength do they display?

6. Appreciate the beauty of another person. Spend some time people watching,

in a public place, at work or with your family. What is beauty? How do you

judge beauty in a person’s physical appearance and how do you judge it in

their character?


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7. Appreciate the beauty of yourself Listen to a piece of music that you like

(with or without lyrics). Give it your whole attention until it has finished.

What is it that you enjoy? Why do you like this music more than others

Gratitude

VIA describe the strength of gratitude as being aware of and thankful for the good

things that happen; taking time to express thanks.

Here are 7 suggestions for how you can apply your strength of gratitude over the





1. Write down 3 things that you’re grateful for today and reflect upon the

reason why. Repeat this exercise for 7 days.


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2. Thank a person who regularly delivers a service to you, a shop assistant,

receptionist or taxi driver for instance. Tell them why what they do is

important to you

3. Write a gratitude letter to someone who has had a positive influence in your

life and tell them why you appreciate them

4. Accept compliments gracefully and thank the person for making the

comment rather than brushing it off or dismissing it

5. Keep a gratitude journal and record the things that you are grateful each day.

Read through it from time to time

6. If someone gives you good service, send an email to their manager praising

them as well as giving a personal thank you

7. Make a list of the ‘invisible’ people who make your life better, the emergency

services, refuse collectors, farmers, service providers and imagine life without

them.

Hope


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VIA describe the strength of hope as expecting the best in the future and working to

achieve it; believing that a good future is something that can be brought about.

Here are 7 suggestions for how you can apply your strength of hope over the coming





1. Think of unfortunate things they have happened to you in the past and

recognise what good may have come out of it. For instance, you lost your job

but got a better one, a relationship ended but you are in a better one now

2. Visualise what your ‘perfect day’ would look like from the time you get up

until going to bed. Imagine every detail including what you would eat, what

you would wear, what you would do, who you would be with. Decide how

many things are possible for you to do now and which you will plan to do in

the future.

3. Spend time with people who are good role models of the way you would like

to live your life. Ask them how they achieved the things that you also would

like to accomplish

4. Think about your future in 1 year, 3 years and 10 years from now and what

you would need to do to make that vision a probability. Formulate a plan for

achieving some aspects of it

5. Make a plan for a future goal and then think about all the things that could

go wrong and how you would overcome them


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6. Find out about people who have faced enormous challenges like illness, false

imprisonment, bankcruptcy for instnace and yet still remained hopeful. How

did they do it?

7. Express hope in the abilities of others and remind them (and yourself) that

often failure creates the learning that leads to success

Humour

VIA describe the strength of humour as liking to laugh and tease; bringing smiles to

other people; seeing the light side; making (not necessarily telling) jokes.

Here are 7 suggestions for how you can apply your strength of humour over the





1. Watch an episode/film/YouTube clip of something that makes you laugh


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2. Tell a joke to someone and ask them to tell you one in return

3. Recall an incident that was really funny and tell someone about it

4. Practice laughing every time you make a mistake or forget something instead

of getting frustrated and cursing or complaining

5. Help people to see the funny side when things go wrong

6. Play a game or sport with other people just for fun

7. Socialise with people who you know tend to enjoy themselves and laugh a lot

Spirituality

VIA describe the strength of spirituality as having coherent beliefs about the higher

purpose and meaning of the universe; knowing where one fits within the larger

scheme; having beliefs about the meaning of life that shape conduct and provide

comfort.


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Here are 7 suggestions for how you can apply your strength of spirituality over the





1. Think about what brings you meaning and purpose in your life

2. Spend some time in quiet meditation and consider the question ‘what is my

life purpose’ whether you believe in this concept or not

3. Write your own eulogy. What would you want to be remembered for

4. Explore the beliefs of different religions and look for what they have in

common

5. Ask your friends and family what their beliefs are about life and death. Do

they match with yours?

6. If you have a religion check to see whether your life style is aligned with its

teachings and if not what does it mean?

7. Think about things in nature that inspire you and/or fill you with awe and

watch some documentaries on the subject.

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