Have you ever seen a sumo fight? I think at the present time most of us are fighting such a battle. Changes, fears, threats try to push us out of our comfort zone, out of the sphere of our effectiveness. And they are very thick and strong. But guess what. We, too, are “fat people” with great strength. Just maybe we don’t always realize it. Sometimes we forget how much we have already been through and what we have accomplished. We forget our inner strengths, thanks to which we have so far tamed change and coped with difficulties. And it is about these forces today.
Strength of character.
It’s no accident that I used the plural, because I’m referring to the concept ofcharacter strength s, which according to the Martin Seligman (the “father” of positive psychology) and Christopher Petersen each of us possesses and which are the core of our personality. Character strengths are positive parts of the personality that affect how we think, how we feel and how we behave. These are the qualities we use most naturally (e.g. honesty, creativity, curiosity). The forces of character reflect our “true” self – our core, our essence. They are worth knowing and cherishing so that, especially in such uncertain times, we know what our foundation is, what to lean on in difficult choices and what direction to take when everything is hazy. Above all, however, so that we can be ourselves at our best.
Improve quality of life.
Seligman and Peterson identified twenty-four character strengths and assigned them to six virtues – traits valued by moral philosophers and universal across cultures and nations. These virtues are: wisdom, courage, humanity, justice, temperance and transcendence. Researchers have found that people who use their strength of character to a great extent are 18 times more likely to live a happy life than those who do not. So, by knowing our character strengths, we can improve the quality of our lives.
Small Choices.
Awareness of one’s own strength of character allows one to make small daily choices and steps that allow one to be more satisfied with oneself and simply happy. And, of course, you may already be very aware of your character strengths, but if you want to make sure or check, you can do so by using the free test at https://www.viacharacter.org (available after registering) or by using the coaching cards to do so. You can use the cards for your own reflection and self-awareness development, but also, if you are a coach, trainer or therapist, to work with clients.
Virtuous circle
How does it work? For example, if I know that my character strength is creativity and I look for opportunities to use it every day, I might choose a job that allows me to use it constantly, or engage in an activity or hobby that develops it. Using my own strength of character gives satisfaction and brings joy to both myself and others. This makes me more satisfied with myself and makes me feel more valuable. Because I’m happy, I see the world in brighter colors, believe in myself more and take on more challenges more easily. Various things “work” for me (of course, they don’t “work” by themselves – only I do them), so I start repeating them, making me even better at it and more appreciative. One good thing begets another – virtuous circle (I used English, because the Polish “positive feedback growth cycle” is a little scary ;))
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