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Introduction to Strengths

Introduction to Strengths and Flow

All too often we focus on our weaknesses, what we do that is unhelpful and the qualities in ourselves that we dislike. This topic seeks to get us to focus on our strengths, on the things that we do well and the qualities that are admired in us.

What are Strengths?

There is no universal definition of character strengths, though they are considered to be protective factors that support individual wellbeing. The definitions below can be applied in a broad range of contexts so they go some way towards explaining what strengths are:

Characteristics that allow a person to perform well or at their personal best.

– Wood et al (2011)

Ways of behaving, thinking or feelings that an individual has a natural capacity for, enjoys doing, and which allow the individual to achieve optimal functioning, whilst they pursue valued outcomes.

– Linley & Harrington (2006)

Why Strengths?

One of the first papers in the positive psychology literature suggests that the study of character strengths are central to the development of the field. Seligman and Csikszentmihalyi (2000) stated that:

Our message is to remind our field that psychology is not just the study of pathology, weakness, and damage; it is also the study of strength and virtue. Treatment is not just fixing what is broken; it is nurturing what is best. Psychology is not just a branch of medicine concerned with illness or health; it is much larger. It is about work, education, insight, love, growth and play.

– Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi (2000)

Research about the value of strengths suggests that there are many benefits that can come from knowing and using our strengths in our daily life, including:

  • Generating optimism and resilience.
  • Improving relationships.
  • Enhancing health and overall wellbeing.
  • Developing confidence and self-esteem.
  • Making you less sensitive to stress.
  • Encouraging insight and perspective in your life.
  • Creating a sense of happiness and fulfillment.

Aim

We hope by the end of this topic you will have:

  1. Found a language for talking about strengths and the meaning of strengths and weaknesses.
  2. Learnt about the strengths work in positive psychology research and how to recognise strengths in everyday actions.
  3. Discovered your personal strengths and explored how to put them into practice.
  4. Learnt about the concept of flow and how to notice the activities that put you into a flow state.

Consider More:

  1. What do you think about the definitions of strengths above?
  2. Which part of the topic are you most interested in?
Important:

You might want to make notes at this point. These may help you remember things, work out what you want or see how much you’ve changed if you read them in a few years’ time.