Everyone is in pursuit of happiness; it is ingrained in our actions for as long as we can remember. We trust we do know what happiness is, but what exactly promotes happiness within each of us
Positive psychology has taken happiness into the realm of scientific research in hopes of acheiving a better understanding of well-being and meaningful living.
Dr. Martin Seligman came up with the model of happiness (PERMA). The model exhbits the five core elements that promote happiness and what we can do to maximise each of them to achieve a happy and fullfilling life.
P – POSITIVE EMOTIONS (feeling good)
Positive emotion is more than just smiling and being cheerful. It is the aptitude to be optimistic, the ability to view things in a positive perspective. In everyone’s life, there are ups and downs; hence we should keep our mind on the highs of life. Studies have also found optimism and positivity leading to multiple health benefits. With positive emotions, we are more likely to persevere and battle challenges faced in our life.
E – ENGAGAMENT (finding flow)
Every individual is different and we find enjoyment in different things. It is important for us to have a task or activity in our lives that can create a “flow” of enjoyable immersion. We are in a “flow” when we are totally absorbs into the present moment. Being in a “flow” is important for us to learn, grow and promote happiness within us.
R – RELATIONSHIPS (authentic connections)
All of us are social animals, and we need social connections in our life. We thrive on love, connection, and affection. We need to build positive and strong relationships with our families, peers, colleagues, and friends. These relationships are important to help spread love and joy. Strong relationships also act as a pillar and provide us with support in difficult times.
M – MEANING (purposeful existence)
Having a meaning in life and knowing our purpose is crucial to live a happy and fulfilling life. Instead of simply pursuing material wealth, there is an actual meaning in our life. If we know the purpose of the task we are doing, we will enjoy it more and become more satisfied and happier.
A – ACCOMPLISHMENT (sense of achievement)
Achieving our goals provides us with a sense of accomplishment. It provides us with a sense of satisfaction, a sense of pride and fulfillment. Whenever we achieve our goals, we are motivated to push ourselves further to thrive and flourish. Nonetheless, it is important for us to bear in mind that goals made have to be realistic so as to be met.
Now that you are aware of the PERMA model, start applying them to your life! Refer to the 5 different elements and strive to apply each of them to the different aspect of your life. Let’s take the first step and strive to achieve a happy and fulfilling life, to achieve a better wellbeing and flourish in life!
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