1. Positive Psychology at Work
There are many facets of work and life in general that we do not control. But we can increase our control over our own responses to them. One way to raise our overall level of well-being even in the face of trouble and stress is to practice and grow stronger at being grateful.

2. Agenda Introduction – A new approach Defining positive psychology
Disease versus well-being model
Subjective well-being and positive emotions
Character strengths virtues, and signature strengths
Putting Positive Psychology to work
Explanatory styles, perception and reasoning
Managing energy and attention
AGENDA

3. A New Approach
If our objective is more than putting out fires and solving problems,
the better approach is from the strengths-based school of thought:
Identifying and examining what works well and studying excellence and flourishing
In life and at work, most assume that excellence is the opposite of failure.
For instance, we tend to study divorce to learn about marriage.
We study disgruntled employees to learn about engaged employees.
We study unhappy customers to learn how to make them happier.
The discipline of psychology has spent the last half century focused on mental disorders.
This approach has shed little light, if any, on issues related to what makes life worth living, or the path to meaning and purpose.
It doesn’t address issues like,
“How do I manage my team so that we capitalize on everyone’s strengths?”
“What am I going to do to make a living?”
The point is this.
We seem to think that good is the opposite of bad.
In truth, when we study bad, we learn about bad.
For example, do we learn from our mistakes? Not really. From mistakes, we learn the characteristics of mistakes.
Similarly, we learn nothing about success in the study of failure (Buckingham, key note address, 2007).
As traditionally trained business people, we are accustomed to using a problem solving approach which, of course, has its time and purpose.
At times it is necessary to correct behavior that is producing undesirable outcomes (such as a customer service representative who is rude and impatient with customers).
But if our ultimate objective is larger than putting out fires and solving problems, perhaps the better approach is from the strengths-based school of thought: identifying and examining what works well and gaining insight from that perspective.
Strengths- based organizations do not ignore problems. Problems are addressed and understood, while strengths and talents are optimized (Clifton & Harter, 2003).
We can begin to use the strengths-based approach by taking inventory of an organization’s most valued assets: the strengths of individual employees.

4. Report Cards Which grade deserves the most attention?
Marcus Buckingham reports 70% of parents see the …

5. Which retail stores get the most attention ?
Question…
Let's say you're Sales Manager
Which stores deserve most of your attention?
Why?
Why this approach?
Why not…
Which retail store deserves the most attention?

6. Activity 1 My Best Moment
Every man is entitled to be valued by his best moments Ralph Waldo Emerson
Activity #1
My Best Moment
Turn to the person sitting next to you and partner with him/herfor this activity.
There will be a speaker and a listener, then the roles will be reversed.
Speaker instructions:
Think about a time when you were on top of your game, your very best.
Think in terms of character and virtues instead of talent.
Create a 3-5 minute story that has a beginning, middle and end.
Tell your story to your partner.
Listener instructions:
Listen carefully and attentively
Listen for strengths of character and virtues
When the story is finished, help the speaker savor the highlights
Tell the speaker what strengths resonated with you

7. What is Positive Psychology?
Scientific study
of what goes right in life
An approach
that examines what makes life worthwhile
WHAT IS POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY
The scientific study of what goes right in life
A new approach,
that takes seriously, as a subject matter,
the stuff that makes life worthwhile.
The premise,
What is good in life
Is as important as what is bad
and deserves equal attention.
"The aim of positive psychology is to catalyze a change in psychology from a preoccupation only with repairing the worst things in life to also building the best qualities in life." M. Seligman

8. Positive Psychology is Not
WHAT POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY IS NOT
Positive psychology in the popular media
Harvey bell's smiley face 
misleading – a superficial form of happiology
A smile,
As pleasant as it is to do and experience,
Is not an infallible indicator
Of what makes life worth living.
Subjective well-being aka, swb is the scientific term used when measuring "happiness"
a superficial form of "happiology"

9. Subjective Well-being (SWB)
Three Pillars of Positive Psychology
Subjective Well-being (SWB)
Positive Emotions
pleasure
gratification
joy
Contentment
love
Engagement
connecting to: people
nature
work
Meaning
purpose
being a part of something larger than self
THREE PILLARS OF POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY
SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING (SWB)
Positive emotions
Subjective well-being (swb) = happiness
Pleasure – momentary
Gratification – more lasting
Engagement – our connection with people, nature, through our work
Meaning - our purpose in life
Achievement

10. The Benefits of Well-being
stronger immune systems
more creative, at least in a laboratory setting
better citizens at work, tend to help others more and skip work less
more successful
earn more
better marriages
get more job interviews
do better in social relationships
more sociable and others like them more
seem more successful in positions of leadership
better able to cope with difficult situations
like themselves and other people more
helpful and altruistic
Ed Diener’s research laboratory publishes these findings about people with high levels of subjective well-being. Happy people:
Have stronger immune systems
Are more creative, at least in a laboratory setting
Are better citizens at work, they tend to help others more and skip work less
Are more successful
Earn more income
Have better marriages
Get more job interviews
Do better in social relationships
Are more sociable and others like them more
Seem to be more successful in positions of leadership
Are better able to cope with difficult situations
Like themselves and other people more
Are helpful and altruistic

11. How Happiness Effects the Bottom Line
Happy co-workers: Are more likely to be collaborative as opposed to competitive (think competing together)
Are less contentious (get to the job with you and sooner)
Are more cooperative
Persist at difficult tasks longer
Are more optimistic about likely outcomes
Are likely to rate co-workers more favorably and
Are more likely to find mutually beneficial solutions when conflicts arise

12. Activity 2 - Measuring Satisfaction
1 = strongly disagree 2 = disagree 3 = somewhat disagree 4 = neutral 5 = somewhat agree 6 = agree 7 = strongly agree
Satisfaction with Life Scale
___ In most ways my life is close to ideal.
___ The conditions of my life are ideal.
___ I am satisfied with my life.
___ So far I have gotten the important things I want in life.
___ If I could live my life over, I would chance almost nothing.
ACTIVITY 1 MEASURE YOUR SATISFACTION WITH LIFE
SWLS – Satisfaction with Life Scale (Diener, Emmons, Larsen, & Griffin, 1985)
In most ways my life is close to ideal.
The conditions of my life are ideal.
I am satisfied with my life.
So far I have gotten the important things I want in life.
If I could live my life over, I would chance almost nothing.
Answers range from 5-35
31-35 extremely satisfied
26-30 satisfied
21-25 slightly satisfied
20 neutral
15-19 slightly dissatisfied
10-14 dissatisfied
5-9 extremely dissatisfied
SFLS

13. The Purpose of Emotions
Negative Emotions: fight or flight
Positive Emotions: broaden and build and buffer
Better
performance
More creativity
Faster responsiveness
judgment
Wider perspectives
Now …Emotions – Positive Emotions
Most of us know that negative emotions …anger, fear
Fight or flight urges – Cave men awakening had to be aware of saber toothed tigers!
Narrowing our thoughts and actions, they serve a survival purpose.
So, what are some positive emotions? And what purpose do they serve?

14. Why Positive Emotions Matter
Broaden and Build
Intellectual
Physical
Social
Psychological
Undo Effect in bad times – a foundation of resilience
WHAT POSITIVE EMOTIONS DO BROADENING AND BUILDING
Physical – sleep quality, immunity from illnesses and diseases Social  – expanded social connections, social support Intellectual – creativity, mindfulness, Psychological – trait resilience, optimism
Unlike negative emotions during which the body becomes prepared physically and mentally for immediate action, the adaptive value of positive emotions lies not in the moment, but over the long-term. 
From an evolutionary standpoint, the resources accrued through repeated experiences of  positive emotions enhance the odds of survival and of living long enough to reproduce. The resources gained through positive emotional experiences may be physical, social, psychological or intellectual. 

15. Positivity Ratio in Business Teams
3:1 positive to negative ratio is ideal for individuals
6:1 for flourishing business teams
5:1 for marriages
POSITIVITY RATIO IN BUSINESS TEAMS
Interpersonal dynamics of business teams
One-way mirrors, trained coders observed 60 management teams while crafting their annual strategic plans.
Utterances were coded as:
Positive if speakers showed support, encouragement or appreciation
Negative if speakers showed disapproval, sarcasm or cynicism
Inquiry if speakers offered questions aimed at exploration a position
Advocacy if offered arguments in support of speaker's position
3:1 applies to highly functional individuals and working teams
flourishing
innovative, highly flexible, superior functioning, growth and resilience after adversity
5:1 good long term, happy marriages (Gottman, 1994)
Criticism not contempt
over 11.6 – too high
The importance of one negative in three
Business teams need appropriate levels of negativity
An absence of negativity could indicate fear or false compliance

16. The Power of Positive Emotion
Paul Potts

17. I see a Yawn! Time for an Energy Break!

18. How Positive Affect Effects Learning
"made you so happy you just wanted to jump up and down"
"so happy that you wanted to just sit and smile"
TWO STUDIES - POSITIVE EMOTION PHYSICIANS AND CHILDREN
Two groups of 4 year olds were asked to spend 30 seconds remembering something that "made you so happy you just wanted to jump up and down" or "so happy that you wanted to just sit and smile"… Then given a learning task, the treated groups performed better than the ones who only received neutral instructions.

19. How Positive Affect Effects Problem Solving
group #1 candy
group #2 read humanistic views about medicine
control group
Task:
orally diagnose a case of liver disease
44 internists were randomly placed in one of 3 groups, a group that got a small package of candy, a group that read aloud humanistic views about medicine and a control group. All were presented with a difficult diagnosis case of liver disease and asked to think out loud as they made their diagnosis. The candied group did best – faster and more accurate diagnosis and did not succumb to premature closure or deductions.

20. Activity 3
Activity # 3
Examine the photograph carefully for 1minute and count the number of geometric shapes you can find.

21. An Exercise in Attention
We see what we look for : How many geometric shapes do you see? We miss much of which we are not looking for, even though it is there… Did you happen to notice how many children were on the bus? Our experience of the world is heavily influenced by where we place our attention.
We see what we look for :
How many geometric shapes do you see?
We miss much of which we are not looking for, even though it is there…
Did you happen to notice how many children were on the bus?
Our experience of the world is heavily influenced by where we place our attention.
Research finding from Stavros and Torres from a Tal Ben Shahar PowerPoint lecture Psychology 1504, 2006.

22. Attention Matters Pay attention to good things, large and small.
Pay attention to bad things that are avoided.
Practice downward comparisons.
"Sorrows remembered sweeten present joy."
Establish regular times to focus on being grateful.
In a difficult situation, be grateful both for what you haven't lost and for the strengths and opportunities that arise from facing difficulties. "the silver lining"
Elicit and reinforce gratitude in the people around you.
There are many facets of work and life in general that we do not control. But we can increase our control over our own responses to them. One way to raise our overall level of well-being even in the face of trouble and stress is to practice and grow stronger at being grateful.
1.Pay attention to good things, large and small. This often requires intentional thought because bad things are more salient to us than good things. For example, I have a friend in his 80's with arthritis in his hands. He becomes aware of it whenever he knocks something over or has trouble picking something up. I suggested that whenever he finds himself saying, "My poor crippled hands," that he follow it with "My magnificent legs that let me walk every day without cane or walker." That does not mean ignoring the painful or disabled. It means balancing it with occasional thoughts of how lucky we are to have so many working parts! We have to work a little to give the positive thoughts space in our brains.
2.Pay attention to bad things that are avoided. I recently tripped over a small stump and fell flat on my face during a practice hike to get ready for our trip to the mountains. When I picked myself up, I was very grateful to have only a deep bruise on my thigh, no broken bones. It will take a while for the gorgeous 8 inch bruise to go away, but I can still hike. Thank goodness!
3.Practice downward comparisons. That means thinking about how things could be worse, or were worse, or are worse for someone else. I don't particularly like the idea of making myself feel more grateful by thinking of others who are worse off than I am. But it doesn't have to be interpersonal. You can use downward comparison by remembering your own times of adversity or being aware of adversity avoided. The poet, Robert Pollock, said it thus: "Sorrows remembered sweeten present joy." Here's a work example. I have two friends who recently moved into the same department in the same company. One is relieved and happy because the situation seems so much better than before. The other is dissatisfied because the teamwork characterizing the old job is no longer there. The first has an easy time with downward contrast. The second will have to work a little harder to find reasons to be grateful.
4.Establish regular times to focus on being grateful. Gratitude is a character strength that can be enhanced with practice. So practice. Marty Seligman describes two exercises in Authentic Happiness, the Gratitude Visit and a form of keeping a gratitude journal. The efficacy of gratitude interventions has been studied with clinical populations (Duckworth, Steen, & Seligman, 2005) and student populations (Sheldon & Lyubomirsky, 2006).
5.When facing a loss or a difficult task or situation, remind yourself to be grateful both for what you haven't lost and for the strengths and opportunities that arise from facing difficulties. Tennen and Affleck found that benefit-seeking and benefit-remembering are linked to psychological and physical health. Benefit finding involves choosing to focus on the positive aspects of the situation and avoiding the feeling of being a victim.
6.Elicit and reinforce gratitude in the people around you. Negative moods are catching, but positive ones can be as well. The character, Pollyanna, helped other people see the benefits in their situations by teaching them the Glad Game. Sometimes, having someone else see what is good in your own life makes it visible to you
Gratitude is a character strength admired around the globe. To increase gratitude, a good first step is to notice the good things that happen to us, large and small. These practices can help us take fewer blessings for granted.

23. Positive Priming CULTIVATING POSITIVE EMOTIONS IN THE WORKPLACE
Photographs, objects, memorabilia
Visual Imaging – walls, break rooms, renew rooms, books, charts
Using the mind as a simulator for positive emotions
The subconscious does not differentiate between real and imagined
Personal PowerPoint as a form of imaging relaxation
YouTube.com guided meditations
Flow – Creating opportunities to immerse oneself
Experience of working at full capacity, thoroughly engaged, losing track of time, in the moment
Strikes a balance between challenge and skill
Positive Priming

24. Savoring
Savoring
Awareness of pleasure and deliberate attempt to make it happen
Sharing, memory building, self-congratulations
Sharpening perceptions, absorption
Abstract
Background: Research has shown that beliefs about one’s capacity to savour positive outcomes, a form
of perceived control over positive emotions, are largely independent of beliefs about coping, a form
of perceived control over negative emotions.
Aim: To describe a new measure of savoring beliefs, the Savoring Beliefs Inventory (SBI).
Method: Six studies validating the SBI that is designed to assess individuals’ perceptions of their ability
to derive pleasure through anticipating upcoming positive events, savoring positive moments, and
reminiscing about past positive experiences.
Results: SBI scores were found to be: (a) positively correlated with affect intensity, extraversion,
optimism, internal locus of control, reported self-control behaviors, life satisfaction, value fulfillment,
self-esteem, and intensity and frequency of happiness; (b) negatively correlated with neuroticism,
guilt, physical and social anhedonia, hopelessness, depression, and the frequency of unhappy and
neutral affect; and (c) uncorrelated with socially desirable responding. SBI was validated prospectively
by first measuring college students’ savoring beliefs and then later assessing their behaviors
and affects in looking forward to, enjoying the actual experience of, and looking back on their
Christmas vacation. Within each of the three time frames, the relevant SBI subscale generally
predicted behaviors and affects more strongly than did the subscales associated with the other two
temporal orientations. Finally, SBI was cross-validated in a sample of older adults.
Conclusion: These results provide strong evidence that the SBI is a valid and reliable measure of
individuals’ beliefs about their capacity to savor positive experiences through anticipation, present
enjoyment, and reminiscence.
Basking – receiving praise
Thanksgiving – gratitude
Marveling – wonder of the moment
Luxuriating – indulging in the senses

25. Savoring in action Chest Bump!
Expressions of savoring positive moments.

26. The Power of Savoring Expressions of savoring positive moments.
Savoring is experiencing gratitude for a long time.

27. Energy Break
BREAK

28. Savoring Practices Gratitude practices Positivity ratio
Upsides of a tough situation
Realistic perspectives
How bad it this?
Opportunity costs vs. benefits
Notes, s, pats on the back, nods, watching someone's back, cards
Clueing people in
Inclusiveness
Help and support
Expressions of genuine gratitude

29. The Workplace Blues
Monster.com Super Bowl commercial "When I grow up…"
Monster.com Super Bowl commercial.
…When I grow up…. I want to be stuck in a middle management job.

30. Using Your Strengths as Your Brand
Identify your strengths
Own and understand them
Articulate them
Business Case for Identifying and Using Strengths
An organization's greatest assets are its people's strengths; however, these valuable assets are not well identified, understood or managed.
Increasing competitive talent and retention issues
Lower employee engagement in people under age 30
Best chances of gaining and sustaining a competitive edge in through employee contributions but few understand that the way to maximize employee engagement is to identify, direct and develop employee strengths

31. Strengths Natural ways of behaving, thinking, or feeling
Enable optimal functioning and performance
When we use them we feel strong, authentic, and energizing
Strengths – Our most Natural inclinations
natural ways of behaving, thinking, or feeling
enable optimal functioning and performance,
are authentic and energizing

32. Why Strengths Matter
When we use our strengths, we are behaving authentically, true to our nature, which has a positive, energizing affect. The strengths-based approach maximizes job engagement by identifying and amplifying the best use of strengths . Using one’s strengths regularly and in new and different ways facilitates greater well-being .
Research indicates that the best way for organizations to gain and sustain a competitive edge is through capitalizing on employee strengths (Clifton & Harter, 2003).
When we use our strengths, we are behaving authentically, true to our nature, which has a positive, energizing affect (Seligman, 2005).
The strengths-based approach maximizes job engagement by identifying and amplifying the best use of strengths (Clifton & Harter, 2003).
Additionally, Seligman and Peterson found that using one’s signature strengths regularly and in new and different ways facilitates greater well-being (Seligman, 2005).

33. Who has Strengths? Everyone has strengths! but
not everyone knows what they are
and
how to capitalize them
Of course, everyone has strengths!
but,
not everyone knows what they are
and
how to capitalize them at work
Using Your Strengths in Your Job Search by Senia Maymin Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of (Note: original version of the article first appeared here on PositivePsychologyNews.com)
What Are Strengths?
To what extent would you personally agree with this statement: "At work, I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day?" When Gallup asked this question, it found that only 20 percent of those surveyed said they strongly agreed with this phrase. Are you in that 20 percent, or is it maybe time for you to re-craft your job to match what you do best?
In 1999, as president of the American Psychological Association, Martin Seligman called for a focus on the positive parts of life - such as productivity, achievement, and happiness. He called this area "positive psychology." One of the three main pillars became the study of positive traits, and a strengths classification was born (the VIA Signature Strengths Classification was created by Christopher Peterson and Martin Seligman). As a graduate from Seligman's inaugural Master of Applied Positive Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, I actively use positive psychology tools and techniques, including strengths, in my coaching practice to draw out what people do best.
Strengths are a person's natural inclinations in life. They are a measure of values and virtues. Strengths are what a person may answer when asked, "Doing what gets you excited?"
How Can You Determine Your Strengths?
The VIA Signature Strengths Questionnaire is available at no cost on happier.com and originated in academia (about 750,000 people have taken the this assessment). Examples of VIA strengths include "curiosity," a leaning toward questioning and discovery, and "hope," a leaning toward future-mindedness and optimism about the future.
Once you know your strengths based on the assessment, the best way to consciously use your strengths is to remind yourself of situations in which you have already used the strengths successfully. For example, one of my VIA strengths is "bravery." I would not have instinctively picked that out of the list, but in hindsight I can remind myself of bravery-related examples - such as my entrepreneurial background or the fact that my sport is rock climbing.
Why Use Strengths in Your Job Search?
You wouldn't use a paperclip to try to open a can. So why are you trying to use past skills to get a future job?
Suppose I told you that with a small change in mindset, you could turn the paperclip into a can opener. Suppose I showed you a tool that would give you leverage toward getting the kind of job you really want.
To enjoy your new job more and be more productive at your job. Gallup's Tom Rath, a classmate of mine at the Master of Applied Positive Psychology, reports that people who use their strengths at work are six times more likely to be engaged in their work, and three times happier in general. Additionally, Gallup reports that because engagement at work is an inverse predictor of employee turnover, people who use their strengths tend to be more productive while at work.
Because you want your future job to be more about what excites you, and less about what you've done (i.e. a can opener, not a paperclip, to open a can). Since strengths make us happier and more productive at work, I might want to use my strength of bravery in my future job. If I were interviewing for a position in a startup, I would prepare a story that demonstrates my strength of bravery. Then, in answer to a behavioral question such as, "Please describe a time when you demonstrated leadership," I would likely tell a story that highlights the bravery strength. Why? I would do this both because it would likely fit with the startup company's culture and because I want to move toward having more bravery experiences in my future work life.
On the other hand, if I were to stick to examples that demonstrate my past skills at previous jobs, what kind of position should I expect to get? More of the same. In 2006, 20 percent of Stanford GSB graduates said early responsibility or intellectual challenge was the most important criterion in choosing their accepted job. Another 23 percent said that career broadening was the most important criterion, which includes elements of challenge and responsibility.
If you focus on past skills in preparing for the interview, then you will get a job that uses your past skills rather than challenges you in broadening, new ways. But if you focus on your strengths and aspects of life that excite you, then you will get a job that excites you. If you want to open a can, describing past experiences with paperclips may not get you there.
As an executive coach to entrepreneurs and career changers, I use a three-step process: Assessment, Targeting, and Action. The first part - Assessment - is vitally important. This is where you can examine your strengths. This is where you can craft those stories about your background and your life that excite you. Then, later in Targeting and Action, you can refer to strengths to make sure that the company fit is good from your point of view, and that the actions you take are consistent with your top strengths. All this doesn't mean you ignore skills. It just means that you may not want to lead with them if you really want to open the can.
References * Book about the VIA: Character Strengths and Virtues: A Handbook and Classification by Christopher Peterson and Martin Seligman * Books about StrengthsFinder: StrengthsFinder 2.0 by Tom Rath Now, Discover Your Strengths by Donald Clifton and Marcus Buckingham

34. Top Strengths Sought by Employers
Honesty/integrity
Motivation/initiative
Communication skills
Self-confidence
Flexibility
Interpersonal skills
Strong work ethic
Teamwork skills
Leadership skills
Enthusiasm

35. Character Strengths
nearly 1 million people worldwide have taken the VIA Character Strengths and Virtues Questionnaire
identifies 24 universal character strengths
a measurement tool that has undergone significant scientific validation
a 3 year dedicated effort involving 55 noted social scientists.
How strengths of character are related to happiness
Most strengths correlate with life satisfaction
Exception - of the strengths of wisdom and knowledge.
"This finding is interesting because schools typically emphasize the development of these sorts of strengths but not the others, which helps explain why schooling is not an automatic pathway to a fulfilling lif"e.   Character Strengths and Virtues (pg. 632)
Christopher Peterson, University of Michigan developed the VIA Classification of Strengths VIA Survey,
George Vaillant of Harvard University…
“is destined to become a classic both in the social sciences and in the humanities”. 

36. Wisdom and Knowledge Love of Learning Curiosity Creativity
Open-Mindedness
Perspective
Love of learning
enthusiastically studying new skills, topics, and bodies of knowledge
enjoy the cognitive engagement of acquiring new skills or satisfying their curiosity
allows people to persist in the face of obstacles that arise
Curiosity
[interest, novelty-seeking, openness to experience]
taking an interest in all of ongoing experience
involves recognizing and pursuing challenging opportunities and seeking out new knowledge
can be broken down into three categories:
interest,
novelty seeking,
openness to new experience
drives individuals to make discoveries and to explore the boundaries of human knowledge.
Creativity
[Originality, ingenuity]
the process of using originality to devise novel ways to contribute to one’s own life or the lives of others
can range from everyday ingenuity to groundbreaking work
able to apply imaginations in new and surprising ways to solve the problems they encounter
artistic expression and scientific discovery, but also to any area of life in which obstacles can be addressed imaginatively
Open-mindedness [judgment, critical thinking]
thinking things through and examining them from all sides
a willingness to consider evidence against one’s own beliefs, plans, and goals, and revise them if necessary
faithfully adhere to the standard of considering evidence fairly.
counteracts “bias” that prevents people from considering views other than their own
Perspective
[wisdom]
Perspective, often called wisdom, distinct from intelligence, superior level of knowledge and judgment.
involves being able to provide wise counsel to others.
allows its possessor to address important and difficult about morality and the meaning of life.
aware of broad patterns of meaning in, their own strengths and weaknesses, and the necessity of contributing to their society
Imagination is more important than knowledge
Albert Einstein

37. Courage Bravery Integrity, Authenticity, Honesty Perseverance Zest
[valor] (exercising will to accomplish goals in the face of opposition)
capacity to take action to aid others in spite of significant risks or dangers
allows people to avoid shrinking from threats, challenges, or pain with attempting to do good works
undertaken full knowledge of the potential adversity involved.
place the highest importance on higher purpose and morality, no matter the consequences
Integrity
[authenticity, honesty]
The strength of integrity is manifested speaking the truth and presenting oneself in a genuine way.
open and honest about his or her own thoughts, feelings, and responsibilities, being careful not to mislead through either action or omission.
sense of ownership over one’s own internal states
Persistence
[perseverance, industriousness]
striving for one’s goals in the face of obstacles and setbacks
requires dedication, focus, and patience.
Persistent individual, finish what they start in spite of hardships
Vitality
[zest, enthusiasm, vigor, energy]
marked by an appreciation for energy, liveliness, excitement, and energy.
lives life as an adventure to be approached whole-heartedly.
a life of vigor allows one to experience the overlap of the mental and physical realms of experience, as stress decreases and health increases
The greatest test of courage on earth
is to bear defeat without losing heart.
Ingersoll

38. Humanity Love Kindness and Generosity Social Intelligence
Humanity – Tending and befriending others
Love:
Loving individuals value close relationships with others, in particular those in which sharing and caring are reciprocated.
Love can be expressed toward those we depend on, toward those who depend on us, and toward those we feel romantic, sexual, and emotional attraction to.
This strength allows people to put their trust in others and make them a priority in making decisions.
They experience a sense of deep contentment from devotion.
Kindness [generosity, nurturance, care, compassion, altruistic love, “nice-ness”]: Kindness consists of doing favors and good deeds for others without the expectation of personal gain. This strength requires respect for others but also includes emotional affection. Kind people find joy in the act of giving and helping other people, regardless of their degree of relatedness or similarity.
Social Intelligence [emotional intelligence, personal intelligence]: Socially intelligent individuals are aware of the emotions and intentions of themselves and others. No matter what the social situation is, they attempt to make everyone involved feel comfortable and valued. Socially intelligent people are perceptive of others’ feelings and honest about their own, and are generally adept at fostering healthy relationships.
"There is no exercise better for the heart
than reaching down and lifting people up ...

39. Leadership Citizenship Fairness, Equity
Justice
Leadership Citizenship Fairness, Equity
Justice – Healthy community life
Leadership
Leadership is the process of motivating, directing, and coordinating members of a group to achieve a common goal. Leaders assume a dominant role in social interaction, but effective leadership requires listening to the opinions and feelings of other group members as much as it involves active direction. Individuals who possess this strength are able to help their group to achieve goals in a cohesive, efficient, and amiable manner.
Citizenship
[social responsibility, loyalty, teamwork]
Citizenship involves working as a member of a group for the common good. People with this strength are loyal to the organizations of which they are members, ready to make personal sacrifices for their neighbors. The strength of citizenship is manifested through a sense of social belonging and civic responsibility. Good citizens are not blindly obedient, and when necessary they strive to change their groups for the better.
Fairness, Equity and Justice
Fairness involves treating everyone according to universal ideals of equality and justice. Fair individuals do not let their personal feelings bias their moral or ethical decisions about others, but instead rely on a broad set of moral values. True fairness incorporates both a respect for moral guidelines and a compassionate approach to caring for others. This strength is applicable at all levels of society, from everyday interactions to international issues of social justice.
Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
Martin Luther King, Jr.

40. Forgiveness Modesty Prudence and moderation Self-regulation
Temperance
Forgiveness Modesty Prudence and moderation Self-regulation
Temperance (protecting against excess)
Forgiveness and Mercy
This strength involves forgiving those who have wronged or offended us. Forgiveness entails accepting the shortcomings of others, giving people a second chance, and putting aside the temptation to hold a grudge or behave vengefully. Forgiveness allows one to put aside the self-destructive negativity associated with anger and to extend mercy toward a transgressor.
Humility / Modesty
Humility and modest involve letting one’s strengths and accomplishments speak for themselves. Individuals with this strength do not need to have low self-esteem, but merely avoid seeking the spotlight and regarding themselves as better than others. Humble people are honest with themselves about their own limitations and the fallibility of their own opinions, and are open to advice and assistance from others.
Prudence
Prudence is a practical orientation toward future goals. It entails being careful about one’s choices, not taking undue risks, and keeping long-term goals in mind when making short-term decisions. Prudent individuals monitor and control their impulsive behavior and anticipate the consequences of their actions. This strength is not synonymous with stinginess or timidity, but instead involves an intelligent and efficient perspective towards achieving major goals in life.
Self-Regulation
[self-control]
Self-regulation is the process of exerting control over oneself in order to achieve goals or meet standards. Self-regulating individuals are able to control instinctive responses such as aggression and impulsivity, responding instead according to pre-conceived standards of behavior. This strength can apply both to resisting temptations, such as when a dieter avoids sugary foods, and to initiating actions, such as when someone gets up early to exercise.

41. Appreciation of Beauty and Excellence
Transcendence
Appreciation of Beauty and Excellence
Gratitude
Humor
Hope and Optimism
Spirituality
Transcendence (forging connections to the larger universe and providing meaning)
Appreciation of Beauty and Excellence
[awe, wonder, elevation]
Individuals with an appreciation for beauty feels a sense of awe at the scenes and patterns around them.
They take pleasure in observing physical beauty, the skills and talents of other people, and the beauty inherent to virtue and morality.
Beauty can be found in almost every area of life, from nature to arts to mathematics to science to everyday experience.
This strength allows people to experience satisfaction and richness in everyday experiences.
Gratitude
awareness of and thankfulness for the good things in one’s life.
take time to express thanks and contemplate all that they have been given in life.
can be directed at a specific person, at a Divinity, or simply expressed outwardly for the mere fact of existence
a mindset of appreciation and goodwill for the benefits derived from other people
Humor
[playfulness]
involves an enjoyment of laughing, friendly teasing, and bringing happiness to others.
see the light side of life in many situations, finding things to be cheerful about
not necessarily refer just to telling jokes, rather to a playful and imaginative approach to life
Hope
[optimism, future-mindedness, future orientation]
expectation that good things will happen in the future.
hopeful individuals are confident that their efforts toward future goals will lead to their fruition
leads people to expect the best from themselves and others.
Spirituality
[religiousness, faith, purpose]
Spirituality is a universal part of human experience involving knowledge of one’s place within a larger scheme
it can include but is not limited to religious belief and practice
affords an awareness of the sacred in everyday life
a sense of comfort in the face of adversity
experience of transcending the ordinary to reach something fundamental.

42. Heart and Mind Strengths
Observe and discuss
To handle yourself, use your head.
To handle others, use your heart.
John C. Maxwell

43. S C V H Happiness Formula
Set range + Circumstances + Voluntary control
THE HAPPINESS FORMULA
H= s + c+ v
Just like a person's body weight lies within a set point range,
So does our temperament
The other half is changeable.
The voluntary and circumstantial parts

44. Positive Mental Hygene
"Three Good Things"
" Gratitude Letter"
Using signature strengths
Physical exercise
Deep breathing, meditation and mindfulness
Positive priming
Savoring
Attention Matters
Top Four POSITIVE INTERVENTIONS WITH EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE
Three Good Things -
Empirical results : n=400, internet survey
increases swb
Physical exercise - lowers anxiety
Breathing technique - lower anxiety
Meditation Practice - lowers anxiety
Using signature strengths in new ways – increases swb
Monitoring Positive Affect to Negative Affect
Positive Affect – increases cognitive functions, builds reserve and buffers anxiety and depression
Depression and anxiety are highly correlated
Mindfulness
Attention as a form of energy
Priming
Visual Imaging
Peak Experience
Journaling

45. Activity 4 Three Good Things Survey a typical day
Write three things for which you are grateful
Share it with someone
ACTIVITY #4 THREE GOOD THINGS
Take a moment to think about today – think about the good stuff, things for which you are grateful or things that went well.
Write down three things for which you are grateful and note why.
Share your list with your partner then exchange roles

46. Energy Break!
BREAK

47. Gratitude
“Gratefulness is the measure of our aliveness." David Steindl-Rast
“Gratefulness is the measure of our aliveness." David Steindl-Rast
more than being polite or superficial.
one of the few things that can change lives.
when people regularly engage in the cultivation of gratitude, they experience psychological, physical and interpersonal benefits.

48. How Gratitude Transforms
To recognize is to re-think or thing differently
recognition that the benefactor has provided a benefit
recognition that the benefit has value to the receiver
recognition is the mental function that makes gratitude transformational
Gratitude is substantially more than being polite or superficial. Positive Psychologist Robert Emmons believes that gratitude is literally one of the few things that can change lives. His studies indicate that when people regularly engage in the cultivation of gratitude, they experience a variety of psychological, physical and interpersonal benefits. More studies show that people who practice gratitude rituals are more happy and pleasant to be around ( Emmons, 2007).
Emmons asserts that gratitude is more than a feeling. It requires: recognition of some one’s kindness;
that the benefactor has intentionally provided a benefit and that the benefit has value in the eyes of the receiver. This requires re- cognition and acknowledgment. Recognition is the quality that makes gratitude transformational. To re-cognize is to re-think or thing differently (Emmons, 2007).
Gratitude Studies
Once a week for 10 weeks, participants kept a short journal listing five things that had occurred over the past week. They either briefly described, in a single sentence, five things for which they were grateful, or they did the opposite, describing five hassles that displeased them. The control group listed five events or circumstances that had affected them each week. The results: Participants conditioned in gratitude reported the following: They felt better about their lives as a whole, were more optimistic, had fewer health complaints, spent more time exercising, and reported fewer symptoms of physical illness. In a second study lasting two weeks participants reported feeling more joyful, enthusiastic, interested, and attentive, energetic, excited, determined (Emmons & McCullough, 2008).

49. How we see things…
How do we see the glasses?

50. Explanatory Style Not Resilient Me Always Everywhere Resilient Not me
Not Always
Not Everywhere
Pessimists have a way of construing setbacks and frustrations.
They automatically think the cause is permanent, pervasive, and personal
…It's going to last forever,
… it's going to ruin everything
… and it's all my fault.
Optimists, in contrast, have a strength that allows them to interpret their setbacks as
…surmountable,
…particular to a single problem,
…and resulting from temporary circumstances or other people

51. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Adversity: What happened
She didn't return my call today
Belief: The automatic belief
She's putting me off
Consequence: The consequence
Why do I even try? – She's never warmed up to me.
MODIFIED COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY
Recognize an unwarranted pessimistic thought, argue against it using the ABCmodel – from derived from Albert Ellis, Aaron Beck.
Adversity: What happened to cause the adverse feelings
My co-worker did not return my call
Beliefs – The automatic beliefs that ruminate
She's avoiding me
Consequence – the usual consequence of the belief
I'll show her!
Disputation – of the routine belief – is there another reason?
It's possible that she's really busy with the big project
Energy – received or saved by keeping it in perspective
I'll check in with her again and see how it's going.

52. Thoughts Drive Emotions
We have
beliefs
about
what happens
we react to those beliefs
we feel (emote)
we ruminate?
life happens
Thoughts drive emotions

53. Getting Past Common Thinking Traps
Critical Questions
Jumping to conclusions
Tunnel Vision
Over generalizing
Magnifying or Minimizing
Personalizing
Externalizing
Mind Reading
Slow down, look for evidence
What's missing?
Look at the specific behavior
Be evenhanded
Look outwardly
Look inward –
Speak up – get clarity
Thinking traps
Jumping to conclusions
Tunnel Vision
Over generalizing
Magnifying or Minimizing
Personalizing
Externalizing
Mind Reading

54. How We Frame Events Reverse Lens
“What would the other person say, and how might she be right?”
Long Lens
“How will I view this situation in six months?”
Wide Lens
“How can I grow and learn from this situation?”
Reframing
Practice reframing upsetting situations
Reverse Lens
“What would the other person say, and how might she be right?”
Long Lens
“How will I view this situation in six months?”
Wide Lens
“How can I grow and learn from this situation?”

55. Closing and last activity
Sit back, breathe, and enjoy this positive portfolio.