The Well-Being Theory & My Happiness Scores

posted 11th August 2011    Written by: Molly Mahar    CATEGORY: Inspiration, Molly, Tips & Tools

And it continues.  You know when you put something out into the world with no idea what you’re doing or where it’s going or who will be interested?  That’s exactly what this experiment is…

As I’ve been thinking about how I want to structure what I’m communicating to you, I realized I probably started off in the middle, instead of from the beginning!  I didn’t explain any of the background or frameworks or put together a logical plan of where this was going…

Oops!

Although I’ve been pondering this blog takeover for a few weeks, I really didn’t make a plan.  I just dove in on Monday (read the first post on my Happiness Experiment via Positive Psychology here) when I realized it was absolutely time to take some control back over my own well-being.  And I dove in with a few of my go-to tricks to “restart”:  give something “bad” up and add something “good” to the mix under the umbrella of passive/active leisure.

My first measurements of flourishing have the best intentions behind them,  but I’m realizing that they may not have been the appropriate “STEP ONE” for our Adventures together.  They have do have a purpose and a place, but the timing was off.  I’m not letting them go, because I honestly feel more content (though still craving a glass of wine at night), but I do want to back up…

Framework time dear one!

WELL-BEING THEORY

(as studied & described by Martin Seligman, PhD, the daddy of Positive Psychology)

“Well-being cannot exist just in your own head; well-being is a combination of feeling good as well as actually having meaning, good relationships, and accomplishment.  The way we choose our course in life is to maximize the five elements that make up well-being.”

The big picture goal of positive psychology is to increase the amount of flourishing (exercise of the above elements) in our own lives and on the planet.  Flourishing can be used as one measurement of the health of a country, a corporation, a school system, or an individual.  It can be measured, tracked, built upon, and improved upon through exercises and interventions.

One key piece in the research about the “how” of flourishing is the use of your signature strengths and virtues (perhaps 4 or 5 of the 24 measured strengths) in pursuit of the five elements of well-being.

Whew!  I tried by best to break down several texts into the above description… ;)

The Well-Being Theory is the Seligman’s latest answer to the question, “What makes up the good life”?

I dove into that framework to help give you a little of the background of how I’m looking at these next 8 weeks. Obviously the scientific side of “Adventures in Flourishing” is just one piece of the whole.  It does, however, give categories to other pieces I’ll be exploring.

My experience of spirituality and Buddhism will fall under the Meaning Element.  My re-balancing of my active/passive leisure time (also described as pursuit of pleasure vs pursuit of gratification) will fall under the Engagement Element.  The honoring of my values of love and family will fall under the Positive Relationship Element.  And my dedication to the development of a Personal Leadership course falls under Achievement and Engagement and Positive Relationships!

BASE-LEVEL

The other piece that was missing from my first post was some level of starting measurement.  How will I know if Adventures in Flourishing improved my own level of happiness or well-being?  I can subjectively report “damn I feel good,” but being the geek that I am about this stuff, I’d like a little more….

I took three base-level measurements.  All of these assessments can be taken for free at http://www.authentichappiness.org.  I plan on taking them again in 8 weeks to see if there is a noticeable difference in my scores!

The Authentic Happiness Inventory

Meaning in Life Questionnaire
(Have to say the results on this one surprised me.  Indicative of being in a low mood this last month? Overwhelmed by all of THE THINGS?  Not sure.  Subjectively I would have told you I feel a strong sense of purpose in my life…)

The Satisfaction with Life Scale

So there we go!  A base level measurement and a Positive Psychology Framework to get us started off on the right foot. 

Do you have a minute?  Head over to the Authentic Happiness Website, take the base level tests that I took, and report back to me in the comments with YOUR scores!  And an update on your engagement commitments if you made them on Monday.

I’ll be checking back in soon.

In the meantime, I’m off to Seattle to teach a workshop for the US Army at a Women’s Retreat.  Wish me luck!

 

ENGAGEMENT

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Comments (7)

7 Responses to “The Well-Being Theory & My Happiness Scores”

  • doniree Says:
    August 11th, 2011 at 10:42 am

    PERMA! I just read about that recently and am so into this idea of Positive Psychology after talking with you and Kels about it in May. Also, I want my own adventure in flourishing! Between this and JB's "August Health Challenge," I feel all kinds of motivated! :) (Sidenote: I miss you hardcore.)

  • Katie [blogs] Says:
    August 11th, 2011 at 1:19 pm

    Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now is my dream Karaoke song. Juuuust FYI.

  • suki Says:
    August 11th, 2011 at 2:36 pm

    Satisfaction with Life – 28, but for some reason, the other ones I didn't rank as highly. So does it mean I am okay with my life being "only okay," and is there anything wrong with that? :P

  • Andria "Alessandra" Says:
    August 12th, 2011 at 2:31 pm

    Thanks for posting this. As an accountant, I love when anything can be quantified! I also knew instantly which of the five elements I'm missing in my life. I took the tests and plan to retake them again in a few months.

  • Molly_Mahar Says:
    August 15th, 2011 at 7:00 am

    Now my new dream is to sing it with YOU!

  • Molly_Mahar Says:
    August 15th, 2011 at 7:03 am

    You can totally have your own Adventures in Flourishing! Steal the graphic if you like! ;)

    (Sidenote: Come visit again soon!)

  • Molly_Mahar Says:
    August 15th, 2011 at 7:04 am

    It was so for the numbers and hard fact girls! xo

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