5 + 1 : The key to increasing my emotional well-being
March 11, 2022
If this was a Mathematics article, just by reading part of the title, we would think the correct answer is 6. However, now it’s time to talk about something more integral than a numerical operation.
Do you consider yourself a happy person? And your children, are they happy kids?
Let us begin by asking ourselves, what is happiness?
According to Martin Seligman, American psychologist and founder of Positive Psychology, happiness is just one of the Five Building Blocks that make up one’s well-being.
He created the PERMA model, which states that even when someone does not feel happy, there are other factors that hold up his/her well-being.
This is how, by knowing what each of these building blocks consists of, we become aware of working to increase them, and consequently, improve our sense of well-being.
P - Positive Emotions:
What makes you feel “good”?
When we talk about feeling “good”, we mean having positive emotions, and not precisely at the cost of exchanging the negative ones, but as a tool to deal with them. Examples of positive feelings are: happiness, gratitude, inspiration, curiosity, peace, love, satisfaction, and hope. Identify the activities that you enjoy and that generate positive feelings, and find a moment every day to practice them.
E “Engagement”:
What are the things that help you lose track of time?
Practicing the things that we are good at, and that we also enjoy doing, make us experience a state of “flow”, where time seems to stop and we lose our sense of ourselves, concentrating intensely on the present. Do you enjoy cooking, reading, or practicing any sport? Do it anytime you can, because this is how you will be increasing your well-being.
R “Positive Relationships”:
Who brings you joy, support and love?
As social beings by nature, it is evident that counting on a support network becomes essential to satisfy our innate need to connect with others, to keep in physical and emotional contact with them. When we let others come into our lives, we get the chance to give out and also to receive. Our well-being can be enhanced by developing strong relationships around us, with family, friends, and colleagues.
M “Meaning”:
What things are meaningful and worthwhile to you?
We are our best self version when we do activities which motivate us to think and feel beyond ourselves. Visiting a sick family member, helping someone in need, sharing our personal belongings, participating in charity campaigns, are examples of activities which, although they are not the reflection of happiness, they generate a feeling of satisfaction, contributing positively to our well-being.
A “Accomplishments”:
What are your goals and ambitions?
When we’re able to look over life with a sense of accomplishment, this really helps our well-being. When we feel good about ourselves, we’re more likely to share our skills and be motivated to inspire people around us. It’s useful to acknowledge the little successes along with the big ones, because these really help to cultivate resilience, so we don’t give up when things are challenging. Are your goals clear? Where are you on the road to achieve them? Take some minutes to reflect about this, what you get from it will be worth it.
5 + 1… ¿What about the 1?
Up to this point, we have reviewed the 5 Building Blocks described by Martin Seligman. But, what about the “+1”?
Emiliya Zhivotovskaya and Louis Alloro, founders of the Flourishing Center and Certified Program in Applied Positive Psychology, expanded the PERMA model to PERMA-V, adding the component of physical health and wellness: vitality, considering it a beneficial and necessary ingredient in the recipe for wellbeing.
V “Vitality”:
How is your body doing?
The state of being strong, active, and energetic, the subjective state of feeling alive and alert, and having energy available to the self are key components for our well-being. This can be achieved through the practice of these actions: eating well, enough sleep and at a regular time, moving regularly, and practicing mindfulness. Don’t forget about our body and our mind, at the end, they are our living tools!
Being aware that although sometimes we may not feel as happy as we would like, there are other building blocks that help us feel good, motivate us to pay more attention to those things, actions, achievements, positive experiences, or people that are present in our day to day, and that make of our stay in this world, something positive, significant and satisfying.
On Friday, March 11, we celebrate the International Socio-Emotional Day due to the importance of seeking actions that lead us to increase our sense of well-being. The children in our school receive Socio-Emotional Learning classes, guided by the team of counselors, in which they acquire and practice coping tools for difficult situations, as well as self-knowledge and self-care strategies and assertive social relationships that guide them towards greater socio-emotional well-being.
We will continue to work every day for our students’ well-being.
Happy Socio-Emotional Learning Day!
