Flourishing tips

The importance of focusing on prevention and flourishing rather than just fixing problems is discussed. Negative emotions can be beneficial and should be dealt with alongside positive emotions. It is suggested to assess and develop strengths to overcome adversity and become more resilient. Nurturing strengths and focusing on prevention are also emphasized. Reflecting on how one handles situations can improve self-awareness and ability to cope and thrive. Hello, Jeremy Deeds here, and welcome to the Insight Post for the 5th of April, 2023. 5 Strength-Based Tips to Help You Thrive and Flourish. Like many friends, I see our local acupuncturist each month. Serving is fond of telling us that our health is the most important thing we should concentrate on, and she is on the whole correct. If our bodies don't function properly, we become limited in what we can do, and in more extreme cases, we become reliant on others and unable to make a difference to others. Of course, we also visit our local medical practice when necessary. And here is the crux, if you want. We regularly go to our acupuncturist because her treatments are about helping us to flourish and to prevent us from becoming ill. However, visits to our local doctor are irregular and occur because something is wrong and needs fixing. Prevent and Flourish However, my friends and I are probably in the minority in focusing on prevention and flourishing rather than on cures, especially regarding our emotional well-being. As a matter of fact, Seth Pennock, a Dutch psychologist specialising in positive psychology, looked at psychological abstracts published between 1967 and 2000 and found that papers addressing negative human emotions anger, anxiety and depression outnumbered papers dealing with positive emotions joy, happiness and satisfaction by about 21 to 1. Indeed, calling emotions negative or positive is part of the problem. Not only is it possible to experience negative and positive feelings at the same time but the idea that fixing negative emotions results in positive well-being is a significant misconception. It is perfectly possible to feel physically and emotionally OK but still not experience a sense of enhanced well-being. Flourish through Strength In other words, the practices that can take you from surviving to coping are not the same as those that take you from coping to flourishing. Today many psychologists argue that you are more likely to succeed in the second half of this journey by focusing on your strengths especially those strengths that help you cope with difficult experiences and emotions. So here are five strength-based tips for thriving and flourishing. First, recognise that many negative emotions are beneficial because they motivate you to move on, deal with complex issues or help you protect yourself and others. So look for the positives, tolerate them and deal with them. Second, it is possible to simultaneously feel negative and positive emotions. Therefore, avoid categorising your feelings and dealing with specific emotions one at a time and instead focus on your overall well-being. Third, assess your strengths and develop them to help you overcome adversity and become more resilient. Tom Roth's StrengthsFinder 2.0 book is an excellent place to start. Four, take steps to nurture your strengths by using them frequently and adapting them to different situations. Five, focus on preventing problems from arising in the first place rather than trying to cure them when they do occur. Reflecting on how you handle situations will improve your self-awareness and ability to cope and thrive in difficult situations.