Time Required
Every day for a week. Time required each day will vary depending on how you choose to exercise your strengths.
How to Do It
- Take a moment to think about one of your personal strengths—for instance, creativity, perseverance, kindness, modesty, or curiosity. Consider how you could use this strength today in a new and different way. For example, if you choose the personal strength of perseverance, you might make a list of tasks that you have found challenging recently, then try to tackle each one of them. Or if you choose curiosity, you might attempt an activity that you’ve never tried before.
- Describe in writing the personal strength you plan to use today and how you are going to use it. Then, go ahead and do it—act on your strength as frequently as possible throughout the day.
- Repeat the steps above every day for a week. You may use the same personal strength across multiple days, or try using a new personal strength each day.
- At the end of the week, write about the personal strengths that you focused on during the week and how you used them. Write in detail about what you did, how you felt, and what you learned from the experience.
Why You Should Try It
Sometimes we give our weaknesses and limitations more attention than our strengths. Yet research suggests that thinking about personal strengths can increase our happiness and reduce depression.
This exercise asks you to identify one of your personal strengths—a positive trait that contributes to your character, such as kindness or perseverance—and consider how you could use it in a new and different way. Recognizing and exercising these strengths can make them stronger and better equip you to meet life’s challenges.
Why It Works
While working to improve shortcomings is important for well-being, it is also important to nurture our strengths and put them to use. Reflecting on these strengths can help remind people that they do have important positive qualities, and this reminder can build confidence and self-esteem—and, in turn, increase happiness. Putting strengths to use can help enhance them, and using strengths in new and different ways can reveal how useful these strengths can be in a range of contexts.
Evidence That It Works
Seligman, M. E., Steen, T. A., Park, N., & Peterson, C. (2005). Positive psychology progress: Empirical validation of interventions. American Psychologist, 60(5), 410-421.
People tried using a personal strength each day for one week. Compared with those who didn’t try to use a strength—instead they wrote about early memories every day for a week—those who identified and used their strengths reported an increase in happiness and a decrease in symptoms of depression immediately after the one-week experiment, and those changes persisted six months later.
Sources
Sonja Lyubomirsky, Ph.D., University of California, Riverside
Kristin Layous, Ph.D., California State University, East Bay
Comments
and Reviews
salama alsaadi
112
mariam alhammadi
many things in my life that makes me feel so grateful for, and makes my life better my family, friends. im so grateful for what they do for me I can't imagine me leaving without them.
Abdulla alhammadi
,,
Abdulla alhammadi
nice
Bushra Isa
I'm trying to work hard and improve my myself and try to accomplish my goals.
shaima sami
I'm continually working on myself and seeing every day as another opportunity to reach a goal. I can improve myself by working on accomplished skills I've discovered. In addition, I can be a better community member, friend, and family member by contributing what I'm excellent at.
Alyazi Moath mohammed bilal ahmed
it was helpful and its one of the easiest ways to focus on our strenghts .
Salem Mohsen Alhashmi
i used the strength of team work, as I worked with the help of my cousins to fix a bed room that we bought from IKEA following the instructions. The job looked impossible at first because of the too much pieces and too much details, but we worked as a team and finished the task after about three hours.
Aysha Abdul
I plan to use mindfulness and engagment today in my practice, to start off im going to do body meditation, which i planned on doing today, and suddenly i saw this practice, so its a good experience to show my excerise. I began engaging in performing the workout because I was feeling upbeat and because I knew my body required it. It took some time, but I'm definitely doing it, and I'm grateful for the chance and the spare time to devote to something constructive. When I first began, I felt a peculiar sensation I'd never had before, but as time passed, I felt wonderfully comfortable and quiet. And it was the second time for me to feel that degree of tranquility. All of my muscles began to relax. After doing this practice, my thoughts are no longer scattered, I am more aware of my surroundings, and I can finally focus on anything I want without being distracted by anything else. After this exercise i felt very mindful, and now i can attend my classes and be more engaged on what's happening, and what's the instructors asking us to do. I attended my classes after that i went to the gym, and I focused on excersing well, everything was good. i returned come, i took a shower and felt really calm, then i slept quickly because there wasnt anything on my mind.
Aysha Abdul
I plan to use mindfulness today in my practice, to start off im going to do body meditation, which i planned on doing today, and suddenly i saw this practice, so its a good experience to show my excerise. I began performing the workout because I was feeling upbeat and because I knew my body required it. It took some time, but I'm definitely doing it, and I'm grateful for the chance and the spare time to devote to something constructive. When I first began, I felt a peculiar sensation I'd never had before, but as time passed, I felt wonderfully comfortable and quiet. And it was the second time for me to feel that degree of tranquility. All of my muscles began to relax. After doing this practice, my thoughts are no longer scattered, I am more aware of my surroundings, and I can finally focus on anything I want without being distracted by anything else. After this exercise i felt very mindful, and now i can attend my classes and be more focused on what's happening, and what's the instructors asking us to do. I attended my classes after that i went to the gym, and I focused on excersing well, everything was good. i returned come, i took a shower and felt really calm, then i slept quickly because there wasnt anything on my mind.
Hadher Almeraikhi
the experience was very good
Maryam Essa Juma Mohammad Alblooshi
It was good
Salem Mohsen Alhashmi
i used the strength of team work, as I worked with the help of my cousins to fix a bed room that we bought from IKEA following the instructions. The job looked impossible at first because of the too much pieces and too much details, but we worked as a team and finished the task after about three hours.
Salem Mohsen Alhashmi
After completing this practice about using strengths I felt that challenges are not as we think them , they are not impossible tasks if we used our strengths the right way.
shaikha a
today i used one of my personal strengths which is kindness, my siblings were stressing out about there school and studies so i went out and bought them some snacks and candys to help them with studying and later on when they were all done i bought them some food.
Fatima Saeed Alnaqbi
Im thankful for my family who raised us and have taken all the positive lessons in our life, for my true friends who encourages, support, and motivates to do better. For having a home, a place to rest and relax. For my health, being in a well being and good health. Lastly, I'm thankful for those who made a positive impact in my life.
Essie Ket
Love of nature: a source of joy & energy. We are going to HBG today and I’m looking forward to exploring the wet season landscape. Is it too early for fuzzy pussy willow buds?
The Greater Good Toolkit
Made in collaboration with Holstee, this tookit includes 30 science-based practices for a meaningful life.
The Greater Good Toolkit
Made in collaboration with Holstee, this tookit includes 30 science-based practices for a meaningful life.