Play to Our Strengths

  So.  If I am going to start this little experiment I need to find somewhere to start, don't you think?  So I have been reading and reading and reading.  Websites, books, blogs.  So much information and it is all so exciting and so promising.  
  One thing that keeps popping up in what I've read is a test called the VIA Survey of Character Strengths.   This questionnaire, which you will find on the "Authentic Happiness" website which is the homepage of Dr. Martin Seligman, Director of the Positive Psychology Center at the University of Pennsylvania, consists of 240 questions that promise to identify your top, or "character" strengths. I have taken the test twice, just to make sure the answers are the right ones.  Here's what it told me.
  My top five strengths are Love of Learning; Appreciation of Beauty and Excellence; Kindness and Generosity; Creativity, Ingenuity and Originality and Gratitude.  What do I do with this illuminating information?  The general advice would suggest that I try to build my character  strengths into my everyday life.  I am good at these things already, yes?  Play to your strengths, that has always been sound advice.
   Number One - Love of Learning.  I wonder, was this my top strength when I muddled my way through school and university with no aspiration and even less motivation or have I only recently developed it?  No matter, it is not a big shock to me to learn that I like to learn.  And no wonder my job, which a trained banana could probably do, is not pushing my buttons.  How am I going to use a love of learning to boost my happy?  Maybe now is the time to start that Open University course and I might just see if there any evening courses that take my fancy. 
  An appreciation of beauty and excellence, again that doesn't surprise me. Any excuse to visit an art gallery or enjoy a beautiful view.  Perhaps I could write a wee post once in a while dwelling on the beauty of this world..... This could also help me with my creativity strength (although it might not be such an original idea, but let me work on that)
  Kindness, generosity and gratitude.  Now,  this is something I have been working on.  I like to believe I have always had these traits, but I know very well that I am a bit of a stress head and in certain situations these have been a bit hard to see.  I have been using a website called futureme.org which lets you write emails to your future.  What I've been doing is writing about things that have happened during the day that I am grateful for, or things that went well, nice things that people have done for me.  I have also been setting myself little related tasks in these emails to my future self to keep myself on track.   For example, if I write about spending time with a good friend, I'll tell myself to send them a friendly text, or call them to find out how they are. Simple, but effective and what a fantastic little boost these emails give me,  it's a win win win situation.
  So, I am now armed with my top strengths and I can see how using them everyday, even in a small way will keep the cheer topped up.  I'll keep you posted with how I am getting on. 
:)