Flourish

​Flourishing to me means doing more than what is expected. You don’t flourish by just sitting on the couch. You can't just sit back in life and wait for things to happen. You have to climb the mountain. When you do this you can reach the peak. When you are at this point it is downhill from there. You flourish by pushing yourself to a certain level until you are able to coast downhill. I do not mean downhill in a bad way. I am saying that this is when things become easier. It’s like working hard to reap the benefits. 
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Courtney E. Ackerman, MA, explains this as, “Flourishing moves beyond the confines of simple happiness or wellbeing; it encompasses a wide range of positive psychological constructs and offers a more holistic perspective on what it means to feel well and happy.” I agree with this idea, that is why I am writing about it. 

Dr. Martin Seligman, the “father of positive psychology” explains that flourishing is the result of paying careful attention to building and maintaining the five aspects in life. He calls this the PERMA model.

The PERMA model:

1. Positive emotions
2. Engagement
3. Relationships
4. Meaning
5. Accomplishments

How the PERMA Model shows up in my day to day life: 
Positive emotions- Finding what truly brings you happiness, it may be going for a drive, playing with a dog or animals, or just listening to music. 

Engagement- I spend the majority of my days cooking, working out and writing. When you are younger this usually comes from parents or friends. Once you are older you start to pick the things that are the most important or what you like to do in your down time.  

Relationships- My family, friends, writing team, those that read my work are important to me. I make the effort to stay connected with these relationships even if I do not see them in person every day. And my relationship with God. 

Meaning- Being stuck in a facility is hard but having my family makes it worth it. That way I have a goal to be with my family. Having a goal to work towards gives me meaning. I find meaning through taking care of my body by exercising and eating well. I also find meaning through my writing which helps me think deeper. God is also a big part of this as he gives me strength. 

Accomplishments- Overcoming the diagnosis I would not walk, and now running is a core accomplishment. I am always challenging the status quo. I am proud of my performance as a writer and keeping up my blog. 

Questions you can ask yourself when looking to flourish:

1. What are some positive emotions in your life?
2. What do you do that brings you happiness?
3. What are the key relationships in your life?
4. What gives your life purpose? The specific things you do:
5. What do you do or have done well? What are you proud of?

You can read more here: 
Flourishing: https://positivepsychology.com/flourishing/#google_vignette
The PERMA Model: https://positivepsychology.com/perma-model/

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