How can you use character strengths to build resilience?

I first read about character strengths about 20 years ago in Dr. Martin Seligaman's book, Authentic Happiness. Did the VIA survey to find out my strengths . Was not surprised what came up as these were natural to me. Whether or not it's nature or nurture or both, they were my strengths. Just knowing your strengths can build resilience to life's challenges. Next step is to take action to make your strengths stronger! Take your top 4 or 5 and look at ways to continually increase them. For they are you!

A growth mindset is essential for us to build resilience, not only by working with our strengths, but to give us the curiosity, openness and motivation to improve in our "gap" areas.

Much of our work is focused on identifying the strengths of our clients so they can combat the 3:1 negative thought cycle that all humans experience. When clients have a breakthrough moment of intercepting their negative thoughts and appreciating their strengths, we celebrate big time!

Character strengths are positive traits that reflect an individual′s virtues and personal qualities. Utilizing these strengths can be an effective strategy for building resilience, the ability to adapt and overcome challenges. Here are some ways to incorporate character strengths in building resilience: 1 - Self-awareness; 2 - Focus on Strengths; 3 - Positive Adaptation; 4 - Positive Relationships; 5 - Purpose and Meaning; 6 - Authenticity; 7 - Continuous Development. Be integrating these practices into daily life, you can use your character strengths as powerful tools to face life′s challenges and build emotional and psychological resilience.

Though our character strengths are roots in our genes and upbringing, it is largely shaped and manifested by our core belief system, which forms our thoughts, which decide our habits and finally comes out as our identity. Thus manifestation of our character strengths can be modified by changing our belief system

In addition to taking the VIA strengths assessment, which I love, I also find it helpful to self-reflect and ask others for feedback in response to questions like these: 1) What shows up when I do? What qualities do I bring into a room? 2) What qualities or characteristics do I show up with when I am being my most effective self, and my least effective self? 3) Tell me about a time you’ve seen me at my best. What showed up? What did you see in me?

You can begin by taking the VIA survey. Once you have a baseline understanding of your strengths, actively explore them in your interactions with yourself and others. You can even ask your friends and loved ones which of your strengths draw them to you.

Identifying character strengths begins with self-reflection. Engage in introspective activities and consider your values and moments of peak performance. Additionally, character strength assessments, like the VIA Survey, provide structured insights into your unique qualities.

For Baby-boomers who were born following World War 2 it was easier to develop character strengths because we had parents who had survived these years and quite often grandparents as well, so we were aware of the importance of our lives and what they meant. Life was much simpler then and we were grateful for improvements that followed.

The most obvious way is to take their test. But that is not enough. Resilience is based on many elements. But in my experience, it usually requires understanding one's limiting beliefs and patterns of being and thinking and feeling. As well as one's strengths and values. This requires work: emotional and cognitive work. There are many tools in addition to VIA, such as self-awareness, listening and downloading (theory U) and a few others.

I believe the first and very important thing is to recognize either your strengths and your weakness. By knowing that, you will have the ability of navigating on the daily turbulence’s, prepare yourself for the situations that may affect yours weak points. I mean prepare yourself for the hardest scenarios, try to understand what is about to come when you face a situation. In this meaning “the punch” will have less impact on you. Nevertheless resilience is like a wall it must be built along your life, just the experience will be able to place brick by brick on it. Like Rocky Balboa would tell you “the life will punch hard”. Your ability to absorb it makes you prevail.

I can say from personal experience that working against your innate strengths - trying to be something or someone you're not - leads to lack of self-confidence at best and burnout at worst. And yet, so often, well-meaning mentors, coaches, and others continue to guide us in the path that worked for them & their innate strengths. It can be helpful to seek guidance & support from others, but we also need to develop a deep level of self-awareness & trust in our own intuition about our needs, desires, wants, & strengths so that we know what advice to follow and what to ignore. Simply doing this practice in a world with so much disparate information, builds resilience, especially in the face of that which isn't aligned with our true selves.

Building resilience is an ongoing process. Your core strengths combine your upbringing, life experiences and the mindset you develop. 1. Understand how each strength manifests in your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. 2. Reflect on how you've used your strengths in the past to overcome challenges. 3. Focus on what you can control and find opportunities for growth in adversity.

Here is an example: your boss gives you a new task to do. Your first reaction is: 'I do not want to do this. I have never done it before and I fear that I will not do it well'. You are experiencing a stress response. At this moment, you can draw on what you know about your strengths: you tested high for courage and curiosity. You then choose to reframe the task positively around courage and curiosity. You have lowered your stress response.

It is important to know and understand that our choices are based on our value systems which create experiences. And our priorities reflect these values in the order of ranking. Also, our values build character and during this process tend to create voids. Because if you choose to not do something because it doesn't sit well with your values, a void gets created subconsciously. In order to use one's character to build resilience it's important to manage these voids. Once you address a void, the next one appears and so on. So if you're honest it doesn't mean you have to be transparent all the time. Use discretion and reveal only that much as needed. Character building is about using your resources/qualities appropriately.

Identifying our strengths is empowering. My curiosity strengthens my resilience by driving me to ask questions and learn, even when times are hard. I also apply my optimism to envision a hopeful future during difficulty, giving me strength. When we know our strengths and use them with intention, they become tools. For instance, my inclination to help assists me in supporting struggling friends. In turn, their growth inspires my resilience. Discovering and thoughtfully applying our strengths builds our capacity to thrive through challenges.

Resilience is relative and depends upon the situation. For example, a professional may be resilient in the workplace but not as resilient in handling life changing situations and challenges. The good news is that resilience is a skill that can be developed and built up using these character strengths. 1. Sense of control by taking responsibility for one’s life and making decisions that are aligned with one’s values 2. Viewing challenges as opportunities for growth and learning 3. Developing problem solving skills 4. Practicing self-love and self-kindness 5. Developing self-awareness and self-regulation skills to manage emotions 6. Creating a strong social support system around us. maintaining healthy non-toxic relationships

When it comes to resilience, it is all about pushing your comfort zone. Use your strengths to push, to expand, to stretch your ability to deal with stress. I gave the example earlier of courage and curiosity as drivers for practicing pushing your zone of tolerance.

Harnessing character strengths requires deliberate, consistent practice. Integrating them into daily life, from work to hobbies and relationships, nurtures their growth. Embrace challenges that stretch these strengths—join clubs, volunteer, or explore new interests. Align goals with strengths, monitoring progress for fulfillment. Yet, balance is vital. Underutilizing strengths breeds dissatisfaction, while overuse leads to burnout. Finding the middle ground fuels engagement, vitality, and self-assurance. It's about honing these qualities skillfully, optimizing their impact on your life's landscape.

I'm a big fan of living out and embodying our character strengths. I like to work with the old behavioral model of thoughts, feelings and behavior. To this model I add experience. This means what thoughts would I have if I lived out this strength, how would I feel and how would I behave towards others. Then we do this in front of the mirror and give the body an idea of how it feels to live this strength of character.

As a nurse and speaker, I balance my own character strengths by leveraging empathy and communication in patient care. Cultivate resilience to handle challenging situations. Prioritize self-care to maintain mental and emotional well-being. Continuously learn and adapt, integrating strengths to provide holistic and effective healthcare while engaging audiences. Self-care is not selfish, and is the key.

You don't "need to" do anything unless you want to... Knowing what your character strengths are and being aware of them is just one part, but fully understanding or being able to apply them practically in a meaningful way is another aspect. The balance part toward resilience and well-being comes in when you are mindful of feeling the moment-to-moment sensations in your body. What does your body need or doesn't need–right now? What's alive for you or isn't alive for you–right now? How can I best support how I am feeling–right now?

I believe it's always helpful to remember that we have a choice. We get to decide whether to wear blue, white or multicolored. We also get to decide how we react in challenging situations. Pause, breathe, go for a walk or make room for emotions in arts or a conversation. There are no set ways and no recipes to return to an inner balance. Finding the grain of positivity in any situation and feeding it, letting it grow has proven to be a valuable approach for myself to also include the less visible strengths in the mix of things and walk on with my eyes on the horizon, fueled by my entire palette of character traits.

Balancing character strengths with broader aspects like physical health, emotional regulation, social connections, and cognitive flexibility is pivotal. Nurturing your body through nutrition, sleep, and exercise lays the foundation for resilience. Effectively managing emotions and seeking support when needed fosters emotional well-being. Cultivating meaningful relationships through empathy and clear communication fortifies your social network. Additionally, embracing open-mindedness and realistic optimism enhances cognitive adaptability. It's the harmonious integration of these elements that optimizes resilience and well-being, ensuring a holistic approach to personal growth and fulfillment.

I train my clients in 6 areas of resilience. Strengths, while extremely valuable, is only one sub element of one of those 6. Resilience is complex and multi-dimensional. Each person is different as well, so one thing might work for one and not for the other. Living into your strength of courage is great, but it won't help you enough if you do not sleep and have a Vitamin D deficiency and are prone to rage at work (for example...).

The library hummed with fluorescent apathy, mirroring my 2.55 CGPA. Books, once allies, anger, not motivation, propelled me. "This," I hissed at the screen of my phone, "isn't me!" That anger, my hidden courage mixed with uncertainty, ignited a fierce hunger. I had to restrategise, interrogate bad habits, and became a relentless learner. My nights were fuelled by coffee and curiosity, my failures, data points for perseverance. Each A and B rekindled hope like a sunrise. Then, there it was: 4.62. Not just a number, but a phoenix rising from the ashes. The world opened, but the biggest change was within and the view? Confidence. Failure's a detour, not a dead end. And within each of us? A phoenix waiting to soar.

Character strengths is an unusual term. It implies those traits you don’t have are a weakness. There are parts of you that you are born with, therefore, those things you know. However, people often forget about what they know and take an easy route. Things you don’t know are those things you come to earth to learn. Few do as it is easier to avoid difficult learning. Thus, things you know and don’t know are equally difficult to put into practice. Therefore, resilience is confronting yourself as to why you avoided life lessons in favour of a short term easier time and ensuring that in future you will try to implement what you know and learn what you don’t.

One classic way to build resilience is through trauma and I'm not sure the benefits are worth it. ?? The body keeps the score is a fascinating resource to consider.

Your strengths are a vital component of your identity. So, I encourage you to take the time to uncover your strengths. Spend some time alone, in silence, and allow your mind to get to work. Devote time to do the things that you love doing, even if the benefit of those things isn’t immediately apparent to you. Pay attention to what the people around you say about you and always seek the feeling of fulfilment that indicates you’re doing what you should be doing. I have found that by dedicating time to tap on and develop my strengths, has helped me in crucial times of need and certainly built my resilience and character.

Resilience is such a gift to have and it can be built with a well-regulated nervous system. There are many ways to achieve this, my favourite is - of course - TRE (Tension Releasing Exercises) as I love, practise and teach it. In TRE we work somatically, i.e. with the body and nothing needs to be verbalised or analysed. If you'd like to find out more, feel free to get in touch with me for a wee fact-finding chat. To resilience!