Train strengths: Workout for the soul
Wisdom, Courage, Humanity ... Some character strengths have a big impact on our zest for life. With these exercises developed by scientists, you can purposefully expand the virtues of wisdom, courage, humanity and transcendence.
Wisdom - I have an idea!
We call people who can use knowledge and experience wisely and creatively in everyday life wisely. Often we admire her for her ingenuity, her many interests and her practical mind. To strengthen your curiosity and your creativity:
Paging: Do you always read detective stories? Or biographies? Have a look at the next visit to the bookstore in another corner, in the fact or children's books: Let yourself be inspired!
Test run: Do you eat at lunchtime? Make a culinary expedition in the near future: Eat in the Anatolian snack, the new Indian or the vegetarian, the main thing, you have never tasted the dish.
radio play: Listen to a lecture on a topic that you did not know about: at the Planetarium show, the nature reserve tour, the city tour with the homeless.
Nachmacherin: What passion, what hobby do you admire in your best friend? That she dances tango once a week? That she dared a parachute jump? That she plays theater as a amateur actress? Think about what impresses you, or even makes you a bit jealous: Do just that. Book the acting class in the VHS or the tandem parachute jump.
Artifice: Send creative-personal Christmas greetings this year. For example, take photos of unusual views of your city, home, or yourself and print them out as postcards.
Become more courageous
Courage - I can do it!
Courageous people are not distracted from external difficulties and distractions from their goals. But not from inner doubts or excuses. To strengthen your stamina and your energy:
Research Project: The more the things we do fit our tastes, the better we feel in our skin. The better we feel, the greater our self-confidence - and our courage. Most people have between three and five distinct characteristics, the so-called signature strengths: Find out what your signature strengths are by using a free scientific personality test at www.charakterstaerken.org and look for everyday activities that you can use to build on those strengths ,
Self-control: Would you like to change unpleasant habits - for example, reduce your television consumption? Then you should replace this habit with a more beautiful one in small steps: Write down in detail what your approach might look like, which could help you implement your plan. Make an appointment with a friend for an evening walk? Three exciting books on the bedside table? Lend the TV? Start with the step that is easiest for you, let the others follow. In the beginning this can be difficult, but after two to three weeks the new habit will have replaced the old one.
Overtime: Schedule a weekly schedule and carefully record what you do and when, until you have an exact timetable of your week. Think of one thing that you would like to do, but postpone it again and again for supposedly time reasons: Write these activities as an appointment in the timetable - and stick to it.
Train humanity
Humanity - I like myself. And I like you!
It does not make you happy to rub yourself up for others. But to work hard for the good of others, even if they are only small gestures, is proven to be satisfactory. To strengthen your ability to kindness and love:
Care instructions: Maintain your friendly page for a week. Do you leave the children at the supermarket checkout or prefer the car driver who has been out of the parking space for minutes? Maybe you're donating a small amount to a neighborhood project - or blood. Show others that you value them.
Postcard: Of which friends have you heard nothing for a long time? Send them a nice postcard with a self-written poem or a special thought.
Double heart: What do you like most - and what does your partner like most? Think about what activity might appeal to the strong sides of both of you. If you are particularly curious and have a good sense of beauty, then a studio visit to an artist might be a wonderful day for you both.
More optimism, humor and sense of beauty
Transcendence - Life is wonderful!
People who focus on the good and the beautiful believe more that life means well with them and happiness can be influenced. To strengthen your gratitude, optimism, humor and sense of beauty:
Nettwerk: Be aware of who helped you lately, supported you. Thank this person in thought or even with words.
Park: They fit in every jacket pocket: bags with seeds for flowers of all kinds. Beautify your city: Sprinkle marigold seeds on the roadside strip. Bluebells in the backyard. Many flowers can also be sowed in autumn - and be happy about the flowers next summer.
Everyday comedy: For a week each night, make a note of what made you laugh, even if it was just an inward laugh - the Gayman cartoon in this ChroniquesDuVasteMonde? A slip of the tongue with your child? Your boss?
Sehschule: Keep your eyes open for the beautiful: Do you like the decoration of a house façade particularly well? The play of colors on the windows of the subway? The tiny flowers in the cracks? Even in the deadliest traffic jam you can see beautiful details. In the evening, describe your discoveries as visually as possible in a diary.
With ChroniquesDuVasteMonde.com you can individually train your strengths
Exclusively for you: Individual online strength training
Do you enjoy these exercises? Then continue training with a similar exercise in the coming year: with the Online Character Strength Training of the University of Zurich, the Professor Willibald Ruch and dr. Serving René Proyer with her research group exclusively for ChroniquesDuVasteMonde readers.
That's how it's done
To do this you need to register on the website www.staerkentraining.ch. As soon as the training starts in January 2009, you will be informed by e-mail from the University of Zurich. First, fill in online questionnaires that tell you what your well-being is and what your particular strengths are (about 45 minutes). One week later, you will receive a tutorial by email to help you develop one of your strengths.
The practice phase lasts one to two weeks, the exercise takes about 5 to 15 minutes per day. One week after completing the first practice phase, you will receive a questionnaire from the university that will allow researchers to determine if and how the exercise has worked for you. You can reach further short questions after one, three and six months. After completion of the strength training, about half a year later, you will receive feedback on your personal signature strengths and your training results as well as a summary of the overall results of the study.
All exercises have been tested in an initial test phase and confirmed as effective. By participating, you help researchers find ways to help people increase their life satisfaction.
