+1 #141: Put Your Virtues in Action

All ancient wisdom teachers tell us that if we want to live with a deep, abiding sense of true happiness, we need to live with virtue.

Modern science, of course, confirms this ancient wisdom. In fact, the entire field of Positive Psychology was founded on the idea that we need to live in integrity with the core virtues taught by all major wisdom traditions: Courage, Self-Mastery, Integrity, Wisdom, Love, and Transcendence.

Martin Seligman, the “godfather” of the Positive Psychology movement and author of Authentic Happiness and Flourish, created one of my favorite scientific tools to enhance our sense of self-awareness and our ability to live in integrity with our highest ideals.

It’s called the Virtues-in-Action Character Strengths Survey. You can take it in less than fifteen minutes and identify your core virtues so that you can put them into action more consistently in your day-to-day lives—which, science shows, is a really good idea if creating a life of meaning and a sense of flourishing is a priority.

Cruise on over here to take the survey! (http://www.viacharacter.org/www/Character-Strengths-Survey)

For those curious souls, according to the survey, my top signature strengths are:

- Creativity
- Hope and Optimism
- Energy and Enthusiasm
- Purpose
- Courage
- Kindness and Generosity

I feel best when I’m engaging these core virtues. Therefore, I deliberately find ways to do so.

Today’s +1: What are YOUR signature strengths and how can you put those virtues into action a little more starting today?

Let’s do that.

To your Virtues!

In action. 😃