Question

Answer to the questions based on your knowledge about positive psychology and happiness theory (PERMA-model; P+E+M) plus the character strengths model.

As people living in the UAE we are very fortunate to live a safe life. We regularly however, hear and see human tragedies unfold around us, which have the capacity to significantly move us. Unfortunately, often society moves too fast to allow us to mindfully reflect and remember those who are suffering. What would happen if we donated some of our time and prayers for those in need?

• Explain the benefits from such a practice – how would it enhance subjective feelings of wellbeing. Your answer should be based on knowledge about PERMA model and character strengths.

Answer 1

PERMA model:

American psychologist and educator Martin Seligman designed thePERMA the model. As a psychology practitioner, Martin understands how natural it is for every individual to seek for happiness regardless of their age, gender, orientation and status of life. Everyone wants to be happy, wants to build good meaningful relationships to lead a happy and successful life. but happiness is a notoriously difficult thing to pin down and by focusing on it too intensely, we can end up being unfulfilled.

The PERMA model stands for the five essential elements that should be in place for us to experience lasting will be they are:

P- positive emotion

E- engagement

R-relationships

M- meaning

A- accomplishments or achievements

1. Positive Emotion: this route to well being is hedonic- increasing positive emotion. increase our positive emotions about the past by cultivating gratitude and forgiveness, our positive emotions about the present by physical pleasures and mindfulness and our positive emotions about the future by building hope and optimism. Any positive emotions such as peace, gratitude ,satisfaction , pleasure, inspiration, hope, curiosity or love fall into this category and the message is that it is really important to enjoy yourself in the present just as long as the other elements of PERMA are in place.
2. Engagement: engagement is an expression in which someone fully deployed their skills strengths and attention for a challenging task .”Flow” is experienced when one’s skills are just sufficient for aChallenging activity in the pursuit of a clear goal with immediate feedback on progress towards the goal. hello can be experienced in a wide variety of activities for example a good conversation, a work task, playing a musical instrument, reading a book writing, gardening sports training performance etc. this feels really good. the more we experience this type of engagement the more likely we are to experience well being.
3. Relationships: relationships are fundamental to well being. The experiences that contribute to well being are often amplified throughout our relationships for example great joy, meaning laughter, a feeling of belonging and pride in accomplishment. connections to others can give life purpose and meaning. developing strong relationships is central to adaptation and is enabled by our capacity for love compassion and kindness empathy teamwork cooperation self sacrifice etc.
4. Meaning: a sense of meaning and purpose can be derived from belonging to and serving something bigger than the self. There are various societal institutions that enable essence of meaning such as religion, family science politics work organisations justice the community social causes among others . whether this is a specific dietary or religion or a cause that helps humanity in some way we all need meaning in our life to have a sense of well being.
5. Accomplishment:People pursue achievement competence success and mastery for its own sake in a variety of domains including the workplace sports games and hobbies people pursue accomplishment even when it does not necessarily lead to positive emotion meaning for relationships.

There are many benefits of well being: they perform better at work, will be more cooperative, have stronger immune systems, live longer, reduce cardiovascular mortality, have greater self control, have more satisfying relationships, they have fewer sleep problems.

Research has identified optimism as one of the Key contributors to will being. The optimistic thinking will have less depression and anxiety, can perform better at schools sports and work can maintain better Physical health outcomes.

Society on the whole is not performing or following this PERMA model. We are living in a society where there is a lot of selfishness among the people. well-being is obviously followed but which is related only to the individual. Once we start thinking of the wellbeing of the society and when we start to work for the sake of the society and wellbeing of every individual in the society definitely we can say, we are maintaining good relationships, there is a meaning and purpose for our life,and when every citizen starts engaging with others with a Flow, all with positive thoughts and emotions definitely we can achieve or accomplish the well-being of every human being.