Is your ‘being’ well?
Well-being seems to be all the rage these days.
We all need it, but some of us don’t know how to get it.
If you want more of it but don’t know where to find it, you will be reassured to know that you can indeed develop the behaviours and thinking patterns you’ll need to get there.
Some people believe that you are born with your personality set in stone. I don’t believe that. I believe, like the psychologist, Oliver James that environment is responsible for a lot more than we’ve given it credit for in the past. Actually, he believes environment accounts for everything, and when I challenged him on that score, he gave me a very credible answer.
So assuming then that even your personality can and does change depending on your environment, how can we change our environment and consequently our personality, to achieve a greater sense of well-being?
First of all, we need to know what personality components contribute to that well-being.
Personality traits linked to greater well-being
It turns out (thanks to a survey of 706 adults in the States) that enthusiasm and being difficult to discourage are key.
The more enthusiasm you have, the more fun you have and the fewer negative emotions you have.
Wow! OMG! Amazing! Stupendous! Epic! Immense! Awesome! I need some and I need some now. Sign me up. I’m all over it. Try stopping me!
Try stopping me
It seems people who are difficult to discourage experience more positive growth, greater achievement and self-acceptance.
Skinning a cat
While I’m not entirely happy with this particular expression, there are many routes through personality to a greater sense of well-being.
Maybe you’re a compassionate person?
Compassionate people tend to have better relationships with other people and experience more positive emotions.
Or maybe you’re a hard-worker?
Diligent, industrious people are more likely to work harder to achieve long-term goals. They are of course, achievement-orientated and experience greater well-being by achieving those goals.
Curious?
Inquisitive people, big fans of deep-thinking and open to new ideas, also benefit from a greater sense of well-being and personal growth.
Pursuit of happiness
How many people do you know who talk about seeking happiness, for themselves or maybe for their children?
“I just want them to be happy.”
Of course, we can relate to the intention. Who wouldn’t want to be happy? Who wouldn’t want their children to be happy?
But searching for it is a fool’s errand. It’s not a thing, out there.
Instead, we may experience the happiness we seek by actively pursuing something else.
It’s like seeing fairies at the bottom of the garden. Or leprechauns.
So I’m told!
If you look directly at them they vanish! But you just might catch a glimpse out of the corner of your eye, while you’re busy doing something else.
But what to do?
The answer is to actively work on:
- Feeling satisfied with your life
- Being independent
- Achieving life goals
- Personal growth
As you do, you’re likely to experience greater well-being and happiness.
And that’s totes amaze-balls! 🙂
https://youtu.be/pYaCf_eHygU
