Thriving is prospering, being well, being at our best alive with possibility and resilient to hard times. Martin Seligman is considered the Father of Positive Psychology and in his book Flourish, he defines five components of flourishing and takes the focus of Positive Psychology beyond just happiness and positive emotions. The five components include:
- Positive Emotions: Experiencing positive emotions more frequently
- Engagement: The depth of involvement with one’s family, work, romance and hobbies
- Relationships: Experiencing positive, supportive relationships with others
- Meaning: Finding ways of making your life feel more meaningful by using personal strengths to serve some larger end
- Accomplishment: Pursing activities and goals for their own sake
The acronym PERMA is a way to remember the five components. Working with me as a Thriving at Work coach, my clients leverage the components of Seligman’s flourishing model. Together we explore each component and ways to get more of it into their lives.