Beyond Happiness: Flourishing – PERMA Model Video Transcript

PERMA is a theory of well-being by Martin Seligman, a psychologist who coined the term positive psychology in the late 1990’s. His theory is being used all over the United States and the world with particular populations including the U.S. military and in public education.

The P in PERMA stands for Positive emotion.

The range of positive emotions is vast. Tapping into positive emotions actually helps improve health, life and relationships.

Beauty, celebration, gentleness, courage, awe, laughter, appreciation, joy, acceptance, kindness, and empathy are just some of the many positive emotions that can be felt as a result of experiences we have.

Can you think of a recent time or a time in the past in which you felt positive emotions? When was it? What caused you to feel the positive emotions? Who or what was present if anyone or anything?

The E in PERMA stands for Engagement or another term is flow.

Engagement is the experience of doing an activity or task just for the experience of doing it for the sake of enjoyment rather than just for a particular outcome. Flow is the mental state in which a person who engages in an activity is fully immersed and absorbed in the process of the activity. Although Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi first named the term, the concept has been referred across a variety of fields and within Eastern religious practices.

What activity / activities do you do where you lose yourself in the activity for the pleasure of it? (Some examples might be playing an instrument, jogging, reading, or other things).

The R in PERMA stands for Relationships.

Barbara Fredrickson in her book, Love 2.0, discusses the healthy and amazing impact that having real and honest connections with another person can have on the brain and a person’s well-being. We are all social beings and connection to another person begins as early as the bond between a parent and their infant. When early attachments to a caregiver are nurtured, the child can then grow up and form meaningful and fulfilling relationships in their adult life as well as support others in finding connection as well.

What relationships in your life mean the most to you?

How often do you spend time with these important people?

The M in PERMA stands for Meaning. Having time every day, in which your activities feel as though they have a purpose, helps create meaning and as a result improves well-being. Reflect on what gives you meaning on a daily basis. Does it overlap with other aspects of the PERMA model, such as interacting with others perhaps through volunteer or service activities?

The A in PERMA stands for Accomplishment.

Accomplishment is an achievement that is pursued for its own sake because one has a desire to master it, usually because of intrinsic or internal motivation.

Examples of small accomplishments might include setting your alarm clock and only hitting snooze once versus 5 times, or grabbing an apple instead of a bag of chips for a snack.

Accomplishments can also be finishing a chore or even larger, finishing a term in college. So whatever goal you set, the end leaves you feeling better about yourself; reaching it is an accomplishment!

What small or large things have you accomplished recently? Who did you share or celebrate these accomplishments with?