Facilitator Introduction

Transcription

1 Living Your Strength Journey: Strength-Based Ministry Part Four May 30, 2013 Facilitator Introduction Rev. Hugh Lagan, SMA, Psy.D. Agenda Learn how to nurture a strength- based worldview Explore factors which enhance well- being in personal life and public ministry Iden%fy core character and ministerial strengths 1

2 Happiness Taken all together, how happy would you say you are? a) Very happy b) Quite happy c) Not very happy d) Not at all happy What is really important to me? What do I want to do with my one and only life? How can I live in a personally authentic way? The best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing. - Theodore Roosevelt 2

3 Flourishing Feeling that you are doing what you were put into the world to do The key is having an understanding of what we are like at our best Key Questions What kind of people bring out the best in me? What kind of situarons bring out the best in me? Am I happiest being around people who are supporrve and low- key, or intense and comperrve? Do I thrive in highly structured or more open environments? Do I enjoy working closely with others or independently? Four Elements of Flourishing 1. Challenge 2. ConnecRvity 3. Autonomy 4. Using your Strengths 3

4 The Flourishing Life Strengthens capacity for happiness Directs the accomplishment of important life events Supports a life full of personal meaning Builds resilience Helps us face the future with strength and oprmism You have the power within you to figure out what inspires you, what makes you laugh, or what gives you hope and to cultivate these emotions. This can help build personal and social resources that can be drawn upon in the future. As you build a greater sense of well-being and life satisfaction, you will have more to give to others. Happiness Happy people are more successful in virtually every domain of life compared to their unhappier counterparts. 4

5 Happiness and GeneRcs hzp://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/file:benzopyrene_dna_adduct_1jdg.png Happiness and Age hzp://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/file%3aelderly_woman_,_b%26w_image_by_chalmers_buzerfield.jpg hzps://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/file:james_branch_et_des_religieuses_1933.jpg 5

6 Happiness and AZracRveness hzp:// Happiness and Friendship hzp:// 6

7 The Friendship Contagion Effect Happiness and Religion The Practice of Mindfulness People who are mindful are more aware of their thoughts and feelings without becoming lost in them Being mindful strengthens the immune system, increases the body s capacity to handle stress and is accompanied by a general increase in overall physical well- being 7

8 Happiness Factors 1. Our generc inheritance 2. Our life circumstances 3. Our intenronal acrvity Happiness Factors 1. Genes: 50% 2. Life Circumstances: 10% 3. IntenRonal acrvity: 40% This means 40% of our potential for happiness lies in our own hands. 8

9 Paying attention to how we pay attention is a crucial step in learning to flourish. Being mindful allows us to decide which ships we give harbour to in our minds. Thus, while we may not be able to prevent ships turning up laden with envy, resentment, anger, self-hate, depression, helplessness and hopelessness the endless cargo of negative and self-destructive thoughts we can prevent them from dropping anchor. - Elizabeth Gilbert The essence of learning to be grateful is to learn to want what you have. 9

10 VIA Signature Strengths Survey 1. Go to hzp:// and click Register in the top lej menu. RegistraRon takes 2-3 minutes. The informa+on you supply will only be used for scien+fic research and is confiden+al it does not have any impact on your results. 2. There are several quesronnaires on this site. Be sure to choose the one called VIA Survey of Character Strengths under the Engagement QuesRonnaires secron and click the Take Test link in the righthand column. 3. Make note of the address and password you entered so you can access the site again. 4. As with any quesronnaire, it is usually best not to over- think your answers. If you find yourself having difficulty making decisions about your answers, go with your first insrnct. For the survey to be most useful, realisrc honesty and accuracy is essenral. 5. Once you complete the quesronnaire, you will get a results page that contains your top five strengths. To view all 24 strengths, return to the VIA Signature Strength Survey and click on Details. Then click on View all 24 Strengths for this date. Be sure to print out your results. VIA Signature Strengths Results Which of these strengths give me deep joy? Which strengths are fun to use? What strength am I most inspired to use? Which strength is the most interesrng and intriguing to me? VIA Signature Strengths Results The survey is a guide to help you idenrfy those character strengths that most morvate, inspire and propel you through life even if you have not used them ojen or have been unaware of them unrl now. The purpose is not to anoint you with strengths it simply helps you find the areas where you have the greatest potenral to develop strengths. It seeks to encourage you to own your own strengths by finding new and more frequent uses for them. 10

11 Personal Strengths Many of us are either not aware of our strengths or we take them for granted. Think back to childhood & remember the things you loved doing, were good at or found easy to do. Personal Strengths Ability to communicate Gij for resolving conflicts Ability to pinpoint the essenrals of an issue Strong capacity to care for others Way with words Drive for excellence Capacity to inspire Our Signature Strengths are enduring and unique are our greatest potenral for growth are best used when matched to what we do increase our well- being when urlized 11

12 Signature Strengths Hallmarks Sense of ownership and authenrcity Feeling of excitement when urlizing strengths Rapid learning curve as strength is pracrced Feeling invigorated rather than exhausted AcRviRes you are naturally drawn to since youth Pursuit of personal projects urlizing strengths Utilizing Our Strengths Builds resilience Increases vitality Decreases stress over Rme Increases confidence and self- esteem Increases well- being over Rme Increases engagement, work performance and goal achievement People are likely to be happier and experience a higher level of wellbeing when their life gives them opportunities to utilize their signature strengths. 12

13 How can you increase the activities in your life that utilize your signature strengths OR transform your existing activities so that you can better utilize your strengths? This Week Create a designated Rme when you will exercise one or more of your signature strengths in a new way (work, home, leisure). For example, if your strength is appreciaron of beauty and excellence, you might set aside Rme each evening and go for a walk and consciously appreciate what you see. Exercising Your Strengths Create a posirve, calm atmosphere where you work and live Make Rme each day for an unhurried, pleasant face- to- face connecron with someone Get enough sleep and exercise Avoid high- sugar foods Keep a small secron of your workspace clear and Rdy Do your most important work at a Rme of the day when you know you funcron best Keep a part of the day free from , phone calls and other distracrons so that you can think and plan 13

14 Exercising Your Strengths Find something you love to do that benefits society Invest Rme strengthening your relaronships with others Adopt a lifestyle that gives health and energy Make bezer choices in the moment Believe in something greater than yourself We are not called to success we are called to personal and professional faithfulness. - Mother Teresa What one thing will you commit yourself to do today that will help improve your well-being for the longer term? 14

15 Decide now that this is your life and that you are going to live it in the best possible way: by looking after yourself, being involved and kind to other people and having a positive frame of mind that welcomes everything life has to offer you. The day you were called to break bread for a living was the day you were called to be broken. The days you spend bending over bread are spent bent around the mystery of fraction. If you are indeed broken you need to gather up each other s fragments gently and remember how again through you He feeds so many with so little. - John Kinsella Further Reading 15

16 Online Resources The four-part Strength Journey series will be available on-demand next month. QUESTIONS Contact Us Rev. Hugh Lagan, SMA, Psy.D. Beth Davis, E- learning 16