Boost Your Happiness! Experience the PERMA+ Method for Enhanced Well-being
Do you feel happy in life?
Everyone is pursuing happiness, but do you know the secret to finding it?
The 2024 World Happiness Report shows that the global happiness average is 5.1 out of 10. How would you rate your current happiness level?
Everyone experiences happiness differently: it might be crawling into a warm bed after a long day, enjoying a delicious meal after studying hard, spending weekends with family and friends, or listening to favorite music after a busy day…
The path to happiness varies from person to person. If you haven’t found your way yet, or want to further enhance your sense of well-being, let’s explore it from the perspective of Positive Psychology, using the PERMA+ Model to scientifically boost happiness!
What is the PERMA+ Model?
The PERMA+ Model is a theory of well-being proposed by Martin Seligman, the father of Positive Psychology, consisting of 5 core elements and 3 additional health factors:
P – Positive Emotions
E – Engagement
R – Relationships
M – Meaning
A – Accomplishment
+ – Physical Activity
+ – Nutrition
+ – Sleep
The PERMA+ Model provides college students with a comprehensive approach to enhancing well-being, helping them achieve balance in academics, social life, and personal growth. Let’s explore the meaning of each element and how to implement them in daily life! We’ve prepared many action plans specifically for college students.
Positive Emotions
Positive emotions aren’t just about happiness; they include hope, love, pride, interest, enjoyment, and gratitude. When we can explore, savor, and integrate positive emotions into our lives, we can improve habitual negative thinking and behavior while strengthening psychological resilience.
Action Plans
l Record three things that made you happy each day to cultivate gratitude.
For example: small achievements in class, encouragement from classmates, a delicious lunch
l Participate in activities you’re interested in, such as clubs or fun workshops, and enjoy the process.
l Use breaks between classes or before bed for meditation to strengthen positive emotions.
Engagement
Engagement is a state of complete immersion, using skills, strengths, and focus to complete challenging tasks. This engagement brings enjoyment and can make you lose track of time, known as Flow. Flow can be experienced in various activities you love.
Action Plans
l Understand your character strengths and engage in what you’re good at.
For example: choosing courses or activities related to your major
l Find activities you love and fully immerse yourself in them.
For example: deep conversations, playing instruments, reading, artistic creation, sports training
l Practice being present in daily activities.
Relationships
Relationships include interactions with family, partners, friends, classmates, and the entire community. Positive relationships allow us to feel support, value, and care through interactions. As social beings, our sense of well-being improves through building and maintaining good interpersonal relationships.
Action Plans
l Actively connect with friends, classmates, and professors to share feelings and thoughts.
l Participate in club activities or volunteer services to expand your social network.
l Help others in need, and know when to seek assistance from those around you.
For example: helping each other with academic questions and seeking advice
Meaning
Having meaning helps us focus on what truly matters when facing major challenges or adversity. This could be gaining a sense of belonging or pursuing goals greater than ourselves.
Action Plans
l Try various new activities to find what resonates with you.
l Reflect on life values and goals, integrating them into learning, relationships, and daily life.
Accomplishment
A sense of accomplishment comes from achieving goals, mastering skills, or completing self-set tasks. Through these experiences, we can look back on life with pride and enhance our well-being. Notably, achieving internal goals (like personal growth) brings more lasting happiness than external goals (like money and fame).
Action Plans
l Set long-term goals and break them down into smaller, achievable steps.
For example: breaking down semester coursework into weekly tasks
l Celebrate each milestone achievement to boost confidence and sense of accomplishment.
For example: completing assignments, answering questions in class are worth celebrating
l Reflect on past successes to strengthen self-efficacy.
+ Additional Health Factors
Physical Activity
Physical health is inseparable from well-being, and appropriate exercise can reduce depression, anxiety, and loneliness.
Action Plans
l Exercise for at least 30 minutes daily, such as walking, running, or yoga.
For those who don’t enjoy exercise, try taking walks around campus
l Remember to stretch after sitting in class for long periods.
Nutrition
Diet affects not only physical health but is also closely related to well-being. Research shows that people who eat more vegetables and fruits, and less saturated fats, refined carbohydrates, and processed foods have higher levels of well-being.
Action Plans
l Maintain regular meal times, don’t skip breakfast due to time constraints.
l Maintain a balanced diet, even when ordering takeout, ensure intake of vegetables and whole grains, and reduce high-sugar, high-fat foods.
Sleep
Good sleep habits can enhance psychological and emotional resilience, while lack of sleep can lead to negative thinking and emotional vulnerability.
Action Plans
l Avoid using phones before bed to prevent affecting sleep quality.
l Maintain a regular schedule, ensure adequate sleep for complete physical and mental rest.
l Use breathing exercises or muscle relaxation techniques to help with falling asleep.
These are some simple action suggestions; feel free to adjust them based on personal preferences and habits.
Through the PERMA+ Model, you can comprehensively review your current life situation and make improvements. By implementing these simple yet complete action plans, you’ll find it easier to continuously experience happiness in life, have more strength to face stress and adversity, and find meaning in life. We hope this sharing helps you discover more joy and satisfaction in your college life.