What is the use of the 6 virtues and 24 strengths in positive psychology?

Hello, host! I really hope my answer can be of some help to you.

It seems that the host knows something about positive psychology, which is great! The application of positive psychology can indeed help us in our daily lives, which is fantastic! Here, I will briefly explain how we can use our strengths to our advantage in disadvantaged situations, which is really exciting!

Let's dive in and explore the creative use of strengths!

When you face a challenging situation, don't panic! Instead, do the following three things:

First, take a moment to identify the current situation. What are the disadvantages for you?

Second, recognize your strengths! Don't be quick to dismiss them as useless in the face of current difficulties.

Now for the fun part! Third, look for connections between scenarios of strengths and weaknesses. Use your strengths as a clue to comprehensively consider your own resources, "what can I do," and then do it well!

I'll give you an example from my own experience. When the Psychological Counsellors' Association in our district was first established, I was thrilled to connect with two teachers in the association. I was eager to learn more about the association and the amazing work it does in our district.

As a beginner in psychology, I know that I have so much to learn and so many opportunities to grow. I'm excited to have more exchanges and discussions with local consultants and to learn and grow together with everyone. While I don't have experience in consulting and haven't studied psychology for a long time, I'm eager to gain that experience and to participate in the consulting work of the association and other consulting activities.

However, I have discovered that as a full-time mother, I have more time than others, which is great! Although I am not yet qualified to provide counseling, I can participate in many other activities, such as book clubs, popular science psychology, and psychological test analysis, which I'm really excited about!

I'm thrilled to say that as long as the association needs me, I will actively participate in various activities regardless of the weather. I've been lucky enough to have continuous contact and exchanges with senior psychological counselors, which has allowed me to gradually establish a deeper connection with them. I've also learned a lot of excellent ideas from them and become clearer about my future direction, which has been an amazing experience!

I'm thrilled to share that last year, at the association's annual general meeting, I was also voted "outstanding volunteer."

I've got another great example for you of how you can use your strengths in parenting.

I'm not really the type of mother who enjoys spending time with her children, but I do have two clear advantages: I'm a good learner and I'm curious.

I've been able to transfer my strengths of being studious and curious from my studies and work to parenting, which has been a great move! I often take my children to museums and science centers, which is a fantastic way to satisfy my own curiosity while also spending quality time playing with my kids.

I also love reading with my children! It's a great way to make use of my strength for learning and make them feel happy, which is a form of high-quality companionship.

So, you see, whenever we use our strengths as a guide and do what we can do, we can turn any disadvantageous scenario into an advantageous one!

Let's reassign the meaning of the problem!

Einstein said it best: "Problems cannot be solved by the same kind of thinking that created them."

When we want to open a locked door, it's time to stop staring at the keyhole and start looking for the key! "Strengths" is our universal key, ready to turn "weakness" scenarios into exciting new opportunities. By giving problems new meaning, we can turn them into potential for growth and discovery.

The youngest son of the father of positive psychology, Professor Seligman, didn't like washing dishes. But he had an amazing idea! He wanted the three children in the family to participate in household chores together.

If you were Seligman, what would you do?

Is it repeatedly asking and obsessing about "why is my child just not willing to do things on their own"? Or is it guiding the child through coercion, teaching, or material rewards?

This method doesn't solve the problem, and the results are never quite what we're looking for. Instead, it puts parents in a challenging situation that they have to navigate.

So, what did Seligman do?

By exploiting his children's strengths, he redefined the situation and made the most of it! He discovered that his youngest son had a prominent strength in leadership and liked and was good at leading others.

So, he set up a dishwashing team at home, with the younger son as team leader in charge of the two older sisters. The younger son was particularly excited and organized the division of labor for putting away the dishes every day.

So, for the child, the tedious physical work of washing the dishes has since become a way to demonstrate their strengths!

? Team members complement each other perfectly!

In today's world, it's not so much about fixing our flaws. It's about leveraging our strengths and working together to make up for our shortcomings. Let's celebrate our abilities and use them to make a positive impact!

I'd like to give you another example from my own life. In our association of counselors, there are so many teachers! Some are good at psychoanalysis, some at long-term psychotherapy, some at cognitive behavioral therapy, some at both traditional Chinese medicine and psychological counseling, some who are experienced in counseling but don't know how to promote themselves, and some who are full of enthusiasm and motivation despite being new to the field.

We complement each other, grow together, and transfer each person's strengths to teamwork. In the process of cooperation, we can always use each person's different strengths to help us overcome various difficulties encountered by the team in its development. Not only does the team continue to develop and grow, but each of us also continues to develop and grow within the team. This is really a win-win process!

Another great example is child-rearing. A husband and wife are a team, and they can complement each other's strengths to raise a child well and promote the child's all-round development – it's a fantastic process to be a part of!

My husband and I are both introverts, with one of us being more of a bookworm and the other more of a sports enthusiast. So, I get to take care of the children's studies and enjoy quiet time in the study, while my husband takes the children outdoors for sports and to cultivate their strong bodies. It's a great system!

This way, we can all thrive! The child gets the dual nourishment of reading and sports, and neither of us feels stressed or challenged.

Recharging with strengths is a great way to boost your mood and sense of self-worth!

The amazing thing about strengths is that they can be used to solve problems, and they can also help you feel happy!

When you're facing a challenge, it's a great idea to mix in some activities that play to your strengths. Not only will you feel more in control, but you'll also feel more positive and confident. This is what we call "strength charging"!

I am someone who doesn't like doing housework, but I've discovered a way to make it fun! I used to feel some resentment when doing it. Later, when I combined my strength of being a good learner with housework, I found that I enjoyed the process of doing housework.

Every time I wipe the table, mop the floor, or do the laundry, I listen to a psychology course or book. This has created an amazing link between doing housework and my positive emotions. Not only does it clean the house, but it also immerses me in the flow experience of learning psychology, turning aversion into enjoyment!

So, next time, you can try it too! When you encounter a disadvantaged situation, don't avoid it. Instead, use a positive mindset to actively inspire your original advantages. This will help you maintain your inner vitality and have the courage and motivation to continue moving forward!

I hope this is helpful for you! Wishing you all the best!