Everyone has unique character strengths [1]. These are positive personality traits that impact how you think, feel, and behave. Drawing on your strengths is one of the ways you can boost your well-being by focusing on that 40% of well-being that’s in your control.
The VIA Character Personality Assessment categorizes 24 strengths into six classes of virtues. Find out what your character strengths are [2].
Knowing what your strengths are means you can more consciously apply them in your everyday life. You can also draw on these characteristics to help you respond to challenges adaptively rather than avoiding or minimizing them. This article [3] has examples and exercises for using and practicing each strength.
Some of these strengths have been identified as being particularly good for boosting well-being. These are:
- Zest: Approaching life with excitement and energy
- Love: Valuing close relationships
- Curiosity: Taking an interest in experiences and things, exploring, and discovering
- Gratitude: Being aware of good things and taking the time to be thankful or grateful
- Hope: Expecting the best from the future and working hard to achieve it
It’s ok if these aren’t your top strengths! Your strengths can change, and you can get stronger by building and practicing them. Remember, these might not be your biggest strengths yet.
