Everyone working in the health and social care sector has had another incredibly challenging year and \u201cwellbeing\u201d has been a very important part of our collective dialogue. With the continuing impact of the global pandemic and all the associated complexities and demands, enhancing, sustaining and building wellbeing has perhaps been more difficult, and probably more important, than ever.<\/p>\n
Wellbeing is one of those tricky topics that is very personal and hard to describe.\u00a0 It\u2019s a completely subjective experience, and it is common that people feel defensive or blas\u00e9 about it, or even for people to completely ignore it.\u00a0 Many of us just haven\u2019t had time to prioritise our wellbeing in the last couple of years.\u00a0 Many of us have been living our lives in very different ways to how we might have wanted, and we\u2019ve been restricted from many of the ways that we might usually prefer to build a sense of wellbeing.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s also important to appreciate that everyone is probably doing their best to manage in incredibly challenging times.\u00a0 Nobody sets out to ignore their wellbeing, but circumstances can make it very difficult to prioritise it.\u00a0 It is abundantly clear that health and social care workers across the world have worked tirelessly to support others throughout this global pandemic, and it has had an enormous impact on everyone\u2019s sense of wellbeing, physical and mental health.<\/p>\n
As we come to the end of another challenging year, and look forward to the next, there is an opportunity to think into how we are actively supporting our sense of wellbeing, and challenge ourselves to get intentional about what we create for the coming year.<\/p>\n
\u2018a state of mind in which an individual is able to realize his or her own abilities, cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.\u2019<\/p>\n
In this sense, Wellbeing is made up of two key elements: Feeling good; and Functioning well.<\/p>\n
My hope with this reflection and intention setting exercise is that it will support you to be proactive about prioritising your own wellbeing so that you can feel good and function well in 2022 and beyond.<\/p>\n
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The PERMA model is an evidence-based model of well-being developed by Martin Seligman, the psychologist usually credited with being the founder of Positive Psychology.\u00a0 The general goal of positive psychology, including the PERMA model, is to equip each of us to raise the level of our wellbeing and enjoy more of what makes life worth living.<\/p>\n
The PERMA model of wellbeing outlines five key measurable and evidence based pillars for flourishing:<\/p>\n
If we focus on developing these areas, even one area, it can help support greater wellbeing and thriving in our lives.\u00a0 Everyone is different, so each of us will find that each building block of the PERMA model contributes to our wellbeing differently from the next person. \u00a0There isn\u2019t a map to follow.\u00a0 The factors that make me feel I\u2019m flourishing will not necessarily have the same impact on you.\u00a0 You have to work out what works for you.<\/p>\n
The process outlined in this document is structured around the 5 areas of the PERMA model that we know can impact the level of Wellbeing that we experience.<\/p>\n
For each area I provide a brief overview of the concept, and then invite you to reflect on a series of questions designed to support you to appreciate where you have already experienced that area of wellbeing in the passing year.\u00a0 Then, there is another set of questions intended to help you get intentional about what you would like to focus on and create for your wellbeing in the coming year.<\/p>\n
There are many ways of reflecting and intention setting, so the process offered is simply a guide, it really comes down to what works for you. Please feel free to adapt the approach to suit your own style of thinking and learning.<\/p>\n
You can work through all the questions if you want to undertake a comprehensive review, or you can just choose 2 or 3 in order to focus on. \u00a0It\u2019s important that that the process feels good for you, and challenges you to a level where you still feel comfortable and able to think positively about your plans for the coming year.<\/p>\n
You can also choose to go through the process in the way that feels best for you.\u00a0 Useful alternatives include:<\/p>\n
Whatever works best for you is the right thing to do.\u00a0 The important thing is to make sure you do something to reflect on your experience and continue to evolve in your capacity for self-awareness and being intentional.<\/p>\n
I hope you enjoy the process and find it useful.\u00a0 My very best and warm wishes for the coming year.<\/p>\n
Andrew McDowell, January 2022<\/strong><\/p>\n Positive emotions include feeling such as hope, joy, compassion, love, appreciation and gratitude.\u00a0 Seligman makes the distinction that having \u201cpositive emotion\u201d is more than \u201cbeing happy\u201d.\u00a0 He sees happiness as a moment in time, and makes the point that nobody can be happy all of the time.\u00a0 Positive emotions are a prime indicator of wellbeing,<\/u><\/strong> and they can be cultivated and developed in order to improve wellbeing. It\u2019s been found that individuals can integrate more positive emotions into their daily lives, and imagine more positive emotions in future life, and that this requires us to focus our thinking towards good feeling thoughts.\u00a0 The more we feel positive emotions, the more it builds our sense of wellbeing.<\/p>\nPERMA<\/strong><\/h2>\n
P \u2013 Positive Emotion<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\u00a0<\/strong>What do Positive Emotions mean in PERMA?<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Looking back and appreciating<\/strong><\/h4>\n