Positive living tools from international gurus

Wellness experts met, in a virtual space, during the Wellbeing 360 event organized by the Institute of Wellbeing and Happiness Sciences at Tecmilenio.

At the event, wellbeing trends were unveiled, as well as workshops, talks and tools to promote them.

The event featured experts such as Martin Seligman, the father of positive psychology, Tal Ben-Shahar, a Harvard professor, and Michael Steger, a psychologist and professor at the University of Colorado, among other internationally recognized experts.

CONECTA presents some of the wellbeing tools that were shared with the audience:

You can learn and teach wellbeing

It is possible to learn, and teach people, how to improve wellbeing. So says American psychologist Martin Seligman.

The tools he mentions include having an attitude of gratitude, which can be developed through exercises such as listing reasons to feel grateful at the end of each day.

“As a result, you can sleep better and lower levels of depression. Thinking about these things is an extremely powerful exercise”, Seligman said.

Similarly, he mentioned that there are studies in which it has been found that people who learn to have a positive attitude not only improve their lives but also get better results at work and school.

“You can predict that those with positive emotions will be more successful,” Seligman said.

According to the psychologist, both people and societies with more positive attitudes may be more resistant to adversity, including pandemics such as COVID-19.

“Those who are resilient and who are going to be able to rebuild are the people who have hope. Optimism is what is needed to reconstruct,” he said.

Learn the five aspects of happiness

Another trend, shared by Tal Ben-Shahar during the event, is the need for happiness in the development of a society.

Tal Ben-Shahar shared a model of the pursuit of happiness that incorporated the work of psychologists and philosophers from Aristotle to Martin Seligman.

This model is known as SPIRE, and the expert mentions that people can work on one or more of its aspects to be happier.

Spiritual, physical, intellectual, relationship and emotional wellbeing are the 5 aspects that form SPIRE.

“The 5 elements are interconnected: we only need to focus on one or more of them and be aware and constant in our work. 

“I hope that we will take this path as a society, but for that to happen we must take the path individually,” added Tal Ben-Shahar.

Learn the formula to find a purpose

Another trend that Wellbeing 360 focused on was the search for one or more purposes in life.

This topic was introduced by psychologist Michael Steger, founder and director of the Center for Meaning and Purpose at Colorado State University.

Steger mentioned that the pursuit of purpose should not be taken lightly, as purpose can help people to take decisions throughout their lives.

He also provided some exercises to help people seek a purpose in a less formal way than going to therapy, which is simpler and also scalable.

Steger shared what he believes is the formula for finding a purpose: Strengths + Values + Tribe = Purpose.

By listing these 3 attributes based on your personal circumstances, you can develop one or more purposes in life.

“Purpose defines where you can advance in your life and helps you to build bridges for a better future.

“This can be applied to anyone, of any age. A purpose is important, even for children at school,” Steger said.

Identify your character strengths

Ryan Niemec is Director of Education at the VIA Institute of Character. He shared tips for using character strengths to improve wellbeing.

These strengths can be helpful in the face of adversities such as stress, depression, or anxiety.

“Strengths are connected to whatever positive outcomes you might be seeking, such as personal development, meaning, and purpose in life,” Niemec commented.

These character strengths can be grouped into six categories: wisdom, courage, humanity, justice, temperance, and improvement.

People can learn about their character strengths and measure their qualities by taking the VIA survey.

Put the heliotropic effect into practice for happiness

Kim Cameron, founder of the Center for Positive Organizations at the University of Michigan, explained how he wields the heliotropic effect in his struggle against negative emotions.

The heliotropic effect is the idea that humans can flourish in the light of positive energy and that, in turn, can help organizations grow.

“The definition of this effect is that all living things have the tendency to move towards light and away from darkness, or to move towards positive energy and away from negative energy,” commented Cameron.

The expert also mentioned that focusing on the positive aspect of psychology helps people to react in better ways.

“People who are in a positive situation, who are compassionate and generous, don’t get sick as often as people who have an angry state of mind,” he said.

 

Discover the molecule of meaning

Simone Rosati, international consultant on soft and strategic skills, and creator of the Super Star Humans movement.

Simone claims that a meaningful life requires the “molecule of meaning”, which encompasses acceptance, ambition, and personal improvement.

Rosati believes that it is necessary to increase both levels of complexity and awareness in order to have a life with meaning within a future interplanetary sociocultural setting.

“To lead purposeful lives, we need to be meaningful beings,” Rosati said.

This partnership between humanity and the future is defined by Rosati as Sin Topia, and he lists 5 ways to practice it:

Focus your attention. Develop new required skills. Get through the difficult times. Contribute instead of complying. Build positive chemistry.

“Given what is happening in the world, we should not be overly dramatic: it is better to face the challenge, and to do the right thing,” he added.

What is Wellbeing 360?

The Wellbeing 360 conference, previously known as Foro Felicidad 360 (Happiness 360 Conference), is organized by Tecmilenio and aims for virtual attendees to acquire tools that they can use to improve their health and maintain a positive emotional state.

David Garza, Executive President of the Tecnológico de Monterrey, highlighted that in the current context, individual wellbeing is key to facing the new educational, labor, and social challenges.

“Tecmilenio has been doing a great job to promote wellbeing in its students, teachers, and collaborators and, through this event, it makes practical tools available to the international community for the integral wellbeing of all people,” he said.

“At Wellbeing 360, we want to give people the tools they need to be able to flourish and grow during this time of so many challenges,” says Rosalinda Ballesteros, Director of the Institute of Wellbeing and Happiness Sciences at Tecmilenio.

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