What strengths feed your energy?

I joined up to a wellbeing group via work called Live Life Connected.  It has a series of sessions on topics ranging from finding your full potential, mastering good habits, your mindset (fixed or growth) and the latest session to drop is about identifying your strengths and how to use them to boost your energy.

As part of this session we were invited to conduct a short test to help identify our character strengths.  Then is spews out a report showing your top five character strengths, and then the lesser ones underneath.

My top strength came out as Love of Learning.  I totally agree with this.

“Mastering new skills, topics, and bodies of knowledge, whether on one’s own or formally; related to the strength of curiosity but goes beyond it to describe the tendency to add systematically to what one knows.”

I do like to read, research and investigate things.  I will read the 126 page document.  I will go down that google rabbit hole to find out more.

In at number two was Honesty.  What you see is what you get.  I don’t always get it right, but I’m learning.

“Speaking the truth but more broadly presenting oneself in a genuine way and acting in a sincere way; being without pretence; taking responsibility for one’s feelings and actions.”

Number three was Fairness.

“Treating all people the same according to notions of fairness and justice; not letting feelings bias decisions about others; giving everyone a fair chance.”

It has been commented on before by colleagues that I am a firm but fair manager.

Fourth on the list was Judgment. 

“Thinking things through and examining them from all sides; not jumping to conclusions; being able to change one’s mind in light of evidence; weighing all evidence fairly.”

I have said many times before, I do like to have all the information in front of me before I made a decision, where possible.

And completing my top five character strengths was Forgiveness.

“Forgiving those who have done wrong; accepting others’ shortcomings; giving people a second chance; not being vengeful.”

Hmmm, now this is a tricky one.  I can forgive, but I rarely forget.

There were another fourteen characteristics, then at the other end of the scale the bottom five character strengths were:

Gratitude – “Being aware of and thankful for the good things that happen; taking time to express thanks.”  Its not that I am unaware or unappreciative, more I don’t outwardly express gratitude.

Perseverance – “Finishing what one starts; persevering in a course of action in spite of obstacles; “getting it out the door”; taking pleasure in completing tasks.” I usually do, however sometimes I get side tracked by something new and shiny, or someone else starts taking over so I give up showing any interest in it.

Love – “Valuing close relations with others, in particular those in which sharing & caring are reciprocated; being close to people.” I do value those around me but I’m not into all that mushy stuff.  I give as good as I get with relationships.  If someone doesn’t want to put the effort into me, I’m not going to put the effort into them.

Zest – “Approaching life with excitement and energy; not doing things halfway or halfheartedly; living life as an adventure; feeling alive and activated..” I don’t very often get excited about much.  That’s not to say that I haven’t done some exciting stuff like going skiing when I was 12, or husky sledging a few years ago, or every time I get to see my daughter.  I just don’t go all stupid with it.

Spirituality – “Having coherent beliefs about the higher purpose and meaning of the universe; knowing where one fits within the larger scheme; having beliefs about the meaning of life that shape conduct and provide comfort.” Nope, not me.  You make your own destiny and luck.

If you want to investigate your own character strengths take the short test at https://www.viacharacter.org/survey/account/register