I’d been exploring the intersection of Stephen Cope’s book听, and Martin E. P. Seligman’s book听in relation to a blog series听when this photo quote by听听came across my Facebook feed.
I think she hit the nail on the head.
For some people, midlife comes early 鈥 in their mid-30鈥檚. For others, it comes later 鈥 in their mid-60鈥檚. But for most of us, it arrives in our 40鈥檚 and 50鈥檚. 听Whether it鈥檚 a mild tremor or an earthquake, the Universe asks us to deconstruct and reconstruct our lives in order to use the gifts we were given to offer a meaningful contribution to the planet and her people.
The good news is that
鈥淧eople actually feel happiest and most fulfilled
when meeting the challenge of their dharma in the world,听
when bringing highly concentrated effort to some compelling activity听
for which they have a true calling.鈥 ~ p. xxiv,听The Great Work of Your Life
I believe the intended outcome of the midlife shake-up is to give us the opportunity to step into our dharma (our vocation, calling, or sacred duty in this lifetime)听and flourish. So what does it mean to flourish?
According to Seligman’s research (p. 26 & 27,听Flourish), the goal of positive psychology and well-being theory鈥s to increase the amount of flourishing in your own life and on the planet. To flourish, according to this Western perspective, an individual must have all the 鈥淐ore Elements鈥 and three of the six 鈥淎dditional Features鈥 listed below:
Core Elements of Well-Being:听
Positive emotion – Engagement – Meaning – Accomplishment –听Positive relationships
Additional Features of Well-Being:听
Self-esteem –听Optimism – Resilience – Vitality – Self-determination –听Positive relationships
Some of these qualities we are lucky enough to be born with and some we cultivate over the course of our lifetime. But however we receive them, it seems to me that if we 鈥淸bring] highly concentrated effort to some compelling activity听for which [we have]听a true calling鈥, the elements of flourishing will be present. And, vice versa.
What do you think?
How does this information effect how you think/feel about your midlife journey?
Does it draw you closer to or further into a Masters degree in听Counseling or Art Therapy/Counseling at 99福利视频?
听
p.s. Bren茅 Brown听rocks. If you haven’t read听her work on听,听, and听, get on听it.