VIA stands for Values in Action.
Understanding your values and finding ways to employ them in daily living can greatly improve happiness and well-being; naturally. The VIA Strengths Survey was developed by Chris Peterson and Martin Seligman-two of the worlds top scientists on positive psychology.
Like Aristotle, Peterson claims that the virtuous life is the path to happiness.
Try it! Visit VIA Strength Inventory
After you take the survey, print out the list of your top five strengths. These probably won't come as a big surprise to you. Most of us naturally seek out behaviors and activities that allow our true virtues to shine. Still, the survey results can be a great way to help you raise awareness of the values that drive your actions. The results can also be helpful in uncovering new ways to improve your happiness.
Here are two fun ways to explore and use your results:
1. Invite your S/O (partner, husband, wife, etc) to take the survey. Compare your results and invent a "strengths date." A strengths date is one that is designed to allow each to utilize their top strength during the date. What could be more fun than that?! For example, your top strength is "appreciation of beauty and excellence" and your partner's is "love of learning." Design a date-night to a museum or botanical garden. You will be able to enjoy the beauty and your partner will delight in all there is to learn.
2. Have your children take the youth version of the survey. Devise activities and chores that will allow them to utilize their strengths. You will be pleasantly surprised at the increase of compliance and enthusiasm!
Visit this site to get more ideas on how you can employ your strengths: Use your strengths
Have fun with this and let me know how it goes. Happy day!
This really lifted my spirits =) My top 5 strengths weren't surprises to me, but it was so nice to "see" them in front of me...Thanks!
Posted by: Katie | October 10, 2008 at 09:58 AM
This really lifted my spirits =) My top 5 strengths weren't surprises to me, but it was so nice to "see" them in front of me...Thanks!
Posted by: Katie | October 10, 2008 at 09:58 AM
like Katie, my top 5 weren't a surprise to me. But the order they were in was. Thanks for posting this test!
Posted by: glenn | October 11, 2008 at 11:02 AM