You know your character strengths make you feel good about who you are and what you do.
But did you know scientific studies have shown that using and developing your character strengths can make you happier and healthier?
According to a recent infographic from Happify, a website dedicated to providing science-based interactive activities and online games to improve happiness, knowing our strengths isn’t enough. We need to tap into our character strengths to improve our personal and work lives.
By using your signature strengths, those strengths that are key to who you are, you can increase happiness and decrease depression for six months.
Using a strength today can improve your mood tomorrow. Showing gratitude has been linked to more time spent exercising and improved optimism.
I was intrigued by the top five men and women character strengths. While both genders listed honesty as the top character strength and gratitude fourth, there were interesting differences in the remaining three character strengths.
My Character Strengths
It took me less than 10 minutes to complete the free online assessment and find out my top character strengths.
Unfortunately, the assessment is now (as of December 2019) only available with a Happify account.
Learn more about the 24 kinds of character strengths and get tips on how you can improve your character strengths in the infographic. Or, if you prefer, check out the text version.
Character Strengths
Character strengths—our capacity for thinking, feeling, willing, and behaving—reflect what’s best in us. They’re part of how we positively identify ourselves.
How It Works
Over 10 years ago, some of the world’s leading psychologists like Martin Seligman and Christopher Peterson came together to compile character strengths that people of all ages, cultures and nations exhibit.
The VIA Institute on Character created scientifically valid assessments to help people determine their unique strengths profile.
Three+ million people have taken it, reaching every country on the planet!
There are 24 VIA character strengths that fall under 6 broad categories:
Wisdom & Knowledge
- Creativity
- Curiosity
- Judgment
- Love of Learning
- Perspective
Justice
- Teamwork
- Fairness
- Leadership
Courage
- Bravery
- Honesty
- Perseverance
- Honesty
- Zest
Temperance
- Forgiveness
- Prudence
- Humility
- Self-Regulation
Humanity
- Love
- Kindness
- Social Intelligence
Transcendence
- Appreciation of Beauty
- Gratitude
- Hope
- Humor
- Spirtuality
Each one of us possesses all 24 strengths, but in different amounts. Your “signature strengths” are your top strengths—the ones that are most essential to who you are.
The most prevalent character strengths in human beings are:
- Kindness
- Fairness
- Judgment
- Honesty
- Gratitude
The least common?
- Prudence
- Modesty
- Self-regulation
Not only do our character strengths make us feel good about ourselves, but science shows that using and developing them also makes us happier and healthier.
The Key? Actually Using Your Strengths!
One study found that those who use their character strengths experience greater physical and mental well-being than those who don’t.
That’s because tapping into our strengths helps us make progress on our goals, boosting our feelings of independence and competence.
To Use One of Your Strengths Today …
- Pique your curiosity by eating at a restaurant you’ve never tried before.
- Stoke your creativity by rearranging a room in your home.
- Encourage your love of learning by memorizing five new vocabulary words.
- Practice perseverance by chipping away at a tough project at work.
- Renew your zest by trying a new, physically challenging activity.
Using Your Strengths Boosts Your Health
If you’re sick, tapping into your strengths—especially bravery, kindness, and humor—can help:
Research shows that physical disorders take less of a toll on life satisfaction if someone is high on these character strengths.
There’s a good reason to have an attitude of gratitude:
Counting your blessings is linked to fewer physical symptoms, optimism, more time spent exercising and improved well-being.
Do you use your heart or your head?
Turns out strengths of the “heart” (like love and gratitude) are more strongly associated with well-being than are strengths of the “head”(like creativity and judgement).
Using Your Strengths at the Office
In one study, 81 percent of people who’ve had strengths-based career counseling are employed vs. 60 percent of people who’ve had conventional career counseling.
Looking to Lean In?
Research shows that women who use their signature strengths in the workplace create a “virtuous circle” in which they’re able to overcome obstacles that had impeded them from using their strengths in the past.
4 is the magic number
Use 4 or more of your signature strengths at the office and you’ll have a more positive work experience.
Feeling Swamped?
Strengths that were determined to be a “high match” with work demands are honesty, judgment, perspective, fairness, and zest.
Men vs. Women
In a study of gender differences and character strengths:
Women scored highest on:
- Honesty
- Kindness
- Love
- Gratitude
- Fairness
Men scored highest on:
- Honesty
- Hope
- Humor
- Gratitude
- Curiosity
Did You Know?
Women tend to be higher on gratitude than men, even though this trait ranks fourth for both sexes.
Tap Into Your Strengths, Boost Your Mood
The 5 strengths that are most connected with happiness are:
- Curiosity
- Zest
- Hope
- Gratitude
- Love
If you’re high on zest, you’re more likely to view your work as a “calling” rather than as a means for money or career advancement.
Using your signature strengths—those strengths most essential to who you are—in a new way each day has been shown to increase happiness and decrease depression for 6 months.
Need Some Inspiration? Try…
- Showing kindness by visiting an elderly relative or neighbor in a nursing home.
- Showing loyalty by cooking a favorite meal for a friend this weekend.
- Expressing honesty by owning up to one little white lie you told this month—even if it’s just to yourself!
- Remembering optimism by naming one positive outcome of a recent negative event.
- Being grateful by writing a note to someone who influenced you as a kid.
- Exploring leadership by organizing a team-building activity with your co-workers.
- Feeling love by requesting a special date with your partner one night this week.
- Tapping into your humor by learning—and telling—one new joke today.
Want to give your happiness the biggest boost?
Send a nice, quick email to a loved one. One study showed that this amplified the mood-boosting effects of using your strengths.
Use a strength today, reap the rewards tomorrow
One study found a relationship between using signature strengths the previous day and positive mood the following day.
If you’re feeling a little down, it’s even more important to use one of your strengths today:
Research shows a connection between decreased mood and not using a strength the next day, creating a negative cycle.
So, what are your top strengths?
Get to know yourself better by taking the VIA assessment on Happify!
