The PERMA Model is a famous concept in the field of positive psychology. It was introduced by Martin Seligman. PERMA Model is a great framework that helps us understand wellbeing, happiness, and contentment. It focuses less on treating mental illness and places more importance on developing positive qualities that help humans live meaningful life. The five important factors that lead to overall well-being are Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationship, Meaning, and Accomplishment.
Positive Emotion –P : Presence of positive emotions like joy, gratitude, love, hope, and contentment plays a key role in increasing wellbeing. Positive emotions help us to deal with stress, improve resilience and maintain an optimistic view of one’s life. For eg. enjoying your hobbies can be a great source of joy and recreation.
Engagement – E : When we are fully engaged and involved in activities that comprises of one’s interests and strengths, it contributes to our wellbeing. When we are fully absorbed in a task, we often experience a state of “flow”. Like A painter enjoying the painting process.
Relationships – R : Loving and supportive relationships contribute to human happiness. Positive relationships with friends, family, colleagues and community support can be very helpful. Relationships provide us with the necessary emotional supportand increases sense of belonging. Relationships also contribute to our mental health. Working on one’s social life can be a great start to this.
Meaning- M : Meaning refers to having a sense of purpose. It involves we feeling connected to something greater and larger than ourselves. People who find meaning in their career, relationships, service or even spirituality often experience better feelings of contentment and increased resilience during tough times.
Accomplishment- A: Accomplishments involve achieving goals, mastering skills, and experiencing a sense of achievement. It involves setting realistic goals, achieving them, improving self-confidence, and bringing about self-growth.
The PERMA Model better helps us to understand and bring about mental well-being. Following this model fosters happiness and life satisfaction. The presence of positive experiences instils hope in us. We can start adopting principles of the Perma Model in our day-to-day life. I really like and follow PERMA Principles. Would you follow the PERMA model and how? You can give few recommendations.
MBH/DB