The PERMA Method, A Gateway To Happiness And Well-Being?

What is the PERMA method?

The PERMA method is a well-being model developed by the psychologist Martin Seligman, who’s considered to be the founder of positive psychology. This is a branch of psychology that focuses on the positive aspects of the human experience, such as happiness, optimism, and personal well-being.

But what does PERMA stand for? It’s an acronym, so here’s what it means:

• 👉 “Positive Emotion”: This includes feelings of happiness, joy, gratitude, etc. It’s about savoring pleasant experiences.
• 👉 “Engagement”: This refers to involvement in activities that captivate us, often challenging us in productive ways. This is often referred to as the state of “flow”.
• 👉 “Relationships”: Positive and meaningful social relationships are essential to our well-being.
• 👉 “Meaning”: Having meaning or purpose can give value to our actions and help us feel part of something bigger than ourselves.
• 👉 “Accomplishment”: This refers to the pursuit and achievement of goals, the effort to overcome obstacles, and the satisfaction of achieving something. It can also include feelings of competence and self-efficacy.

👋 You may be interested in this article: The big 5 personality traits theory

Examples of how to use the method

Now that we have the definition of the PERMA method, we may wonder how to apply it 🤔. I’ve prepared a few examples to give you a good understanding of how it can be used:

Positive emotion

You can cultivate the positive aspects of your life by keeping a gratitude journal. At the end of the day, write down three things you’re grateful for. These could be important events, such as a promotion at work, or things that may seem more insignificant, such as the sun on your skin. The aim is to focus on the positive emotions we’ve felt, even the most understated ones.

Engagement

If there’s an activity you particularly enjoy, you should set aside some time to do it. This could be painting, football, dancing, pottery, etc. It’s true that we can sometimes be overwhelmed, but making time to do what we love helps us to feel more satisfied.

On the other hand, you need to remember that you really have to connect with what you’re doing. You can learn to do this through practicing meditation.

Relationships

Aristotle said, “man is a social animal”. Even if you’re an introvert (like me 🤐!), you need relationships with other people to have a balanced life. You can take the initiative and regularly invite friends over for drinks or suggest outings. Family is also important, so don’t hesitate to organize a weekly meal or events from time to time 🤗.

Meaning

When you have values, you need to be aligned with them and, above all, put them into practice. To help you understand, I’ll give you a personal example. I’m concerned about the environment, and the future concerns me a lot. So I’ve decided to take part in regular “clean walks” to clean up the beach, the woods, etc. It may seem small, but it’s given a lot of meaning to my life. I feel involved in a way that’s in line with my values!

👋 What if you feel like you’re not in agreement with yourself? That’s called cognitive dissonance, and it’s not good for your morale!

Accomplishment

We all have goals and objectives in life, but there’s a difference between having them and achieving them. Again, I’ll give one of my own examples to make it clear. I’ve been frustrated for years because I wanted to have a minivan, but I never took the plunge for various reasons. This year, I’ve decided, I’m going to get one! To achieve my goal, I’ve taken courses in DIY and electrics, and I’ve even learned about mechanics. All these little steps are very rewarding for me, and that alone helps me to feel fulfilled. I don’t even want to imagine the day I get my minivan 😎!

In short, as you’ve understood, by integrating these 5 elements into our lives, we increase our general well-being. It’s an excellent starting point, but it shouldn’t be seen as a miracle method 🙃...

Is PERMA really that good?

This method is widely adopted by many psychologists, because it’s proved its worth. I try to apply its principles on a daily basis to help me feel good, but I find that we sometimes tip a little into toxic positivity sometimes.

Indeed, as psychologist Susan David points out, the PERMA method doesn’t take negative emotions sufficiently into account. Although uncomfortable, they’re just as important to listen to for our personal growth. Thanks to negative emotions, we can identify what’s not working for us and find solutions to change.

Factors beyond our control

However, the biggest problem with the PERMA method is that it focuses solely on the individual without taking into account the context in which they live. There are social, economic and cultural factors that can influence our happiness. This is what social psychologist Isaac Prilleltensky explains: well-being is a multidimensional phenomenon that encompasses both the personal and the collective.

So what should we do with the PERMA method?

It’s important to note that these critiques don’t necessarily mean that the PERMA method is worthless. They simply highlight the limitations of this approach and the fact that other things need to be taken into account.

Personally, I try to apply it with nuance. Let me explain: I agree with many of the parameters, but for example, instead of keeping a gratitude journal, I just keep a diary. I write about my adventures and misadventures, so I can atone for what I’ve been through. I also do my best to be there for those close to me, so that they naturally return the favor.

Above all, I took my suffering into account by seeing a psychiatrist. No matter how much we want to be happy, there are sometimes illnesses that prevent us from doing so. When that happens, you need treatment and support to get better, and that’s the best advice I can give you to connect with happiness!

Be sure to check out these articles too;

• What is the Kaizen method?
• 8 Things that impact your mood without you realizing it
• What does Ikigai mean?