The power of character strengths : appreciate and ignite your positive personality

Carry this book in your back pocket. Let it become your faithful friend that nudges you, at every point in your journey, to unlock your potential. No matter where you are in life—searching for happiness, working toward a goal, longing for a better relationship, or feeling content and settled—focusing on your character strengths adds a whole new dimension. Recent research shows that when you understand and activate your positive personality traits, you become more resilient, manage stress better, and find greater fulllment in life. In The Power of Character Strengths: Appreciate and Ignite Your Positive Personality, you’ll be expertly guided by leading authorities through your 24 strengths. You’ll soon see all the ways these strengths are your best-kept secret for boosting your well-being. Discover how to appreciate what’s best in you and champion strengths in the people you care about most. As a bonus, you’ll practice putting your strengths into action with Strengths Builder, an easy-to-learn, four-step, research-backed program. Your adventure lies ahead, and The Power of Character Strengths is your must-have resource for building your best life! Meet the Authors 16 A Note to the Reader 20 Part I: Introduction 22 Why should I care about character strengths? 26 A shared language 30 Uniquely you 31 Seeds to nurture and grow 34 Getting started 38 Part II: Exploring the 24 Character Strengths 41 Your Guide to the 24 Character Strengths 46 Virtue of Wisdom 47 Creativity 48 Curiosity 54 Judgment/Critical Thinking 61 Love of Learning 69 Perspective 76 Virtue of Courage 83 Bravery 85 Perseverance 92 Honesty 98 Zest 104 Virtue of Humanity 110 Love 111 Kindness 119 Social Intelligence 126 Virtue of Justice 132 Teamwork 133 Fairness 139 Leadership 145 Virtue of Temperance 151 Forgiveness 153 Humility 159 Prudence 166 Self-Regulation 172 Virtue of Transcendence 179 Appreciation of Beauty and Excellence 180 Gratitude 187 Hope 194 Humor 201 Spirituality 208 Putting It All Together 216 Part III: Strengths Builder 217 Thriving with Your Character Strengths: A Four-Step Program 218 Week 1/Step 1: Recognizing and Appreciating Strengths in Others 221 Week 2/Step 2: Exploring and Using Your Signature Strengths 225 Week 3/Step 3: Applying Your Strengths to Life Challenges 233 Week 4/Step 4: Making Strengths a Habit 237 Some Final Thoughts 242 References/Recommendations: 243 Appendix: About the VIA Institute on Character 246