Using Strengths to Build Well-Being

I’m a big believer in the power of strengths. Over the years, I’ve written many blog posts and a book chapter on the topic, and I’ve taught classes focused on the benefits of discovering and applying our natural talents. Using your strengths to pursue goals makes the process both easier and more enjoyable.

There are many tools available to help you identify your strengths. According to the StrengthsFinder assessment, some of mine are learner, discipline, and maximizer. Here’s how I have used them to my advantage:

• Learner – My love of learning has helped me with so many things. It made earning my Ph.D., teaching, conducting research, and writing blogs and books more enjoyable. It’s also helped me improve my well-being. I’m constantly reading or listening to podcasts about the latest findings regarding exercise, nutrition, sleep, and stress management. Taking an online cooking class was a fun way to discover new plant-based recipes.
• Discipline – I like my world to be ordered and predictable. Routines work well for me, so I follow a weekly schedule for things like workouts and writing. There are mornings when I really don’t feel like getting on the bike, but I let my calendar, not my mood determine what I do.
• Maximizer – I love trying to improve things, so I’m always making small changes in search of better outcomes. Whether it’s trying to improve my sleep routine by going outside first thing in the morning, finding ways to add more vegetables to a meal, or incorporating more strength training into my workouts, I’m always looking for ways to do better.

We each have our own unique strengths, so I encourage you to identify yours and think about how to use them to achieve your goals.

• If curiosity is your strength, a rigid workout schedule like mine is unlikely to motivate you. You’d be better off exploring new hiking trails or trying different forms of exercise.
• Achievers are motivated by setting goals, like walking 7,500 steps a day, or by tracking their progress, such as increasing reps each week.
• If relationship building is a strength, go on walks with a friend, join a fitness class, or sign up for a cooking workshop.
• For those of you who are creative, turn your kitchen into a studio where you can experiment with healthy, new recipes. And if you’re both creative and curious, challenge yourself to cook something each week with a new ingredient, maybe jackfruit, kohlrabi, or lion’s mane.

Make getting healthier easier and more fun by identifying your strengths and putting them to work for you!