Positive Emotions & Character Strengths

This article discusses the significance of positive emotions and character strengths in achieving success. It includes personal experiences and strategies to improve mental health and well-being. The author shares their journey of pursuing a degree in accounting, despite facing difficulties, and their vision of taking over their father's rice business and setting up a healthy snack café. The article also highlights the importance of mental peace, happiness, and satisfaction, and the need to work on one's weaknesses to improve strengths.

RUNNING AHEAD: POSITIVE EMOTIONS & CHARACTER STRENGTHS
POSITIVE EMOTIONS & CHARACTER STRENGTHS
STUDENT NAME
UNIVERSITY NAME
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POSITIVE EMOTIONS & CHARACTER STRENGTHS
Table of Contents
Past events (related topic = positive emotion).......................................................................................2
Past Events (Related Topic = Character Strength).................................................................................4
Vision....................................................................................................................................................6
Action Plan............................................................................................................................................8
References...........................................................................................................................................11
Past events (related topic = positive emotion)
It is very essential for an individual to hold positive emotions towards whatever they
do. This is one of the ways by which they can be happy. This cannot be possible all the times.
The situation was a little different for me, as I was unhappy with the unknown place and also
the subject which I couldn’t understand.
Four years ago, when I was 20 years old, I decided to enroll my bachelor’s degree at
Assumption University of Thailand in the major of accounting. The reason why I chose to
study accounting is because I love Mathematics. After I studied for a while, I realized that I
do not like accounting. Accounting is too difficult for me and I cannot understand what the
lecturers are teaching. Meanwhile, other people who are good in mathematics can understand
accounting easily. So, I spent lots of time for reviewing and hiring the tutors to teach for
many subjects. For example, I did not have a time to do any university’s activities which I
really want to do because I just concentrated only on studying (Fredrickson 2001). Finally, I
still cannot do well in accounting and felt that I want to change my course.
At that time, I asked my parents to change my course to marketing but they do not
allow me as they thought that accounting is an important thing. They told me that they
believed that I can do it if I studied hard. Nevertheless, I am a person who does not give up
easily and always has the positive emotions. I thought that I may not be hard-working
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enough. Besides, I always use my parents’ words to encourage me when I felt downhearted
or frustrated which can help me from the depression. Moreover, some of my friends who
studied in this filed also faced with the depression and have to see the psychologist.
After studying accounting for two years, I still faced with the same problems that I
cannot understand in the units which related to accounting and wanted to change my field. I
almost forgot everything after finishing the exams and lacked of confidence when there is
group discussion because I thought that I do not have any knowledge about accounting in my
brain, so I always stayed quiet. Another question that came into my mind that how can I work
in this field after graduating? Again, I went to ask my parents with many strong reasons to
support my ideas and told them that I tried a lot for two years, but I do not want to work in
this field. My parents told me that working and studying are not similar. Studying in
accounting can help you to find a job more easily compared to others and also accounting is
an important thing that if I want to become an entrepreneur. They told me that they allow me
to change my minor subject, but the major subject should be in accounting. In addition, they
will allow me to study anything that I want in my master’s degree.
That made I felt much better, in my forth year, I joined many clubs with the university
such as cooking and photo club. I even performed a performance in the semester that I
studied the most difficult accounting unit. I thought that it is no need for me to try as
seriously as I just want to do my best. I did lots of activities and have many friends who are
interested in the same things. Research states that if I can pass the most difficult thing, I can
surely pass other things as well (Pogosyan 2016).
As mentioned in Barbara’s theory, to overcome the stress of accounts, I decided to
undertake various activities like being a part of cooking and photo club. This developed
positive feelings in me. This motivated me to concentrate on the positive things in my life
and also I had the strength to overcome the negative things. Even in the near future, I would
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like to concentrate on the below emotions so that I have the energy and strength to move
through the difficulties in life.
 Mental peace and satisfaction
 Happiness
 Sense of satisfaction (The Pursuit of Happiness 2016)
Undertaking simple activities like improving the quality of sleep and making friends helped
me to improve the level of positive emotions in me. Research proves that these activities were
undertaken consciously so that they can improve the positive emotions in me (PEP Lab
2014).
Past Events (Related Topic = Character Strength)
I always wanted to be friends with everybody and hence, whenever anybody needed
any help, I use to be there for them. I use to expect the same from others, but with time, I
realized that people need to know each other so that they can be friends with each other. I use
to feel depressed if someone I knew makes fun of me or hurts me with their action. Research
has proven, this will create a huge impact on my mental health as I use to be feel depressed
by something that really doesn’t have much of an impact in my life (Academic Affairs 2016).
In Assumption University as well, I was expecting to make friends quickly and be
comfortable but that it didn’t happen and hence, I was demotivated and not very happy about
coming to the university. I spoke about this to my parents and they told me that I cannot
expect to be friends with anybody so quickly. People would take their time to understand me,
like me and then accept me as their friends. This helped me to understand the real meaning of
friendship. I also understood that I cannot be friends with everybody or everybody cannot
consider me as a friend. As per studies, there would be some qualities in me which would be
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loved by people and hence, they would like to be friends with me and on the other end, there
would be people who may not like certain qualities in me and hence, they may not admire my
friendship (Victor Seet 2018).
Even in the classroom, I heard few students passing some comments on me and that
was very hurting and I was upset for few days. During this time period, I realized that I
cannot satisfy the needs, requirements and expectations of everybody around me. If I start
doing that then life would be a burden and at the same time, I will not be able to meet up with
the expectations of people around me. After this incident, I was wandering that I have never
interacted with those classmates and neither have I hurt them for anything. After much
research, I realized that it was not something so serious. It was just for fun and there were no
hard intentions attached to it (Ryan 2013).
To ensure that I have people around me, I get involved in various activities and clubs
like photography and cooking. This allows me to interact with likeminded people who share
their thoughts and opinion on various things related to the activities that we undertake. I have
also learnt the art of maintaining professional relationship with everybody. I also have my
few friends in the university, whom I trust and I still continue to be good with everybody, but
now expectations are less, from people, than what it was in the past. I still try to over friendly
with people, but then I try to control myself so that I don’t end of expecting more than
required. Research states this allows me to be at mental peace (Davies 2012).
Based on Gallup’s theory, I wanted to improve on my strengths so that I can have my
own group of friends. I continuously started putting in efforts to ensure that all my
weaknesses can be overcome by my strengths. I decided to work on my weak areas so that I
can be the proud child that my parent is expecting me to be. Few of the areas which I wanted
to improve are as follows: -
 Curiosity
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 Social intelligence
 Fairness
 Hope (VIA Institute on Character 2018)
Research proves that I lack these qualities and this is pulling me down, due to which people
are dislike me. I have set a timeframe of 2 years to work on my weak areas so that I can
improve and be better than that I am today, at this point of time (Jim 2011).
Vision
I would be completing my education in next 2 years so I want to go back to my
parents and help them with their business. My father is a rice entrepreneur and I have seen
working hard to set his business straight so after my education, I want to spend some time
with me, understand his business and give him the much deserved break. I have seen him
going through all the hardships to create a firm business and after my education, I will ensure
that I will go back to them and takeover the business and also ensure that business grows than
what it is today. This would my father feel proud about me.
At this point of time, I can experience positive emotions in me. This allows feel the
happiness and smile on my parents’ face. At the same time, they can relax and not be
overburdened, as they are today. Every day, my father wakes up at 5.30 AM to ensure that he
can spend some time in his business, before the customer starts pouring in. If I take over the
business in next 2 years’ time then he would have time to relax. Apart from that, I also want
to send my parents for a vacation for a period of 15 days’. Since my childhood, they never
had the time to spend with each other and there were plenty of other stress as well in their life
and hence, they never gave much of importance to this. Now, they can go on a vacation and
distress them and just feel peaceful.
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Apart from the above mentioned things, I have my very own dream. I want to set up a
café. I love cooking. Whenever I cook, positive emotions pour into me and this is one of the
reasons, I want to set up my cafe. There are possibilities that I might feel stressed due to my
father’s rice business, but that would never be the case with my café. The target of my café
would be sell healthy snacks. Due to unhealthy eating habits, people are facing lot of health
concerns but the food products in my café would be healthy. I would study hard to be capable
enough to take care of father’s business and also to set up my own café .
I want to complete my studies with good grade so that my parents can feel proud of
me. Few of colleagues who are willing to enter the corporate world put in lot of efforts so that
they can get job profile that they desire. But with me, I want to enter my father’s business and
hence, this is an added advantage to me. For me, the marks that I score are not very important
but I really want to be very clear with the concepts of business so that I can implement the
same in my rice business and also café setup.
Even today my father is not much aware of the accounting methods that can be
implemented in business and hence, he spends a lot of time in calculating the money that has
entered the business and also the money that has been paid to the suppliers. In the current
financial year, I have taught on the various heads in accounting so that he can trace back the
data easily as and when required. This helped him and hence, he feels really good about me
studying accounting.
After completion of my education, I want to implement various accounting tactics so
that the money control doesn’t take much of time and I can concentrate more on acquiring
customers and suppliers. I want to install accounting software so that the analysis of the cost
against the profit received would be easy. At the same time, I will also be able to understand
the various heads under which the expenses are taking place. This will allow me to control
the expenses in required places in the future years. This will save my time and I will ensure
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that I am able to acquire customers and at the same time, I will also look for suppliers who
can supply in timely and also give best possible quality.
As on date, my father is acquiring from suppliers, who in turn acquires from farmers.
Sometimes, there is a compromise in the quality and sometimes, there is shortage of supply. I
want to avoid these problems when I get into business and hence, I want to explore the option
of acquiring rice from the farmers. Buying organic food is the new need for today, so I want
to understand it better. Understanding this will help me to understand the difference between
organic and regular rice. Accordingly, I will sell it to the customers.
While doing this, I want to set up my café. Taking care of father’s business is for my
father’s happiness, but setting a café is my dream and hence, I would save some money and
set up a café. In this café, I would offer healthy snacks to the consumers. This would allow
them to enjoy the snacks and at the same time, they need not be concerned about the health
problems that would arise due to consumption of unhealthy good. In my café, I would like to
explore new recipes which might be available in other cafes. This will ensure that customers
are motivated to walk into my café, rather than just any other café.
Action Plan
Most importantly, I want to be happy and hence, I have an action plan in place so that
I can achieve the goals that I have set for myself. Few of the action plans that would help me
to push to my goal and also achieve my dreams, are discussed below.
First and foremost, I would like to join meditation classes so that I can concentrate on
achieving the goals that I have set for myself. Sometimes, I feel much stressed with my
studies and this leads to disappointment and frustration so just want to avoid at any cost. As
per research, meditation would give me clarity in life and hence, it would guide me the
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direction in which I need to move (Henley 2017). Research states, my excess emotions would
be controlled and this would lead to positive emotions like mental peace and satisfaction
(Teens Health 2017).
I would like to join cooking and baking course because now, I have time to do things
that I like but that might not be the case when I complete my education and take over my
father’s business. Research has proven that I should keep my passion and love for cooking
alive so that I can go progress in my life (Cohn 2012). After getting into my father’s business,
I may not find time and energy to join cookery classes and hence, I want to utilize the
available time for now. Cookery course would evoke a sense of happiness in me (Changing
mind 2018).
I would start with morning walk soon as that would make me fresh and active throughout the
day. I am not a morning person and hence, it becomes difficult for me to enjoy the morning
weather. I would like to cultivate their habit so that I can be active throughout the day. By
doing this, after my morning walk, I would also get some peaceful free time to concentrate on
accounts. During this time, I can study and also complete any upcoming assignments. This
schedule of mine, would help me to achieve serenity and at the same time, I can plan my day
rather than running madly to accommodate one task after another.
I would spend more time my family, because my parents love me a lot and at the same
time, they complain that I don’t spend quality time with them. During the day time, my father
is busy in his business and hence, sitting and talking to him is merely impossible. In the next
few months, I would plan a two days’ trip with them. This will allow us to spend some
quality family time with each other and at the same time, my parents would be relieved from
the routine daily work. This will ensure that I don’t miss my parents and at the same time, I
will fill me with a sense of satisfaction. Research states, outing as a family is pending since
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long in my mind so I will talk to my parents and change this plan into action, rather than
delaying it further (Positive Psychology Program 2018).
I am planning to do too many things in life and for the same, I need to possess few
character strengths so that I can grow as I have planned. Few of things which I need to
undertake so that my character strengths can be improved are discussed below.
I want to improve my curiosity towards various things. I love to explore things, but if
I am not able to get the required informed after trying hard then I get demotivated. Easily
leaving without reaching the goal is not a positive sign and hence, I should inculcate the
curiosity factor in me. For this, I have started making a note of questions that come to my
mind, while I am involved in any sort of research. Whenever I go through the questions, I
would be motivated to solve the queries that are running my mind. I want to practice this for
a period of 40 days so that I can get used to this, as per research claims (K-State 2017).
Kindness is my strength, but I use to expect the same from people around me as well.
Now, I have understood the fact that friendship and kindness are two different things and
hence, I will consciously ensure that people are I am kind to people, but at the same time, I
also would ensure that I am not emotionally hurt under any condition. For the same, I want to
develop my social intelligence. I am very well aware of the fact that I cannot learn this in
some course or class. As per research proof, I will consciously put in efforts to ensure that I
use my previous experience and learning to avoid any kind of emotional breakdown in the
near future (Kulak 2014).
I am a very fair person and from now on, I have decided to practice fairness
consciously. In the near future, I would be an entrepreneur and at that point of time, I want to
be fair to the society, environment and the government in which the business operates. This
will help me to be better than that of my competitors. If I am fair in my business then I can
save my business from any legal troubles that may come. While I set up my café, fairness
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would be to provide best quality food to the customers and this will allow me to grow
continuously, without any conscious of guilt. I will put in conscious efforts at all point of
time to ensure that I am not doing anything that is legally or ethically wrong.
I would cultivate hope in my life so that I can grow in my life. As per research, many
of my friends state that I cannot take care of my father’s business and set my café
simultaneously, but I have hope and positivity that I will be able to achieve this (Positive
Psychology Program 2016). After completion of my education, I have to support my father
and this would be the result that they yield for educating me and at the same time, it would be
a proud moment for my father so their shouldn’t be any compromise on that. Similarly, I
don’t want my dream to just go off and hence, I will put in additional efforts to ensure that I
have my dream café.
References
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