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- Vitamin We #17: The Strength of Good Stories
Vitamin We #17: The Strength of Good Stories
Go Slow To Go Fast
(1299 words)
Hello, lovely people!
Happy Harvest Moon š to everyone who celebrates it!
You might have noticed that weāve changed the frequency of the Vitamin We dispatch - our intention for Season 2, for you and for us, is to
Go Slow To Go Fast
(more to be explained in Idea#3 of the Book Mentor section š ).
Also, to simplify and lighten it up with One story. One book. One core message.
You can expect to receive a dose of Vitamin We around every New Moon and Full Moon from now on, which, if you remember, working with the lunar cycleš is one of our foundational ways at We to get in touch with our emotional world, to amplify creativity, and to tap into the power of the feminine in all humans.
The story we curate for you this time is from Tamar, a legal professional turned graphic designer. Her encouraging career pivot story is another living proof of my theory (now in my 10th year in career coaching) that, when our career feels unsatisfying, itās way deeper than just a career issue - something is misaligned in our lives underneath the surface.
Take this as an invitation for us to embark on our self-discovery journeys to uncover our hidden gifts, reclaim our personal power, gain clarity of who we are and what we truly want, and gather the courage to follow our inner compass to redirect our path forward!
Happy reading!
Feature Story
Ā»This is where we feature personal stories from creative souls! Do you have one to share?
āDeep down, I always wanted to be a graphic designer, but was too scared to start. ā
By Tamar Buighlishvili - A graphic designer with law degrees based in Tbilisi, Georgia. Check out her Instagram here!
ā I donāt know if this story is worth something, but for me, itās life-changing.
I am actually a lawyer with a masterās degree, but I thought that I was too soft for this job, so I went to air transportation. It was something I liked to do, but still there was something off.
I always liked to write poetry and create art. I was painting, imagining things in my head. Deep down, I always wanted to be a graphic designer but was too scared to start. What if I donāt like it? What if I throw away money and timeā¦
At the same time, I was going through hard times. I was diagnosed with OCD, and I had really bad anxiety. I was lucky to meet a person who changed my life - my boyfriend. Who took me as I am now and showed me that life is beautiful and I should do what I like.
After all those years and tears, I decided to start learning graphic design.
I am a 26 year old student. Itās never too late to change your field. I am very grateful and happy with everything now. I am learning, studying, and, trying hard. ā
Ā» We love your story, Tamar - I believe many will resonate! Congrats on taking the leap, and we look forward to seeing more of your artwork!
Wise Words from Book Mentors
Ā» Book mentors = Powerful books that are almost as valuable as having a mentor IRL for your personal & professional growth
Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-being
by Martin E.P. Seligman
(The above is an affiliate link that will generate a commission for Women's entrance, which we will reinvest in the community!)
Martin E. P. Seligman is the Robert A. Fox Professor of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. Unlike the goal of traditional psychology that focuses on relieving human suffering, the goal of the Positive Psychology movement, which Dr. Seligman has led for fifteen years, is about actually raising the bar for the human condition.
What makes a good life after all?
Key Takeaways -
Idea #1: The Elements of Well-Being: PERMA
What is well-being? How do we measure happiness? Positive Psychology is more than just seeing a glass half full š„.
The well-being theory, according to Seligman, consists of 5 elements (mnemonic as PERMA) that comprise what free people will choose for their own sake:
Position emotion - The pleasant life, feeling good in general.
Engagement - Time stops. Entering the flow state.
Positive Relationships - Other people.
Meaning - A sense of belonging to and serving something bigger than ourselves.
Accomplishment - Pursuing success, winning, achievement, and mastery through actions.
The goal is to measure and build human flourishing.
Other people are the best antidote to the downs of life, and the single most reliable upā¦ Doing a kindness produces the single most reliable momentary increase in well being in of any exercise we have tested.
Here are two positive psychology exercises that work in creating more happiness in life:
Gratitude - What-Went-Well Exercise (also called āThree Blessingsā): Every night before we go to sleep, spend 10 minutes writing down things that went well today and why they went well. Stick to it for at least a week!
Signature Strengths Exercise - more on this below in Idea#2.
The 2 exercises above, when combined, have markedly lowered depression three months and six months later, and substantially increased happiness for six months in one of their studies. Very encouraging and doable indeed šŗ
Idea #2: Focus On Your Strengths, Not Correcting Your Weaknesses
Strengths are not just what we are good at doing - they are what strengthens us in the process of doing them.
When we own our signature strengths, and find new and more frequent uses for them, weāll feel:
a sense of ownership and authenticity (āthis is the real meā)
a feeling of excitement while displaying it, particularly at first
a rapid learning curve as the strength is first practiced
a sense of yearning to find new ways to use it
a feeling of inevitability in using the strength (ātry to stop meā)
invigoration rather than exhaustion while using the strength
the creation and pursuit of personal projects that revolve around it
joy, zest, enthusiasm, even ecstasy while using it
Are you curious about your Values In Action (VIA) Character Strengths? Visit the Questionnaire Center of the Authentic Happiness website of UPenn (Note: account registration is required). There is also a version for children šø
After taking the test, pay attention to the rank order of your strengths. Then, create a designated time in your schedule for the coming week to use your signature strengths in new ways. e.g., Appreciation of beauty and excellence - choose to take a more beautiful route to and from work!
Then, reflect on how you felt before, during, and after engaging in the activity. Was the activity challenging or easy? Did time pass quickly? Did you lose your sense of self-consciousness? Do you plan to repeat the exercise?
Idea #3: Slowness - One of the Building Blocks of Success
When studying the theory of achievement, they explored that both Speedšļø and Slowness š¦„ are essential - the faster we can handle automatic tasks (mostly mentally), the more time and executive functions of our brains can be reserved for the heavyweight slow processes such as planning, refining, checking for errors and creativity.
The two other elements are Rate of Learning, and Effort, which is our time on the task that is highly determined by our self-discipline and grit.
Itās all about FOCUS - When we use our strengths more frequently, which is the TRUE WEALTH š that each of us has exclusive access to, we can go slow to go fast.
Have fun finding new ways to engage your strengths in your everyday life!
- Ponny
P.S. We have BIG & EXCITING NEWS coming out! Stay tuned to our email in a few days!!! š¤