Strength is simply defined as “A good or beneficial quality or attribute of a person or thing”, “The quality or state of being physically strong” and “The emotional or mental qualities necessary in dealing with difficult or distressing situations” (Oxford Dictionaries).
Based on the definition strength is an important trait to have and contributes satisfaction of happiness in one’s life. A person’s strength makes them unique and impacts their actions through any obstacle. According to the via character assessment my top strength is gratitude. Gratitude is defined as “the appreciation of what is valuable and meaningful to oneself; it is a general state of thankfulness and/or appreciation” (Sansone & Sansone, 2010).
Gratitude has not had much recognition in history until recently, which was used by psychologist in most therapy or intervention settings to help promote the well-being of a person. In an article Gratitude and Well-Being the Benefits of Appreciation written Randy A. Sansone and Lori A. Sansone highlights “empirical studies indicating that there is an association between gratitude and a sense of overall well-being by experimenting through cognitive exercises”.
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The finding in the study showed that being thankful, appreciative, and expressing gratitude can have a positive impact on a person’s life’s satisfaction and contributes to their well-being.
Robert Emmons and Michael E. McCullough both are researchers, authors, and psychologists that are contributors of developing the skills and understanding the benefits of gratitude by stating “expressing your thanks can really improve your overall sense of well-being: studies show that grateful people are more agreeable, more open, and less neurotic” (What is Gratitude and What Is Its Role in Positive Psychology?,” 2018).
Both doctors have done thorough research in 2010 to find out what positive effects of gratitude and positive psychology has on an individual. The results of their research iterated that a person who focuses on gratitude displayed more optimism in many areas of their lives including health and exercise.
With Gratitude being my number one strength, I recognize how I practice this strength daily. I start off my day with gratitude by praying to God and thanking him for waking me up to see this day. I do this not only because it is part of my belief but, I am aware of the fact that every day is not promised to me and I could be gone within a second. Also, I reflect on blessings that have occurred in my life especially within the last few years. In 2015 my brother passed unexpectedly leaving six kids behind, that same year I was supposed to get married but I was not emotionally ready, so I pushed it back, and then last year was another rough year for me and my family as we were trying to recover from Harvey.
During that time, rather than focusing on my losses, I chose to be thankful for memories that were created. I also chose to think about how I was blessed with a strong and supportive family. I turned all my negative moments into gratitude. At times it was hard but, focusing on the good things helped my well-being.
Another time I practice gratitude is at work. I work with a mild to moderate population of participants who suffer from dementia. The participants who are diagnosed are as young as 53 and as old as 103 and there are moments when a participant might get emotional and feel lonely. I always reassure them that they are not alone because they have me to walk with them in this journey and I am honored to do so. My job allows me to be helpful to others and I am thankful to be able to give back, to be a support and a positive influence.
I also practice gratitude at school. It is an opportunity to obtain an education while working towards getting a degree to do the very thing I love. I believe this thankfulness that resides inside will help me mentally, physically and socially prepare in the upcoming semester by making me more confident in myself, by helping me make better relationships with others, and in helping me in achieving high grades.
The significant meaning my strength gratitude holds for me is counting my blessings and not dwelling on negativity or complaining. We all can complain about something but complaining doesn’t do anything, but put you down, make you have self-doubt, and be angry or bitter. To be able to rely on the good things brings me happiness not only to myself but to others.
Now that I know that gratitude is a compelling strength in my character, I do believe that this will be beneficial in my dream career as a social worker. Gratitude will allow me to do positive things and be a positive influence in other people’s lives. Since I was little, I always wanted to help others no matter the circumstance and with being a social worker; I will be able to do that and more. Just knowing that I will be helping others navigate and cope with their struggles is a blessing within itself.
References
- Sansone, R. A., & Sansone, L. A. (2010, November 7). Gratitude and Well Being: The Benefits of Appreciation. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3010965/
strength - Definition of strength in English by Oxford Dictionaries. (n.d.). In Oxford Dictionaries | English. Retrieved from https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/strength
- What is Gratitude and What Is Its Role in Positive Psychology? (2018, August 31). Retrieved from https://positivepsychologyprogram.com/gratitude-appreciation/
