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Bravery means freely choosing to act in pursuit of your goals even when you are afraid. This does not mean behaving recklessly. Rather, it means understanding the risks and consequences of your actions without letting fear prevent you from doing what you think is right. 

Being brave requires you to acknowledge that you are afraid, but that your fear will not stop you from doing what you think is right. Overcoming your fears is what makes you brave.

Bravery takes many forms, including physical, moral, and mental bravery. You may overcome the fear of bodily harm, social or financial consequences, or everyday anxieties.

WHY SHOULD BRAVERY BE IMPORTANT TO ME?

Being brave allows you to grow and explore. You can be brave every single day. Talking to new people can be scary, but by overcoming that mental fear you meet new friends. Trying new sports can be daunting at first, but by being physically brave you can find activities that make you happier and healthier. And, when you see something is wrong around you, such as if someone is being bullied, mental bravery allows you to step in and help others.

WHY IS BRAVERY IMPORTANT IN A GROUP SETTING?
 

When you are brave, others will also be brave. When other's witness someone's brave act - such as a soldier in battle or a classmate standing up for a bullied student - they are encouraged to take other actions. In this way, being a leader means being brave.

History is constantly being shaped by brave people, and their messages can continue to inspire us today. George S. Patton was a general in the U.S. Army during World War II. His acts of bravery helped create the world we now live in.

Click on the photo below to watch!

And if you''re wondering how it works, click here to check out a 2-minute video to hear teachers and administrators from some of our current Partner Schools describe how the P2 works, and how it has benefitted their classrooms and schools.

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WHY DOES IT MATTER?

Individuals: Just like plants need sunlight to grow, our relationships need attention. The research is crystal clear, relationships are the cornerstone of health, happiness, and resilience. And, if we don't give our attention to the people we're building relationships with - whether family members, close friends, or even distant colleagues - we can't build those relationships.

Groups: On a group level, it's vitally important that we pick our heads up from our cell phones and truly listen to other people when they're talking. A positive culture is built with positive relationships - and we can't build positive relationships without attention. So, the answer is clear: we need to pay attention to people in our lives. That's going to be good for individuals, small groups, and large societies.

"The urge to check Twitter or refresh Reddit becomes a nervous twitch that shatters uninterrupted time into shards too small to support the presence necessary for an intentional life." ??????
- Cal Newport

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WHAT DOES OPEN-MINDEDNESS MEAN?

Open-mindedness is the willingness to actively search for evidence that goes against one's favored beliefs, plans, or goals. Open-minded individuals are able to weigh all evidence fairly, when it is available. They see the other side and fight the tendency to have a bias for their own views. And, rather than favoring the socially dominant views, they give attention to those that are less dominant.

This character strength helps individuals build knowledge about specific issues or points of view - and provide sound recommendations and advice. Open-minded people do not jump to conclusions, Instead, they seek out and examine all of the available evidence before forming an opinion.

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WHY DOES IT MATTER?

Individuals: Individuals with the character strength of open-mindedness are more likely to make accurate decisions - and decisions that they won't regret. This is because they think through all sides of a problem and actively fight "myside bias," which happens when people generate evidence, evaluate evidence, and test hypotheses in a manner biased toward their own prior opinions and attitudes.

Open-minded individuals are often good listeners and called upon to provide a balanced viewpoint. Both listening and the ability to deliver reasonable and practical advice are marks of good friends and confidantes. This strength helps individuals form meaningful and lasting relationships.

Groups: Open-mindedness is crucial in counteracting groupthink. Individuals with this strength help their group identify the correct goals, evidence, possible alternatives, and final decisions to a given problem.

"Open-mindedness doesn't mean going along with what you don't believe in; it means considering the reasoning of others instead of stubbornly and illogically holding on to your own point of view.  To be radically open-minded, you need to be so open to the possibility that you could be wrong that you encourage others to tell you so." ??????
- Ray Dalio ???

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WHY DOES IT MATTER?

Individuals:  For individuals, self-control helps them delay the short-term gain in pursuit of a greater, long-term success. This strength is associated with having an "internal locus of control;" of being in control of (and responsible for) your own personal choices - and the outcomes of those choices. It gives people the power to diet, study for an exam, or practice a musical instrument. Some psychologists have likened self-control to a muscle: it gets stronger the more it's used.

Groups:  A group's ability to demonstrate self control often appears in the form of "self-monitoring." This means that individuals demonstrate honesty with one another about successful group practices. When things are unsuccessful, group members have the ability to adjust roles in the interest of overall group success. It's a crucial strength in our modern society and its mentality of impulsivity and consumption.

"If you can conquer yourself, then you can conquer the world."
-Paulo Coelho
 

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WHY DOES IT MATTER?

Individuals:  Perspective helps an individual make sense of the world. It provides clarity on what matters and what does not. Being able to see things from multiple angles helps individuals remain calm and learn from mistakes; they are typically highly self-aware. Reflecting on their own feelings, thoughts, and motives helps them understand and empathize with other people.  These individuals are strong listeners and ask great questions.

Groups: On a group level, perspective helps couples, teams, communities, and societies act wisely and correctly. Individuals with the strength of perspective help their group get through difficult or uncertain circumstances because they're poised and can identify opportunities for success. Moving into an increasingly complex future, the need for individuals with perspective will only increase.

.emailview .emailview .emailview Empathy begins with understanding life from another person''s perspective. Nobody has an objective experience of reality. It''s all through our own individual prisms.
-Sterling K. Brown

Being present means focusing on the people and things around you. Those who are present give their full attention to the people they are with, and are mindful of their actions and how they affect others. A deliberate focus on being present is especially important in today's world, as we are constantly surrounded by distractions. Phone calls, text messages, emails, and social media notifications all have the formidable capacity to pull us away from the present moment and what's most important - our relationships with other people. 

WHY SHOULD BEING PRESENT BE IMPORTANT TO ME?

Just like plants need sunlight to grow, our relationships need attention. Focusing on relationships by being present is the only way to build close relationships, which in turn increases health, happiness, and resilience.

WHY IS BEING PRESENT IMPORTANT IN A GROUP SETTING?

On a group level, it's important to promote positive relationships by listening and engaging with others. It is essential that we pick our heads up from our cell phones and truly listen to other people when they're talking. We need to pay attention to people in our lives, whether between individuals, in small groups, or throughout society as a whole.

"Turns out, not where, but who you''re with that matters." -Dave Matthews 

 

Click on the photo below to watch!

And if you''re wondering how it works, click here to check out a 2-minute video to hear teachers and administrators from some of our current Partner Schools describe how the P2 works, and how it has benefitted their classrooms and schools.

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WHAT DOES CURIOSITY MEAN?

Curiosity is a crucial component of one''s character. Our innate urge for discovery and exploration is a key element of our human desire for wisdom and knowledge. It's what keeps us intrigued in the plotlines of movies and books. It's what pushes us to try new activities or travel to different places. All individuals experience curiosity, but differ in their willingness to experience it -behaviorally, intellectually, and emotionally. 

Curiosity is associated with novelty-seeking. Novelty-seekers are more willing to endure risks - such as physical risks of skydiving or social risks of meeting new people - in order to gain the benefits of new experiences. Curiosity is also associated with being receptive to exploring new ideas, feelings, or values - which carry their own inherent risks and rewards.

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WHY DOES IT MATTER?

Individuals: People with the character strength of curiosity are more likely to ask questions and try new things. Curiosity then is a form of courage. Asking questions exposes the fact that we don't know and trying a new activity means we might fail. But, it's only through asking questions and exploring new opportunities that we learn and grow. However, curiosity can be detrimental to our health, if it's associated with illegal substance use or other risky behavior.

Groups: On a group level, curiosity is crucial in making discoveries that bring important benefits. For example, exotic plants may yield new medicines and ancient artifacts may illuminate astonishing pieces of human history. Curiosity is what compels astronauts into outer space and submarines To the bottom of the ocean. It is hardwired into the human genome and a defining element of human success.

"There is always a place I can take someone's curiosity. That's my challenge as an educator. No one is dumb who is curious. The people who don't ask questions remain clueless throughout their lives." ??????
-Neil deGrasse Tyson

Humor is a sense of playfulness and lightness. People who are humorous see the funny and joyous side of things and acknowledge the absurdities in life. They work to make others smile and laugh. While often people with this strength are joke tellers, some have a dark side to their humor, which may involve being mean spirited or bullying. However, the strength of humor is in its ability to lift other people's spirits.

WHY SHOULD HUMOR BE IMPORTANT TO ME?

Humor is both mentally and physically beneficial. Searching for the funny things in life allows you to look at things from different perspectives, keeping you more mentally agile and alert.  Making others laugh produces positive emotions for both the initiator and receiver. Scientists have shown that laughter reduces stress, promotes connection with other people, and can even improve focus. Laughter is contagious and bonds us to other people.

WHY IS HUMOR IMPORTANT IN A GROUP SETTING?
 

Humor plays an important role in helping groups rise above difficult circumstances and boost morale. It distracts us from our present difficulties by easing tension. On a larger societal level, humor often helps oppressed groups find cohesion and strength.

 

Comedians have been making people laugh for generations. Charlie Chaplin used comedy to bring joy to people during World War I and II.  

"A day without laughter is a day wasted." - Charlie Chaplin

Click on the photo below to watch!

And if you''re wondering how it works, click here to check out a 2-minute video to hear teachers and administrators from some of our current Partner Schools describe how the P2 works, and how it has benefitted their classrooms and schools.

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WHY DOES IT MATTER?

Individuals:  Perspective helps an individual make sense of the world. It provides clarity on what matters and what does not. Being able to see things from multiple angles helps individuals remain calm and learn from mistakes; they are typically highly self-aware. Reflecting on their own feelings, thoughts, and motives helps them understand and empathize with other people.  These individuals are strong listeners and ask great questions.

Groups: On a group level, perspective helps couples, teams, communities, and societies act wisely and correctly. Individuals with the strength of perspective help their group get through difficult or uncertain circumstances because they're poised and can identify opportunities for success. Moving into an increasingly complex future, the need for individuals with perspective will only increase.

.emailview .emailview .emailview Empathy begins with understanding life from another person''s perspective. Nobody has an objective experience of reality. It''s all through our own individual prisms.
-Sterling K. Brown

Those with a love of learning are intrinsically motivated to learn regardless of external validation. They don't need a prize or a high grade as a reward for learning. Rather, they experience joy simply from the act of engaging with a topic. Their reward is the process of doing the work and improving. People who love learning experience positive feelings in the process of acquiring skills, building on existing knowledge, or learning something completely new. Over time, individuals with this strength become extremely knowledgeable, enabling them to make significant contributions to others' understanding.

WHY SHOULD LOVE OF LEARNING BE IMPORTANT TO ME?

Developing a love of learning is highly beneficial for individuals. Intrinsically motivated actions are correlated with positive emotions. In addition to being knowledgeable, those who act on their love of learning may also have enhanced mental and physical health. People who love learning tend to have a sense of autonomy and control over their environment and thus have the desire and ability to overcome challenges.

WHY IS LOVE OF LEARNING IMPORTANT IN A GROUP SETTING?

On a group level, love of learning is a crucial strength of any leader. It's love of learning that compelled Benjamin Franklin to fly a kite and make significant advances in electricity. It's love of learning that led Nelson Mandela to study Afrikaans, the language of his oppressors, and read a smuggled copy of Shakespeare while locked in Robben Prison. It's only by learning and experimenting that we continue to grow, and the best leaders have an insatiable desire to learn. 

Develop a passion for learning.  If you do, you will never cease to grow. -Anthony J. D''Angelo

Click on the photo below to watch!

And if you''re wondering how it works, click here to check out a 2-minute video to hear teachers and administrators from some of our current Partner Schools describe how the P2 works, and how it has benefitted their classrooms and schools.

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WHY DOES IT MATTER?

Individuals:  Kindness is correlated with desirable developmental outcomes. It is related to other-oriented emotions, like empathy (the ability to experience the emotional state of another person) and sympathy (the tender emotion of concern for another's difficulty). Psychologists have even traced kindness and generosity as the keys to healthy, happy, and lasting marriages.

Groups: Kindness is very important. In addition to empathy and sympathy, the character strength of kindness is indicative of an individual's moral reasoning capacity and level of social responsibility. That means people who develop kindness possess a strong personal ethical responsibility to care for other people. And, their acts of kindness towards others lead to additional acts of kindness by those who have been helped.

"Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see."
-Mark Twain

Kindness is founded in the belief that others are worthy of care, attention, affection, and compassion. Those with this strength think about the needs and feelings of other people and act to help those people. Kind people help others because it is the right thing to do, not because they expect any reciprocal treatment or praise. This strength requires selflessness. True acts of kindness are distinct from helping other people in order to simply gain something for yourself.

WHY SHOULD KINDNESS BE IMPORTANT TO ME?

For individuals, being kind influences other positive developmental outcomes and is related to other-oriented emotions. These emotions include empathy, which is the ability to experience the emotional state of another person, and sympathy, which is the tender emotion of concern for another's difficulty. Kindness thus helps build positive relationships. Psychologists have even traced kindness and generosity as the keys to healthy, happy, and lasting marriages.

WHY IS KINDNESS IMPORTANT IN A GROUP SETTING?

On a group level, kindness is contagious. In addition to empathy and sympathy, the character strength of kindness is indicative of an individual's moral reasoning capacity and level of social responsibility. That means people who develop kindness possess a strong personal ethical responsibility to care for other people. When individuals within a group are kind, their acts of kindness towards others lead to additional acts of kindness by those who have been helped.

 

History is constantly being shaped by kind people, and their messages can continue to inspire us today. Amelia Earhart was an American pilot and author who became the first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.

"No kind action ever stops with itself. A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the trees spring up to make new trees. The greatest work that kindness does to others is that it makes them kind themselves." -AMELIA EARHART

Click on the photo below to watch!

And if you''re wondering how it works, click here to check out a 2-minute video to hear teachers and administrators from some of our current Partner Schools describe how the P2 works, and how it has benefitted their classrooms and schools.

Teamwork is the ability and willingness to place overall group success as a higher priority than individual achievement. Citizenship is a willingness to work towards the common good as opposed to one's own self-interest. Those who demonstrate strengths in teamwork and citizenship often work to help all group members find success. These individuals are willing to commit time and resources in order to further group goals and help toward the greater good.

This strength is associated with naturally positive feelings that accompany being a member of a family, team, school, political party, ethnic group, or country. However, those positive feelings can come with bad behavior towards the "out-group" in the form of blind obedience, disparaging words, or prejudice. This is important to guard against by leveraging a person's other positive character strengths.

WHY SHOULD TEAMWORK BE IMPORTANT TO ME? 

For individuals, teamwork often means deferring or delaying individual accomplishments in order to ensure that the group maintains a high level of success. Their commitment to the larger group effort makes them both good teammates and citizens. The positive feelings associated with being part of a larger whole - can be highly beneficial and combat selfishness and egotism.

WHY IS TEAMWORK  IMPORTANT IN A GROUP SETTING?
 

Our ability to work effectively within group structures is tied directly to the group's ability to succeed. In schools and workplaces across the world, commitment to teamwork and to the "greater good" helps to further learning and achievement for all group members. Maintaining the idea that "Other People Matter" is essential to any successful team environment.

TAKE ACTION 
 

Approaching character from a growth mindset means that we are all capable of working on and improving the associated skills. How can you make the most of being present in your everyday life? Consider the following questions:

• What is most gratifying to you about being part of a team?
• How do you feel and act when you carry more than your fair share of the weight for a team?
• How does teamwork extend into your personal life; for example, parenting, family, partner, friendship?

Click on the photo below to watch!

And if you''re wondering how it works, click here to check out a 2-minute video to hear teachers and administrators from some of our current Partner Schools describe how the P2 works, and how it has benefitted their classrooms and schools.

Enthusiasm is the ability to bring life and excitement to different situations. Those who are enthusiastic are usually more engaged in everyday activities and are outwardly excited about tasks and projects. This strength is not just external; it involves actively engaging in the world around you with positive energy.

WHY SHOULD ENTHUSIASM BE IMPORTANT TO ME?

Enthusiasm is the ability to bring life and excitement to different situations. Those who are enthusiastic are usually more engaged in everyday activities and are outwardly excited about tasks and projects. This strength is not just external; it involves actively engaging in the world around you with positive energy.

WHY IS ENTHUSIASM IMPORTANT IN A GROUP SETTING?

For groups, enthusiasm can be directly tied to high levels of success, happiness, and achievement. Enthusiasm is contagious. One person's enthusiasm/  can spark others to think, speak, and act with more energy and conviction. Groups that are enthusiastic about tasks are much more likely to spend longer periods of time in service to the group's overall goals. 

 

History is constantly being shaped by enthusiastic people, and their messages can continue to inspire us today. Norman Vincent Peale was an American minister and author, most famous for his book The Power of Positive Thinking.

"There is a real magic in enthusiasm. It spells the difference between mediocrity and accomplishment." -NORMAN VINCENT PEALE

Click on the photo below to watch!

And if you''re wondering how it works, click here to check out a 2-minute video to hear teachers and administrators from some of our current Partner Schools describe how the P2 works, and how it has benefitted their classrooms and schools.

This pillar of the Other People Matter Mindset means that when we are with other people, we''re present and give them our full attention. A deliberate focus on being present is so important today due to the increasing number of distractions vying for our time and attention. Phone calls, text messages, emails, social media notifications all have the formidable capacity to pull us away from the present moment and what's most important - our relationships with other people. How dangerous is this to our well-being and the fabric of our society? Very.

WHY SHOULD BEING PRESENT BE IMPORTANT TO ME? 
 

Just like plants need sunlight to grow, our relationships need attention. The research is crystal clear, relationships are the cornerstone of health, happiness, and resilience. And, if we don't give our attention to the people we're building relationships with - whether family members, close friends, or even distant colleagues - we can't build those relationships.
 

WHY IS BEING PRESENT IMPORTANT IN A GROUP SETTING?
 

On a group level, it's vitally important that we pick our heads up from our cell phones and truly listen to other people when they're talking. A positive culture is built with positive relationships - and we can't build positive relationships without attention. So, the answer is clear: we need to pay attention to people in our lives. That's going to be good for individuals, small groups, and large societies.

TAKE ACTION 
 

Approaching character from a growth mindset means that we are all capable of working on and improving the associated skills. How can you make the most of being present in your everyday life? Consider the following questions:

• Understanding what distracts us is important - track your phone usage by app to see which apps you use more frequently and consider placing limits on your usage.
• Dock your phone on its charger at the end of the work day, when its time to focus on your family or partner.
• Read through the active listening skills above and put them into practice in a conversation with a friend, co-worker, or family member.

Click on the photo below to watch!

And if you''re wondering how it works, click here to check out a 2-minute video to hear teachers and administrators from some of our current Partner Schools describe how the P2 works, and how it has benefitted their classrooms and schools.

 

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HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM THE POSITIVITY PROJECT

While this year has been difficult, we have seen the the power of character and relationships as communities came together to support each other in the face of adversity -- the very definition of #PositivityInAction.

The positive example that you're setting for your students and child(ren) - through your creativity, optimism, kindness, perseverance, bravery, self-control, love (and so much more) - will be in their memory and shape their character for the rest of their life.  

We will be back in January to kick off 20201 with a focus on Optimism. Until then, we wish you, your family, and your school community a safe and joyful holiday season.