Well done! You now have a personal snapshot of your wellbeing.
Wellbeing Snapshot
This survey is based on an approach adapted from Dr. Martin Seligman’s PERMA theory of happiness.
Your PERMA+ Snapshot can be used to reflect on your wellbeing at this moment — Which elements of your wellbeing are you satisfied with, and which would you like to improve? Wellbeing is dynamic; it changes over time and can be positively impacted by practicing the skills of happiness. We aim to make the evidence-informed skills of wellbeing accessible to you, your autistic students and children, and all those who support them. Get started today!
See our autism community’s wellbeing as a whole.
Come back and take this survey again and again. These questions are meant to be answered continuously in order to create a regular rhythm where wellbeing is a target in all you do.
PERMA+ Theory
The PERMA+ Theory is a framework developed by Dr. Martin Seligman, the founding father of positive psychology. PERMA+ stands for the essential elements of human flourishing. Positive Emotions, Engagement, Relationships, Mattering, Accomplishment, and Health are the critical components to a good life.
- Positive Emotions
We can increase our wellbeing by enhancing how we experience positive emotions and pleasure in both frequency and intensity. Positive emotions such as love, joy, gratitude, pride, inspiration, hope, interest, serenity, amusement, and awe. We have the capacity to increase our positive emotions about the past, present, and the future.
- Engagement
An optimal human experience, which has been referred to as “flow,” is when we are truly absorbed and engaged in a situation or task by using our skills, strengths, and full attention. We lose a sense of self, lose track of time, and concentrate intensely on the present. The more we are able to experience this type of engagement, the more likely we are to experience wellbeing.
- Relationships
As innately social beings, relationships are fundamental to our wellbeing. Connections to others can give us purpose and meaning, increase motivation, boost our positive emotions, and support us during our hard times, increasing our resilience. We have the ability to cooperate, show empathy, the capacity to love, offer compassion and kindness because the bottom line is … other people matter.
- Meaning
A sense of meaning and purpose comes from serving a cause and connecting to something bigger than ourselves. Whether this is family, science, politics, religion, a social cause that helps people of the planet, having a deep sense of purpose increases our wellbeing. Purpose motivates us, protects us from setbacks and failures, and provides us with a greater connection to the world and those around us.
- Accomplishments
We tend to pursue competence, success, achievement, and mastery in a variety of domains. Whether we are seeking to better ourselves through healthy routines and self-care, master a hobby or skill, achieve a valuable goal or promotion at work, or win a competitive event, accomplishment is an important element of wellbeing.
- +Health
Although health was not included in Dr. Martin Seligman’s original framework of wellbeing and flourish- ing, we know that it is a vital element of wellbeing. Nutrition, movement, and sleep fuel our bodies and minds to get us ready to pursue each of the other elements of PERMA, enhancing our wellbeing!
This Month's Featured Skill
January is all about Jolts of Joy!
Notice the moments that bring a Jolt of Joy. Learn how to inject these positive feelings into the day.
Learn More
Notice the moments that bring a Jolt of Joy. Learn how to inject these positive feelings into the day.
