[Book Summary] Flourish—Martin E. P. Seligman

Rating: ★★★★☆

In Flourish, the author talked about his old book—Authentic Happiness. He didn't like the over-used term "happiness" nor the term "authentic" which suggests there is the other side. Nonetheless, he folded because of the publisher's advice. I liked his honesty, and I've reviewed that book not too long ago here.[Book Summary] Authentic Happiness—Martin Seligman

In "Flourish," Seligman introduces the idea of PERMA, an acronym representing five essential elements of well-being:

• Positive Emotion (P): Experiencing feelings of joy, gratitude, love, and other positive emotions.
• Engagement (E): Being fully absorbed and involved in activities that use our skills to the fullest extent, leading to a state of flow.
• Relationships (R): Building and maintaining strong, positive connections with others. Healthy relationships are a crucial component of well-being.
• Meaning (M): Having a sense of purpose and direction in life. This involves using one's strengths to contribute to something greater than oneself.
• Accomplishment (A): Pursuing and achieving goals that matter. Accomplishments, both big and small, contribute to a sense of satisfaction and well-being.

Seligman argues that true well-being goes beyond the mere pursuit of pleasure or happiness. Instead, it involves cultivating a life that includes a balance of positive emotions, engagement, positive relationships, meaning, and accomplishment.

The book encourages readers to consider a more comprehensive view of what it means to lead a fulfilling life. Instead of focusing solely on fleeting moments of happiness, Seligman proposes a framework for achieving lasting well-being and flourishing across various aspects of life.

BTW, one complaint I have is that the structure of this book is a bit loose. It covers a wide range of topics but the main point is PERMA.