Yes, absolutely it is.

When I first became involved in the field of Positive Psychology, over a decade ago, it wasn’t always well received. It was tolerated by some and dismissed by many, particularly in the UK business community. There were a few innovative souls, who saw the potential to really invest in the wellbeing of themselves and their people, but mainly the subject was seen as a bit ‘out there’ with reactions ranging from mild enthusiasm to indifference.

Over the years we’ve seen a gradual growing interest, particularly from those with HR and people development responsibilities and also in education. Now the pandemic has really raised the profile of our individual and collective wellbeing and far more people are seeing the value of helping themselves and others to flourish.

I was already working in People Development and Business Development and wanted to know more about optimism and pessimism. I noticed that I often thought things would turn out well when others around me thought the opposite. I was keen to understand why, when we had the same information, we were seeing the possible outcomes very differently. My curiosity led me to Positive Psychology. I was lucky to be offered a place on what was then the only Masters Degree programme in Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) in Europe. The first weekend I attended classes I felt like I’d ‘come home’ and that feeling has never left me.

Through my studies and other qualifications in coaching, I became particularly interested in strengths and growth through adversity. Creating The Strengths Practice was a way to share my passion and bring the benefits of Positive Psychology to individuals, groups and organisations.

Grief and loss can have a debilitating effect on so many aspects of our lives, sometimes without us even realising that it’s grief. During coaching, facilitation or other conversations I often see people who are ‘stuck’. The intention and the will is there, but something is holding them back from reaching their goals and flourishing. For some it’s grief, not only from bereavement but also other losses like relationship breakdown, bullying or job loss. By taking steps to recover from the loss and the associated grief it’s possible to move forward and live a more fulfilling life.

In my own case, after the death of my precious friend Jane, there was a huge lightbulb moment when I realised the impact of cumulative losses I’d experienced in my life. Understanding the grief associated with them was incredibly useful and energising, enabling my creativity and joie de vivre to return even more strongly than before.

I’ve always sought to have variety and unpredictability in my working life. A portfolio approach is something I’ve been developing for years and as part of that I have the privilege of being an associate lecturer and mentor to MBA students at the University of Exeter Business School. These Senior Leaders continually amaze me with their resilience and persistence as they manage full time, challenging roles whilst also succeeding in their studies. We learn from each other and I’m proud to support them.

It’s a different recipe for everyone, we’re all unique, but there are elements that are common for most of us, such as having meaning and purpose in our lives, cultivating a growth mindset, the opportunity to understand and use our true strengths, a sense of community and developing healthy relationships. It’s also about being able to accept the challenging or uncertain times and weather the storms.

For me, the things that help me flourish are my family and friends, using and developing my strengths, knowing that my work makes a difference, getting outdoors as often as possible and having time and space to be creative.

I reach out to friends or take some time out alone. I’m lucky to have gratitude as a strength and that really helps me, combined with pragmatic optimism. It took me years to get to a point where I could comfortably feel self-compassion and acceptance. I recommend developing and practicing these behaviours, they can make such a difference to resilience and wellbeing.

I also love walking, swimming, gardening and baking and I get to the sea as often as I can.  Whether life is wonderful or challenging, being by the sea is always my favourite place to be, especially the Cornish coast.

Well, if only we knew! Who would have expected the events of 2020? At the end of 2019 I was hoping to spend more time in the UK after years of travelling for work. I certainly achieved that one!

For The Strengths Practice, we have new offerings coming that I’m very excited about. There’ll be more online options and although some people think we’re seeing the end of face-to-face programmes, I’m confident there will still be a demand for groups and teams to learn together in person.

For the wider world, I hope we’ll see more kindness and collaboration, in business and other work environments, in politics and in personal interactions. I know it might seem a big wish but imagine the difference that would make.

Be compassionate, to yourself and others, keep a sense of wonder and a quest to learn new things, especially from mistakes. Most of all, find the things that you enjoy, do more of them, laugh often and have fun!