Character Strengths

Character is often pictured as a person's composure, grit, trustworthiness, honesty, dependability and self-control. Character is actually a reflection of three resident components - thinking, feeling, and behaviour. Character traits are deep-seated. Character reflects as, who we really are and what is inside us.

Dr. Chris Peterson explains in his book that twenty four character strengths are evident in every individual. They range from bravery and forgiveness to integrity and gratitude.

Our self image is fortified when we recognise that our character is made up of all the twenty four character strengths and that they appear in us in varying degrees. This knowledge and understanding increasesour acceptance of others, even though they are different. This, not only in height, weight, colour of skin, race and nationality, but also in the way they behave, express and present themselves. Persons also perform better because they know that what they possess and also what they lack. They also realise that lack does not mean absence. 

Here is a figure of all the twenty four character components linked to six heads.

The Six Heads of Classification of Character Strengths and their component characteristics.

1. Courage - Bravery, Perseverance, Integrity and Enthusiasm.

2. Humanity - Love, Kindness and Social Intelligence.

3. Transcendence - Appreciation of Beauty and Excellence, Gratitude, Optimism, Humour and Purpose.

4. Temperance - Self-control, Prudence, Humility and Forgiveness.

5. Justice - Leadership, Fairness and Team-work.

6. Wisdom and Knowledge - Perspective, Love of Learning, Open-mindedness, Curiosity and Creativity.

Now let us take a look of each of them.

1. Courage

Bravery : Bravery enables us to act with mental, moral and physical strength even when we know  that things are difficult or scary.

Perseverance : Perseverance enables us to complete whatever we start despite obstacles. It also shows up when we never give up. 

Integrity : Integrity enable us to be honest and speak the truth. It helps us to present ourself genuinely and sincerely.

Enthusiasm : Enthusiasm enables us to  approach life with excitement and energy. It also ensables us to energise and encourage people around us.

2. Humanity

Love : Love enables us to value close relationships with others and be close to people. 

Kindness : Kindness enables us to be generous to others and never be too busy to help out. It enables us to enjoy doing good deeds for other people. 

Social Intelligence : Social intelligence enables us to be aware of other people’s thoughts and feelings. It also helps us to understand why others do things the way they do them.

3. Transcendence

Appreciation of Beauty & Excellence : This enables us to notice and value the world’s beauty and people’s skills. It also enables us to not take things for granted.

Gratitude : Gratitude enables us to be aware of and be thankful for good things that happen. 

Optimism : Optimism enables us to expect the best from the future and work to achieve it. 

Humour : Humour enables us to like to laugh and bring a smile on other peoples' faces.

Purpose : Purpose enables us to have beliefs about the meaning of life and one's life purpose. It also helps us to seek to be part of something greater than ourself. 

Forgiveness : Forgiveness helps us to forgive those who have done wrong and accept that people make mistakes. 

4. Temperence

Self-Control : Self contorol enables us to have the ability to control our emotions and behaviors. We thereby think before they act. 

Prudence : Prudence enables us to plan for the future and achieve goals by making choices on the go. 

Humility : Humility enables us to not seek the spotlight. It enables us to let our actions speak for themselves.

Forgiveness : Forgiveness helps us to forgive those who have done wrong. It also helps us to accept that people make mistakes.

5. Justice

Leadership : Leadership enables us to value each member of our group and inspire others to do their best.

Fairness : Fairness enables us to believe that all people have value. We approach situations with an unbiased mindset and treat everyone with respect. 

Teamwork : Teamwork enables us to work as a member of a group or team. We are loyal and sacrifice our individual desires for a greater good.

6. Wisdom and Knowledge

Perspective : Perspective enables us to appreciate that people see things in different ways. We gain the ability to understand the world from multiple points of view. 

Love of Learning : Love of learning enables us to master new skills and topics on our own. 

Open-Mindedness : Open-mindedness enables us to get to like considering new ideas and also to try out new things. We thereby examine things from all sides and don’t jump to conclusions. 

Curiosity : Curiosity enables us to like exploration and discovery. We get to ask lots of questions because we want to learn more about anything and everything.

Creativity : Creativity enables us to come up with new and original ways of thinking and doing things.

----------