Engagement. Notice what you notice!
The ‘father’ of positive psychology developed the acronym PERMA to describe the 5 important elements of wellbeing and living a life of flourishing. These stand for Positive Emotion, Relationships, Meaning and Accomplishments. The E is for Engagement.
Engagement is all about being involved in an activity or task that takes you into a deep state of mind or even ‘flow’, where we lose track of time. However, it doesn’t have to be just that type of engagement. Engagement can also be simply ‘engaging’ in life, being open and aware of what is going on around you and engaging in that. It can be noticing something in passing and then engaging in some way e.g. noticing that you like the shirt a colleague is wearing, so you say so! This makes them feel good at the same time as giving you a hit of the ’happy’ hormone at the same time!
Engagement is also related to our strengths. The things that we are good at, do often and are energised by. It’s not rocket science to work out that if we are good at something, we love doing it! Not only does it feel good to be doing something that we’re good at, we also all enjoy being successful and getting compliments at the same time! Who doesn’t love that?
So why is Engagement such an important aspect of our wellbeing?
Engaging in something that you like doing, are good at clearly energises you and gives you the feel-good hormones that sustain and inspire you. The more we look to engage in, the more happiness we experience!
So, why not get some more! How do we look for more engagement in our daily lives and get access to those happiness hormones?
Here are some tips:
Savour the moment
Next time you are eating, take the time to truly savour your food. Look at it before you put it in your mouth. What does it look like? Is it appealing? What colour, shape and size is it? When you put it in your mouth, don’t bite into it just yet – feel it with your tongue. What does it feel like? Is it smooth, rough, cold, hot? Then bite into it. What does it feel like now? Is it crunchy, gooey, soft? Now taste. What does it taste like? Is it sour, sweet, warm or bitter? Then swallow. Now consider the experience. Savour the moment. Enjoy the moment.
Create Savouring Rituals
Consider some ways that you could ‘stop and smell the roses’ each day. Small rituals you could turn into habits that gives you opportunities to engage in your world. 5 minutes to enjoy the morning view. 2 minutes to watch your children eat breakfast and enjoy their conversations. An afternoon coffee outside whilst listening to nature, engaging in the tranquillity. Whatever rituals that give you the chance to engage in something that fills up your cup or gives you joy are fantastic ways of increasing your overall wellbeing.
Active Engagement excursions
Design a day/morning/afternoon of engagement. Ride your bike or go walking and plan to engage in others around you. A ‘Good Morning’ here or a ‘Lovely Day’ there allows you to engage in the moment. End the activity with a visit to a café and engage with those around you. Ask the waiter about their day, their week, where they got their jewellery. Smile at other customers and if it is returned, try to find a reason to engage with them. You never know what you will learn or even better, you may find a new best friend! When you get home, engage with the family, and explain your day.
Get into your ‘Flow’
Find what activity takes you away into that space where time is of no consequence! Knitting. Art. Reading. Music. Walking. Cleaning (yeah, defs not my thing!) Playing with the dog. Whatever it is for you – engage in it and give yourself permission to get lost in it. Don’t look up until the light fades or someone comes seeking you out! Getting into you flow completely fills your cup!
Whatever you do, find ways to engage in the world around you. Notice what you notice and then notice how it makes you feel. These are the things that will give you joy, fill up your cup and will increase your wellbeing.
Try it! You will not be disappointed!