A flourishing life is your birthright. You deserve to thrive and be all that you can be. However, reaching this ideal takes an understanding (and implementation) of a few basic principles. In fact, there are ten core competencies that—if continuously applied—can help you flourish in every area of life that matters most to you. And the best part is that anyone can use these principles.
It doesn’t require an expensive degree that adds a few letters to your name or formal training of any kind. If you apply these simple ideas, you can begin flourishing in your life, regardless of your current situation or economic status.
1. Personal Empowerment
Personal empowerment is simply a belief in yourself. It means you have faith in your natural talents and abilities to guide your life to a worthwhile destination. This simple concept is the idea that you have what it takes to create your desired success. When you feel empowered, you have the confidence to take risks and play on the offensive to reveal your true potential.
2. Personal Awareness/Management
Personal awareness and management means you understand yourself and the things that may trigger you. As a result, you gain insights into navigating your emotions and expressing them in a healthy, positive way. So, when stressful situations arise, you can maintain composure and cope with the chaos rather than crumble under the pressure.
3. Emotional/Social Intelligence
When you develop emotional and social intelligence, you become more tactful in interactions and more sensitive to the feelings of others. Your listening, communication, and interpersonal skills all improve. As a result, you understand the people around you more deeply and intimately. And this is a powerful asset to have within your toolbox.
4. Leadership/Courage
Leadership and courage are core competencies that can improve numerous aspects of your character and life. With these assets, you become more confident in your abilities. Moreover, your actions—whether in a professional or personal context—become more intentional and purpose-driven. In other words, there’s a method to your “madness.” You’re not driven solely by emotion but by logic, empathy, and sound reasoning.
5. Innovative/Entrepreneurial
Innovation and entrepreneurial thinking lead to a growth mindset geared toward creative problem-solving. You begin thinking outside the box, using creativity as a mechanism to consider other options that other people may not have considered. As a result, difficulties turn into opportunities in disguise, and challenges are seen as catalysts for innovative solutions.
6. Resilience/Growth Mindset
One of the most essential qualities for overcoming difficulties is resilience and developing a growth mindset. For this reason, these traits stand as powerful (and essential) components for the ten core competencies for a flourishing life. It’s all about learning to adapt when you feel like things might aren’t working out in your favour. This process entails developing competence by embracing challenges and growing your personal resilience.
7. Motivated/Self-Directed Learner
To flourish in life, you need to be a motivated, self-directed learner. This means taking initiative, continually growing your skills, and not being afraid of making mistakes. Moreover, it’s also about a sense of humility by realizing you can never know it all, and that it’s a natural part of learning to seek guidance and expertise from others.
8. Moral Directedness/Integrity
Flourishing requires honesty, integrity, and a strong sense of purpose in your life. A flourishing individuals has compelling goals and a personal vision that they’re excited about fulfilling. Moreover, they embrace a set of core values that guide their decisions and influence their responses when they are challenged by life and by others.
9. Interpersonal/Collaborative Skills
An excellent communicator who can manage their emotions (as well as the emotions of others) is on the path toward a flourishing life. These people are respectful and positive team-players. They work to resolve problems and conflicts as they arise and have the ability to manage emotions and expectations effectively.
10. Effective Problem Solver/Accountable
You will flourish in life when you learn to approach situations from a holistic perspective. You can further bolster this quality by taking responsibility for the consequences of decisions. Effective problem solvers are accountable. They use a “common sense” mindset to managing life’s challenges with a get-it-done attitude.
Conclusion
Flourishing in life is simply a matter of following a few simple fundamentals. Once those bases are covered, thriving becomes a natural byproduct. And the best part is that we at Certified Flourishing Coach can help if you need additional assistance in this area. Our team of expert coaches and facilitators uses an evidence-based framework to help people thrive in their personal and professional lives.
So, if you’re ready to start flourishing, contact us today to learn more.
About the Author
Dr. Hammond is a founding partner and CSO with Flourishing Life Technologies in Calgary, Alberta and holds an adjunct status with Ambrose University and the School of Medicine at the University of Calgary. Wayne is a Senior Advisor to the Certified Flourishing Coaching Program™.
Over the past 30 years, Wayne has primarily worked with complex youth and their families and is considered a leading expert on the concept of resilience and positive psychology and its application to positive youth and adult development as well as enhancing strengths capacity building and well-being in the context of academic, organizational and community culture. He has served in clinical supervisory capacities, worked in a comprehensive residential treatment centre and has provided clinical services in an inpatient/outpatient forensic setting as well as an adolescent comorbidity program based in a hospital setting.
As part of his professional practice, Wayne has published several scientific articles and developed an innovative framework for evaluating resilience and human flourishing. He has also been an active lecturer with regard to understanding the role of human flourishing and well-being and the implications for nurturing positive coping and mental health through a strength-based approach to preparing people and organizations to thrive. His speciality is neuroscience and the evidence around resiliency.
Dr. Hammond is a Senior Advisor to Certified Flourishing Coaching™ and to the Global Coaching Certification Association. As the Founding Partner and CSO of Flourishing Life, Dr. Hammond is partnering in our efforts to create strengths-based practice and coaching models for various certifications that draw upon the Flourishing Life model of applied practice and the use of the Flourishing Life Questionnaire (FLQ). Dr. Wayne is excited to facilitate the Certified Flourishing Coaching™ Program in Calgary, Alberta.