Beginning SFI-Practice – Lesson 7

Objective:

Learn the benefits of the SfI-Practice

Benefits of SfI-Practice Section One

  • 1. Noticing and articulating positive moments.
  • 2. Articulating strengths.

Notes on Practice
The “negativity bias” is the normal tendency to give more attention to negative experiences, feelings, and outcomes than positive ones. We tend to spend more time thinking about negative things, and we tend to ascribe more importance and urgency to negative things.
Reflection Question
Can you recall a time when the experience of a positive moment suddenly shifted your mood? Write about that experience.
Can you articulate the name of a strength you used during that positive moment?

Other Resources

This video from Dr. Russ Harris [www.thehappinesstrap.com] is an entertaining explanation of the presence and persistence of the negativity bias. 

Benefits of SfI-Practice Section Two

Learn how the practice can make your feelings about yourself and your interactions with other people more positive.

Notes on Practice
With a little bit of daily effort you can: 
  • Be more self-accepting, and comfortable with who you are.
  • Be more self-confident and assume you are doing the best you can.
  • Be more resilient after experiencing disappointments.
  • Have fewer defensive feelings.
  • Be less hurt by criticisms.
  • Create a deeper sense of equanimity and calm.
  • Be more aware of what you can change, and accept what you cannot change.
  • Appreciate diversity and multiple perspectives.
  • Feel less need to win or to be right in a disagreement.
  • Be generally more optimistic, grateful, and positive in perspective.
Reflection Question
What benefits would you most like to get from the practice?
Articulating Your Strengths

“Grounded in your direct experience of your positive moments, your words for your strengths will start to dominate the landscape of your sense of yourself, and that will be a very good thing.”

Jennifer Rose