VIA signature strengths survey

that was a long test.  I tried to do it on the bus on the iPhone, but the connection was just not up to it.  now I'm home and adam is going through all his old yearbooks and he found the wedding announcement from his first marriage (I'd never been married before I married adam).  I read it and became unreasonably jealous and we both laughed at me.  I love my husband an unreasonable amount….   he's always reasonable.  :-)   I told him I'd forgive him for getting married to someone else but only because we didn't know each other yet and that he'd better not marry anyone else ever because I will have an absolute temper tantrum if he does and he said he knows I will, probably more than one and we laughed some more, but me with tears in my eyes because I really did feel terribly jealous.  looking at that wedding anouncement when he was just a baby (23) and the cutest girl you ever saw standing next to him with a beaming smile just made me have such a pain in my heart– crazy!  well– emotions have never claimed to be logical have they? 

here's the results of my testing….

top
Curiosity and interest in the world
You are curious about everything. You are always asking questions, and you find all subjects and topics fascinating. You like exploration and discovery.

2nd
Forgiveness and mercy
You forgive those who have done you wrong. You always give people a second chance. Your guiding principle is mercy and not revenge.

3rd
Kindness and generosity
You are kind and generous to others, and you are never too busy to do a favor. You enjoy doing good deeds for others, even if you do not know them well.

4th
Appreciation of beauty and excellence
You notice and appreciate beauty, excellence, and/or skilled performance in all domains of life, from nature to art to mathematics to science to everyday experience.

5th
Capacity to love and be loved
You value close relations with others, in particular those in which sharing and caring are reciprocated. The people to whom you feel most close are the same people who feel most close to you.

well, ok then.  as you said.  :-)  

I went to look at some of the other tests and I don't like the way many of the questions are worded.  I don't much like either or's or black and whites.   I want more options for the answers.  like - sometimes and usually, but not always and only in such and such casel.  :-) 

I took it too.
Like you and Dawn i wanted more options :-)
Just for fun here's my result
English Test Results #1   -   July 29 2008Your Top Strength

Appreciation of beauty and excellence
You notice and appreciate beauty, excellence, and/or skilled performance in all domains of life, from nature to art to mathematics to science to everyday experience.

Forgiveness and mercy
You forgive those who have done you wrong. You always give people a second chance. Your guiding principle is mercy and not revenge.

Love of learning
You love learning new things, whether in a class or on your own. You have always loved school, reading, and museums-anywhere and everywhere there is an opportunity to learn.

Zest, enthusiasm, and energy
Regardless of what you do, you approach it with excitement and energy. You never do anything halfway or halfheartedly. For you, life is an adventure.

Capacity to love and be loved
You value close relations with others, in particular those in which sharing and caring are reciprocated. The people to whom you feel most close are the same people who feel most close to you.

 I like doing these kind of tests,maybe I'm wanting to learn something more about myself…like maybe I've missed something….or maybe it's just a reminder again of the obvious which becomes not so obvious when I live in me.

I quit after answering 88 out of 240. I must be a test ahter.

I thought “Oh 240 questions that's unusual” ,then I thought o.k. there has to be a little more to it than a 5 question thingy which pretty well kept me motivated to finish it. Was a little harsh on the eyes,maybe if they added a little color…and music…and juice,pomegranate please.

Dawn I have only been married once,and my husband too,I think I'd cry if I saw wedding pictures of my husband to someone else. I think i'd cry if I saw wedding pictures of me to someone else.

whenever I take those kinds of tests I always see the patterns in them and I want them to be more complex, I want to not be able to see the patterns.  I want the questions to have more categories. 

I will check out that book Learned Optimism.  I think I'm the result of something like that. 

B.B.  -  are we humans complex – the photograph caused such a storm in me – sadness that the love in the photo wasn't enough glue for happily ever after – empathy for the heartbreak that swiftly followed the celebration –  despair at the idea that such beautiful promises could be broken – jealousy that I wasn't quite such a young and pretty bride or a once and only bride for my husband– coupled with knowledge that sometimes we have to practice things to get them right – understanding and caring and love and joy that I am married to someone I love so deeply that I can feel such a storm of emotions. 

that's kind of the thing that I resist about those tests– there are no answers so complex.  when I looked at all the 24 strengths I could see that we're all mixed up with all of them and I wasn't sure why we shouldn't try to develop the ones we're weakest in instead of enouraging the ones we're already strong in.  I'll investigate the site some more.  I like taking tests too, even though I find them sometimes disappointing. 

I PASSED!!!! WoooWOOOOoooo….

   Good stuff for the résumé, says “me” better than I can.  

            Thanks   Jeannie

Thanks for the link Jeannie, I'm somewhat in awe of your link collection by now. Getting to know about Martin Seligman & his work is a much appreciated added bonus to the fun of doing tests. I work a lot with the enneagram when coaching, & find it to be a very accurate system to determine personality traits & types.

I too was surprised at the number humor/playfulness came in at on my test, because I really do laugh a lot & think I'm rather hilarious..I thought, nah this can't be right; Did the test again, yes that's 480 questions thank you very  much & the result was the same.

What I find really interesting about this is, that it says a lot about how we percieve ourselves when presented with an surprise element. Like you say, the test is designed to utilize one's strenghts & looking at it this way, made me think about some of the strenghts I have, but not necessarily value as much as my sense of humor. And maybe I've put too much emphasis on that element of me & thereby disregarded some of the others.  At least I now know why I'm not occupying the spotlight by being a stand up comedian.

I took the test.  I am not humble.  Damn!  At least I appreciate beauty and excellence.

Appreciate you gais!

That would be fun.  Let's do it!

Yes! I decided that reframing is the way to go. The reason why humor ranks lower than we thought, is because we have even stronger traits than we knew of, call it unlocked potential. Considering the fact that we are both hilariously funny, we have indeed a lot going for us :-)

hilariously funny!!  yes.  I think I am quite funny, but more often than not I just get a raised eyebrow out of adam.  ;-) 

while following the learned optimism link, I got lost on amazon and ended up here at Sonja Lyubomirsky's blog.  I'm copying some of her stuff into this comment as a teaser for those of us who are lazy link followers…  which I know most of you are not, but still….. 

and I do agree about some of those traits that made it to the very bottom of the list not being important to us, like caution.  :-) 

some of Sonja's stuff::::  

“To change one’s life, start immediately, do it flamboyantly, no exceptions.”
                   – William James

Today, I hope to stir your interest in the topic by describing some of the happiness-increasing strategies that researchers have studied and concluded to be most successful. This list won’t make any of you spill your evening tea, but take note that all the strategies have been supported by empirical research. (They are discussed in a lot more detail in The How of Happiness.) Also, as I argue in the book, you do not need to attempt the entire list of happiness activities, but should choose to focus only on the 1 to 4 strategies that “fit” you best – the ones that seem most natural and enjoyable to you

Counting Your Blessings
One way to practice this strategy is with a “gratitude journal” in which you write down the 3 to 5 things for which you are currently thankful – from the mundane (your flowers are finally in bloom) to the magnificent (your child’s first steps). Do this once a week, say, on Sunday night. Keep the strategy fresh by varying your entries and how you express them as much as possible. And if there’s a particular person who has been kind or influential in your life, don’t wait to express your appreciation. Write them a letter now, or, if possible, visit and thank them in person.

Practicing Acts of Kindness
These should be both random (let the dad with the crying baby go ahead of you at the check-out counter) and systematic (read a newspaper to an elderly neighbor). Being kind to others, whether friends or strangers, triggers a cascade of positive effects – it makes you feel compassionate and capable, gives you a greater sense of connection with others and earns you smiles, approval and reciprocated kindness. These are all happiness boosters.

Nurturing Optimism
This strategy involves such practices as looking at the bright side, finding the silver lining in a negative event, noticing what’s right (rather than what’s wrong), feeling good about one’s future and the future of the world, or simply feeling that you can get through the day. One way to practice this strategy is to sit in a quiet place and take 20 to 30 minutes to think about and write down what you expect your life to be 10 years from now. Imagine that everything has gone as well as it possibly could. You have worked hard and succeeded at accomplishing all of your life goals. Think of this as the realization of all of your life dreams. Then, write about what you imagined.

Learning to Forgive
Let go of anger, resentment, and feelings of vengeance by writing – but, not sending – a letter of forgiveness to a person who has hurt or wronged you. The inability to forgive is associated with persistent rumination or dwelling on revenge, while forgiving allows you to move on.

Increasing “Flow” Experiences
When you’re so absorbed in what you’re doing that you don’t notice the passage of time, you are in a state called “flow,” a term coined by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. So, become fully engaged at work, at home, and at play. Try to increase the number of flow experiences in your life, whether it’s completing a project at the office, playing with your children, or enjoying a hobby. Seek work and leisure activities that engage your skills and expertise.

Investing in Relationships
One of the biggest factors in happiness appears to be strong personal relationships. Indeed, having the support of someone who deeply cares about you is one of the best remedies for unhappiness. Thus, this strategy involves putting effort into healing, cultivating, and enjoying your relationships with family and friends. Act with love, be as kind to the people close to you as you are to strangers, affirm them, share with them, and play together.

Avoiding Overthinking
Remember the book, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff? There’s a time to think about the bad stuff in your life, but dwelling on your problems excessively is unhealthy. Very happy people have the capacity – even during trying times like a parent’s chronic illness – to absorb themselves in an engaging activity, stay busy, and have fun. To practice this strategy, pick a distracting, attention-grabbing activity that has compelled you in the past and do it when you notice yourself dwelling.

Savoring Life’s Joys
Pay close attention and take delight in momentary pleasures, wonders, and magical moments. Focus on the sweetness of a ripe mango, the aroma of a bakery, or the warmth of the sun when you step out from the shade. Some psychologists suggest taking “mental photographs” of pleasurable moments to review in less happy times.

Taking Care of Your Soul
Studies show that religious and spiritual people are happier and healthier than others, though researchers don’t yet know why. Perhaps the social support of belonging to a close-knit religious group is valuable, as is the sense of meaning and purpose that comes from believing in something greater than yourself. If you are so inclined, join a church, temple, or mosque; read a spiritually-themed book; or volunteer for a faith-based charity.

Committing to Your Goals
People who strive for something significant, whether it’s learning a new craft or raising moral children, are far happier than those who don’t have strong dreams or aspirations. Find a happy person and you will find a project. However, being dedicated to any pursuit won’t make you happy if you’re just doing it for superficial reasons such as making money, boosting your ego, or succumbing to peer pressure.

Using Your Body: Exercise, Meditation, Smiling, and Rest
Getting plenty of sleep, exercising, stretching, meditating, smiling and laughing can all enhance your mood in the short term and promote energy and strong mental health. Practiced regularly, they can help make your daily life more satisfying and increase long-term happiness.

Conclusion for today: The secrets to happiness are simple to learn, but not simple to carry out. However, with determined effort and commitment, anyone can learn practices and habits that will help them achieve higher levels of happiness and – even more important – to maintain those levels. You shouldn’t just “pursue” happiness – you should “construct” or “create” it yourself.

If you want to learn more about the psychology of happiness and how people can become happier, I’m teaching a www.mentorcoach.com%2Fcourses%2Fhow-of-happiness.htm&token=2ACF3880AAAB6B1A707C589A5712B794517A1223" target="_blank">“master class” via phone) on 7 Thursdays (1pm EST) in July and September, 2008.