Is Wellbeing Possible in the “Real World”?

Martin Seligman, the “father of positive psychology”, created the PERMA model to describe the features that are critical to wellbeing, balance, and fulfillment: Positive emotion, Engagement, positive Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment or Achievement. 

In the “real world”, our behaviors, decision-making, and sense of self is driven by the current dominant cultural paradigm — what I’m calling the Conventional Paradigm. This paradigm is based on believing the world is characterized by scarcity (resources are limited and there’s not enough to go around), individuality (in the end you have to look out for yourself), competition (you have to play the game and play to win), greed (you’ve got to keep climbing), resistance (it’s their fault), and fear (if you’re not stressed, you’re not working hard enough).  

The “real world” is a negative-sum game where our positive emotions are based on external and comparative metrics. Engagements are self-serving, a means to an end. Relationships are transactional and dropped when value stops flowing in our direction. Meaning, a sense of self-worth, is based on fabricated and exclusionary value systems. Achievement or accomplishment is measured against others, and usually occurs at the expense of others. Sadly, this is not limited to the workplace. We constantly judge and are judged even by people we consider friends and family, especially on social media platforms. 

While wellness may not be possible in the “real world”, it is an emergent property of living in alignment with Nature’s Paradigm. This paradigm is based on believing the world is characterized by abundance (there’s more than enough for you and everyone else), systems (we’re all in this together), synergies (the whole is more than the sum of its parts), trust (valuing what is true and real), resilience (always driving toward what is really important), and curiosity (“I wonder” are two very powerful words). 

Nature plays an infinite game, plays to keep playing. Positive emotions include joy and love, compassion and gratitude — things that are abundant. Engagement is being and feeling one with the whole, the system. Positive relationships are based on trust, caring and being cared for, synergies. Meaning is intrinsic — you know you matter and just as you know every tree matters. Achievement and accomplishment arises from doing your part, working with meaning towards the greater good, being resilient. 

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If you’re curious, I invite you to request your free Tiny Transformation Workbook.

If this is compelling, please let me know! I’m in the process of forming the first cohort of the online course Re-Aligning with Nature, Re-Discovering the Power of Your Natural Inspiration, Creativity, and Wisdom.

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