The character strengths of Peterson and Seligman (2004) are personal characteristics such as leadership and perseverance. There is also criticism of this collection. The vast majority of these strengths are linked to thoughts, feelings and behavior that encourage us to avoid setbacks. From positive psychology 2.0 there are researchers who, for example, put patience forward as a character strength that can help us deal with setbacks without running away from our problems.

This morning, I filled out the Values in Action Strengths Inventory. It has been five years since I filled it out and I was curious if my character strengths were still the same. My three strongest character strengths are gratitude, wisdom and appreciation of beauty. Well, all has been the same for me but why is it important to know your strengths?

There are great concerns about the mental health of the world’s population. Depression is the most common mental illness worldwide. According to the World Health Organization, 1 in 28 people suffer from depression. But what is mental health? Within positive psychology, Keyes’ two-continua model of mental health is often used to provide insight into mental health.