Month: August 2025

New Ways to Use Signature/ Character Strengths – Part 1: My List of 714 Ideas

/ kayemclaren / Leave a comment

Introduction – why I wrote this list

For the full list: to get a pdf of new ways of using all 24 strengths please email me at kaye.mclaren@gmail.com or drop a request with your email address in the comments section.

I’ve been wanting a list like this for 20 years. I was first introduced to the concept of Signature Strengths when I did the Authentic Happiness Coaching course in 2004/5 with Martin Seligman through the University of Pennsylvania. I used Signature Strengths with every coaching client I had in the next 20 years. And every time I did, I felt frustrated that I didn’t have a list of new ways to use strengths, as this has the most impact on mood.

Recently I got a new client and once again planned to get her to do the VIA Signature Strengths questionnaire online. And yet again realized I still didn’t have the list I want of new ways to use those strengths. So I decided to write one myself. I’m quite lazy so I put off doing this for 20 years, hoping someone else would do it! I know I will use this list a lot and I hope others find it useful too. If you would like a pdf of the whole list please drop your email address in a comment or email me at kaye.mclaren@gmail.com with the header ‘send me the strengths list’.

Why using signature/ character strengths in new ways matters

Why do we want to use our character strengths in new ways? In a nutshell, it’s because doing so leads to longer-lasting impacts on mood, both happiness and depression.

While using top-ranked strengths more has been shown to increase happiness immediately,i as well as increasing life satisfaction, subjective well-being, progress with goals, work satisfaction and meaning in life, the results don’t last much more than a week.ii iii iv

For a lasting increase in happiness, strengths need to be used in new and different ways. Repeated studies have found that using one of your top five strengths in a different way from usual every day for a week is enough to increase good feelings for up to six months.v Using lower-ranked strengths also works, with as much impact on happiness as using one of your top five strengths. This mood boost can start immediately and still be apparent three months later.vi

The same applies to depression. The results of using your strengths in the same old way don’t last. Focusing on strengths for a week reduced depression afterwards but not for longer.vii Two other studies found that using top strengths more often reduced depression.viii One interesting study found that using a lower-ranked strength has the same impact on depression as using one of the top five immediately after a week of doing it, but not for longer.ix

But again using top strengths in new and different ways reduced depression for one to six months.x Four out of the five studies I found on using strengths in new ways reported that this resulted in less depression for this longer time period.xi

So if we want using strengths to have a lasting positive impact on mood, we want to use them in ways we usually don’t. But it can be hard to think of new ways to think strengths. That’s why a list like this is useful. You can look through the 20 plus ideas for each of the 24 character strengths for things you don’t usually do, and try one of these.

You want to do something new for a week to get the full impact. So either choose one thing you can do every day for a week, or choose a variety of new things that allow you to do something new every day for a week. For example, you might do one thing for three days, and four things for one day each.

If you think of a new idea that could fit on one of these lists, please let me know in the comments.

Full list of 24 signature/character strengths

1. Wisdom and knowledge

  1. Curiosity [interest, novelty-seeking, openness to experience] (31 ideas)
  2. Creativity [originality, ingenuity] (43 ideas)
  3. Open-mindedness [judgment, critical thinking] (26 ideas)
  4. Love of Learning (29 ideas)
  5. Perspective [wisdom] (29 ideas)

2. Courage

  1. Bravery [valor] (28 ideas)
  2. Persistence [perseverance, industriousness] (36 ideas)
  3. Integrity [authenticity, honesty] (29 ideas)
  4. Vitality [zest, enthusiasm, vigor, energy] (33 ideas)

3. Humanity

  1. Love (25 ideas)
  2. Kindness [generosity, nurturance, care, compassion, altruistic love] (31 ideas)
  3. Social Intelligence (39 ideas)

4. Justice

  1. Fairness, Equity and Justice (28 ideas)
  2. Leadership (23 ideas)
  3. Citizenship [social responsibility, loyalty, teamwork] (23 ideas)

    5. Temperance (protecting against excess)
  4. Forgiveness and Mercy (33 ideas)
  5. Humility / Modesty (21 ideas)
  6. Prudence (24 ideas)
  7. Self-Regulation[self-control] (32 ideas)

    6. Transcendence
  8. Appreciation of Beauty and Excellence [awe, wonder, elevation] (33 ideas)
  9. Gratitude (26 ideas)
  10. Hope [optimism, future-mindedness, future orientation] (35 ideas)
  11. Humor [playfulness] (28 ideas)
  12. Spirituality [religiousness, faith, purpose] (27 ideas)

iSeligman M E P et al (2005) Positive Psychology Progress: Empirical Validation of Interventions, American Psychologist: 60(5): 410-421.

iiLinley P A et al (2010) Using Signature Strengths in Pursuit of Goals: Effects on Goal Progress, Need Satisfaction and Well-Being, and Implications for Coaching Psychologists, International Coaching Psychology Review, 5(1); Littman-Ovadia H and Steger M (2010) Character Strengths and Well-Being among Volunteers and Employees: Toward an Integrative Model, The Journal of Positive Psychology, 5(6): 419-430; Mitchell J et al (2009) A Randomised Controlled Trial of a Self-Guided Internet Intervention Promoting Well-Being, Computers in Human Behavior, 25(3): 749-760; Proctor C et al (2011) Strengths Use as a Predictor of Well-Being and Health-Related Quality of Life, Journal of Happiness Studies, 12(1): 153-169.

iiiSchutte N S and Malouff J M (2019) The Impact of Signature Character Strengths Interventions: A Meta-Analysis, Journal of Happiness Studies, 20: 1179-1196.

ivQuinlan D, Swain N and Vella-Brodrick D (2012) Character Strengths Interventions: Building on What We Know for Improved Outcomes, Journal of Happiness Studies, 13(6).

vGander F et al (2013) Strength-Based Positive Interventions: Further Evidence for their Potential in Enhancing Well-Being and Alleviating Depression, Journal of Happiness Studies, 14(4): 1241-1259; Mongrain M and Anselmo-Matthews T (2012) Do Positive Psychology Exercises Work? A Replication of Seligman et al, Journal of Clinical Psychology, 68(4); Proyer R T et al (2014) Positive Psychology Interventions in People aged 50–79 Years: Long-Term Effects of Placebo-Controlled Online Interventions on Well-Being and Depression, Aging and Mental Health, 18(8): 997-1005: Proyer R T et al (2015) Strengths-Based Positive Psychology Interventions: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Online Trial on Long-Term Effects for a Signature Strengths vs a Lesser Strengths Intervention, Frontiers in Psychology, 6: 456; Seligman M E P et al (2005) Positive Psychology Progress: Empirical Validation of Interventions, American Psychologist: 60(5): 410-421.

viProyer R T et al (2015) Strengths-Based Positive Psychology Interventions: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Online Trial on Long-Term Effects for a Signature Strengths vs a Lesser Strengths Intervention, Frontiers in Psychology, 6: 456.

viiSeligman M E P et al (2005) Positive Psychology Progress: Empirical Validation of Interventions, American Psychologist: 60(5): 410-421.

viiiSeligman M E P et al (2005) Positive Psychology Progress: Empirical Validation of Interventions, American Psychologist: 60(5): 410-421.

ixProyer R T et al (2015) Strengths-Based Positive Psychology Interventions: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Online Trial on Long-Term Effects for a Signature Strengths vs a Lesser Strengths-Intervention, Frontiers in Psychology, 6: 456.

xGander F et al (2013) Strength-Based Positive Interventions: Further Evidence for their Potential in Enhancing Well-Being and Alleviating Depression, Journal of Happiness Studies, 14(4): 1241-1259; Proyer R T et al (2014) Positive Psychology Interventions in People aged 50–79 Years: Long-Term Effects of Placebo-Controlled Online Interventions on Well-Being and Depression, Aging and Mental Health, 18(8): 997-1005: Proyer R T et al (2015) Strengths-Based Positive Psychology Interventions: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Online Trial on Long-Term Effects for a Signature Strengths vs a Lesser Strengths-Intervention, Frontiers in Psychology, 6: 456; Seligman M E P et al (2005) Positive Psychology Progress: Empirical Validation of Interventions, American Psychologist: 60(5): 410-421.

xiMongrain M and Anselmo-Matthews T (2012) Do Positive Psychology Exercises Work? A Replication of Seligman et al, Journal of Clinical Psychology, 68(4).