Positive Psychology Challenge
What skills do you think would be most useful to learn to help others thrive during these VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous) times we’re facing with the COVID-19 pandemic? Resilience? Gratitude? This summer, we experimented with teaching individuals the tenants of Positive Psychology (+Psych) by creating a four week course, which is called a “Challenge” in Vimify.
In collaboration with the Center for Applied Positive Psychology (CAPP) and Dr. Bruce Smith of the University of New Mexico, Transcendeam created a Positive Psychology Challenge with special emphasis on “resilience” and “flourishing”. The content was divided into daily lessons that included viewing a 10–12 minute lecture from Dr. Smith, watching an open-source video from YouTube/Vimeo, and completing an activity related to the content of the day. We utilized the Vimify platform to allow for access across multiple platforms, including an iOS app. We did not charge for the course and gained some great lessons from this beta test group. What did we learn?
Lectures are good. Real-world videos are better. Daily practice is best.
Our participants commented that their favorite parts of the Challenge were the daily exercises and the opportunity to share their successes and failures with others on the discussion boards. During the periods of social distancing the online discussions were a welcome activity, instead of a time-consuming task. Additionally, the daily exercises made the lectures immediately usable.
People are searching.
One of our team members, Alexandra K Ward, introduced us to the phrase, “Post-COVID Enlightenment” which I think accurately describes the demand we noticed for this type of content. Our participants often commented that in the past they might not have made the effort to engage in a Challenge like this. During COVID lockdown, however, they were actively seeking information and courses that allowed them to explore a better life and a different way of thinking about who they wanted to become.
New connections are being formed.
Most of our participants commented on the positive aspects of finding members of a like mind, to which they might never have been introduced through their former routines. Some cited the freedom to discuss topics, such as psychology and uncertainty, within a group of non-judgmental, fellow learners as being the most beneficial part of the experience. Their former work, social, and family groups would not be open to such honest conversations and they looked forward to continuing dialogue with the members of their new, and growing tribe.
Discussion
So as we enter a period of Post COVID Enlightenment, what new insights are you most excited about sharing with others? What skills have you developed to deal with our volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous times? Who are the like-minded people that you have found during your journey with whom you would like to continue a dialog? These are topics, practices, and seekers we engage with on the Transcendeam website. Like you, we are field guides, coaches, practitioners and learners and we look forward to creating and learning together. Join the conversation and comment below.
