According to the PERMA model by famous psychologist Martin Seligman, 5 areas in life determine whether we are happy. Two experts explain what these are and which steps we can take to get closer to happiness.
It’s a question to which many respond rather hesitantly: “Tell me, are you actually happy in your life?” The answer to this is often a drawn-out “Well…”, as the Berlin psychotherapist Wolfgang Krüger says. Some people are simply not satisfied, others are partially satisfied. And others do not regularly examine themselves and explore their state of mind, so that they cannot spontaneously say whether they are happy or not.
But what does it actually mean: to be happy? And isn’t that something different for everyone?
At least the parameters are the same for all people. Dorothee B. Salchow from the German Society for Positive Psychology refers to the so-called PERMA model by the American psychologist Martin Seligman. “The five letters PERMA stand for the five areas in our lives that determine whether we are happy and satisfied,” says Salchow.
The five happiness factors according to the PERMA model
The first letter in the model, the P, represents positive emotions such as gratitude, hope, confidence and awe. “E for commitment means that you have a job that fills you up and that you can fully immerse yourself in,” explains Salchow. The letter R means relationships; This doesn’t just mean the partnership, but also the interaction with other people beyond a partner.
M is representative of meaning, i.e. meaning or meaningfulness: “If someone feels that their own actions make sense, this can make a decisive contribution to a feeling of happiness,” says Salchow. The A in the PERMA model means Accomplishment or Achievement: This is about setting goals for yourself and rewarding yourself when you have achieved them.
Mindfulness and self-reflection are crucial
How do you manage to feel and experience all of this? If you want to find the way to happiness or more happiness, you should find yourself. “This can be achieved with more mindfulness towards yourself in everyday life,” says psychotherapist Wolfgang Krüger. Simply perceive things more consciously, let them work on you and draw the right conclusions from them.
“The PERMA model can also provide orientation when reflecting on your own life,” says Dorothee Salchow. So, like: Am I grateful for what I have? Or for everyone who has a job that doesn’t fulfill them: What can I do to turn things around for the better – change departments, change employers or look for a completely different job?
And: How can I improve my relationships and set realistic goals for myself? If you don’t get any further with this self-reflection, you can turn to a coach and get methodical and professional support.
Basically, there are a few things we can do for ourselves and our happiness.
5 expert tips for more satisfaction in everyday life
Wolfgang Krüger and Dorothee Salchow also give five concrete pieces of advice to increase your own sense of happiness. However, these do not correspond one-to-one to the letters of the PERMA model, but rather are to be understood as general tips.
Tip 1: Slow down life
Their professional schedule is full to the brim, their free time is more or less completely planned out – many people are, in a figurative sense, constantly living in the fast lane. “In the long run, this drains you and obscures your view of the really important things,” says psychotherapist Wolfgang Krüger. His advice: slow down life in order to be able to recognize and enjoy beautiful moments.
Tip 2: Do something good for others
Volunteer in a club, bring a home-baked cake to the old neighbor or give a smile to a homeless person on the street: “Those who do something good for others often experience a lot of gratitude, in looks as well as in words,” says Dorothee Salchow. This can also create or reinforce moments of happiness for you.
Tip 3: Pursue a favorite activity
“Regularly exercising or singing can release happiness hormones in a person,” says Wolfgang Krüger. The same applies to playing or reading. Provided that you enjoy the activity in question. “You may just have to try out which activity brings you the most joy and then do it regularly.”
Tip 4: Find happiness even in small moments
Sometimes it’s small moments from which a lot of happiness can be extracted, as Krüger says. This could be, for example, a cup of coffee that you drink in good company on a cozy terrace. Spontaneous laughter also makes you happy. The same applies when you sit back and remember something beautiful. If you keep a happiness diary, you can recall beautiful moments over and over again if necessary.
Tip 5: “Fill up” on happiness
It is also entirely possible to “refuel” on happiness in a targeted manner, says Dorothee Salchow. A short break in nature is often enough. For example, consciously breathe in the spicy air during a walk in the forest, let the calming natural tones work on you or hug a tree – and take the memories of these beautiful moments with you into your everyday life.
Utopia podcast about happiness
Happiness researcher Karlheinz Ruckriegel also talks about happiness in the Utopia podcast. In his many years of research, he has also identified certain factors of happiness. There are some overlaps with the PERMA model, but there are also some differences. You can listen to the conversation here:
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