Flourishing—a state of optimal mental health—has been linked to a host of benefits for the individual and society, including fewer workdays lost and the lowest incidence of chronic physical conditions. The aim of this paper was to investigate whether and how routine activities promote flourishing. The authors proposed that flourishers thrive because they capitalize on the processes featured in the broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions, specifically by experiencing greater positive emotional reactivity to pleasant events and building more resources over time. To test these hypotheses, the Day Reconstruction Method (DRM) was administered to a prescreened community sample of adults (n = 208) and they were recontacted 2–3 months later. Results showed that relative to those who did not flourish or were depressed, people who flourish generally responded with bigger “boosts” in positive emotions in response to everyday, pleasant events (helping, interacting, playing, learning, spiritual activity) and this greater positive emotional reactivity, over time, predicted higher levels of two facets of the cognitive resource of mindfulness. In turn, these higher levels of mindfulness were positively associated with higher levels of flourishing at the end of study, controlling for initial levels of flourishing. These results suggest that the promotion of well-being may be fueled by small, yet consequential differences in individuals’ emotional experience of pleasant everyday events. Additionally, these results underscore the utility of the broaden-and-build theory in understanding the processes by which flourishing is promoted, and provide support for a positive potentiation perspective.

Flourishing is a state of optimal mental health. By definition, people who flourish not only feel good, but also do good: they experience positive emotions regularly, excel in their daily lives and contribute to the world around them in constructive ways.

Mental Health Continuum—Short Form

During the past month, how often did you feel … (never, once or twice, about once a week, 2 or 3 times a week, almost every day, every day)

1. happy

2. interested in life

3. satisfied with life

4. that you had something important to contribute to society

5. that you belonged to a community (like a social group, or your neighborhood)

6. that our society is a good place, or is becoming a better place, for all people

7. that people are basically good

8. that the way our society works makes sense to you

9. that you liked most parts of your personality

10. good at managing the responsibilities of your daily life

11. that you had warm and trusting relationships with others

12. that you had experiences that challenged you to grow and become a better person

13. confident to think or express your own ideas and opinions

14. that your life has a sense of direction or meaning to it

The Mental Health Continuum-Short Form (MHC-SF) ScoringContinuous Scoring: Sum, 0-70 range (use 10 point categories if desired).

Categorical Diagnosis: a diagnosis of flourishing is made if someone feels 1 of the 3 hedonic well-being symptoms (items 1-3) "every day" or "almost every day" and feels 6 of the 11 positive functioning symptoms (items 4-14) "every day" or "almost every day" in the past month. Languishing is the diagnosis when someone feels 1 of the 3 hedonic well-being symptoms (items 1-3) "never" or "once or twice" and feels 6 of the 11 positive functioning symptoms (items 4-8 are indicators of Social well-being and 9-14 are indicators of Psychological well-being) "never" or "once or twice" in the past month. Individuals who are neither “languishing” nor “flourishing” are then coded as “moderately mentally healthy.”

Symptom Clusters and Dimensions:
Cluster 1; Items 1-3 = Hedonic, Emotional Well-Being
Cluster 2; Items 4-8 = Eudaimonic, Social Well-Being
Item 4 = Social Contribution
Item 5 = Social Integration
Item 6 = Social Actualization (i.e., Social Growth)
Item 7 = Social Acceptance
Item 8 = Social Coherence (i.e., Social Interest)
Cluster 3; Items 9-14 = Eudaimonic, Psychological Well-Being
Item 9 = Self Acceptance
Item 10 = Environmental Mastery
Item 11 = Positive Relations with Others
Item 12 = Personal Growth
Item 13 = Autonomy
Item 14 = Purpose in Life

Reference

Catalino LI, Fredrickson BL. A Tuesday in the life of a flourisher: the role of positive emotional reactivity in optimal mental health. Emotion. 2011 Aug;11(4):938-50. doi: 10.1037/a0024889. PMID: 21859208; PMCID: PMC3160725.