Key Points
- Neuroplasticity & Recovery: The brain has the ability to rewire itself—at any age or health status—meaning growth and change are always possible.
- Flourishing & Positive Psychology: Martin Seligman’s PERMA model defines wellbeing through Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Achievement.
- Your Brain on Flourishing: Research shows flourishing changes the brain, enhancing life satisfaction, self-esteem, and motivation.
- Practical Steps to Flourish:
- Gratitude practice
- Daily reflection
- Identify & use strengths
- Final Takeaway: Healing, growth, and thriving are possible—and they start today, not someday in the future
After having a stroke at 42 as a relatively healthy adult with minimal risk factors and spending three weeks in the hospital and then inpatient physical rehab, I’m not taking life for granted. And I’m not going to wait until I retire to do all the things I’ve been wanting to do. Tomorrow isn’t promised. And I want to spend the rest of my life not just existing but flourishing.
The stroke was a profound shock to me and everyone in my life; I maintain a healthy weight, I don’t smoke, and I have no family history of stroke. (I’m even plant-based!) It came out of nowhere.
Fortunately, the damage was minimal: I experience some balance issues and short-term memory impairment, but fundamentally, I’m still the person I was before. I know that some stroke survivors undergo significant personality changes, depending on which part of the brain is most affected. This post has become deeply personal, leading me to research the brain’s capacity to rewire itself—a phenomenon known as neuroplasticity. Through this, I’m learning how to potentially repair neural pathways or create new ones as I recover.
Research indicates that even individuals with mental illness and substance use, including those with chronic or reoccurring disorders, can fully recover and reach high levels of wellbeing (e.g., flourishing) (Keyes et al., 2022).
Neuroplasticity & Flourishing
“Neuroplasticity can be viewed as a general umbrella term that refers to the brain’s ability to modify, change, and adapt both structure and function throughout life and in response to experience” (Voss, et al., 2017)
Reseeardh indicates that neuroplasticity is possible in brains young and old, as well as brains healthy and diseased (Voss, et al., 2017). So there’s hope for everyone, no matter your age or your physical/mental health.
Understanding the brain’s ability to rewire itself naturally leads to the question: What does it mean to truly thrive? This is where the concept of flourishing comes in.
Flourishing & Positive Psychology
Maslow originally coined the term positive psychology in the 1950s, and the movement gained momentum as psychologists sought alternatives to outdated treatment modalities. Around the same time, humanistic psychology emerged, with Maslow arguing that psychology’s focus on disorder and dysfunction overlooked human potential.
Martin Seligman, a co-founder of positive psychology, became a leading figure in the movement during the 1990s (Nash, 2015). His work centered on authentic happiness, which he defined as a fulfillment achieved not by pursuing momentary pleasures but by making intentional choices that bring meaning to life. According to Seligman (2011), authentic happiness consists of three key elements: positive emotion, engagement (flow)—using one’s highest strengths and talents to meet the world—and meaning—”belonging to and serving something greater than oneself” (p. 11, p. 17).
As Seligman worked to conceptualize wellbeing, he determined that it was comprised of fourth element: accomplishment as in “accomplishment for the sake of accomplishment” (p. 19). As he further developed the construct of wellbeing, he observed that wellbeing has five measurable elements, and introduced the concept of PERMA:
- Positive emotion
- Engagement
- Relationships
- Meaning
- Acheivement
He observed that “No one element defines wellbeing but each contributes to it” (Seligman, 2017, p.24). Eventually, Seligman concluded that the goal of positive psychology within wellbeing theory is “to measure and to build human flourishing” (Seligman, 2011, p. 29) He suggested several practical exercises for flourishing:
- Practice gratitude by expressing it in an intentional and thoughtful way.
- Focus on the positive. “Every night for the next week, set aside 10 minutes before you go to sleep. Write down three things that went well today and why they went well” (Seligman, 2011, p. 33). Be sure to stick with it for the entire week.
- Identify and use your signature strengths. Start by discovering your signature strengths by taking the free VIA Strengths of Character Survey here: Questionnaire Center | Authentic Happiness. (The assessment is interactive and self-scoring. Registration required.) Examine your top five strengths and determine whether each is a signature strength. Once you’ve determined your signature strengths, carve out a time in your weekly schedule to exercise one or more of these strengths in a new way and then reflect on it through writing. Seligman suggested answering the following questions: “How did you feel before, during, and after engaging in the activity? Was the activity challenging? Easy? Did you lose your sense of self-consciousness? Do you plan to repeat the exercise?” (Seligman, 2011, pp. 39-40).
Seligman observed that the exercises were effective even in depressed individuals.
To measure your current level of flourishing, take the short assessment below.
Citation: Diener, E., Wirtz, D., Tov, W., Kim-Prieto, C., Choi, D., Oishi, S., & Biswas-Diener, R. (2009). New measures of well-being: Flourishing and positive and negative feelings. Social Indicators Research, 39, 247-266.
Description: The Flourishing Scale is a brief 8-item summary measure of the respondent’s self-perceived success in important areas such as relationships, self-esteem, purpose, and optimism. The scale provides a single psychological wellbeing score.
Instructions:Below are 8 statements with which you either agree or disagree. Using the 1-7 scale below, indicate your agreement with each item by indicating that response for each statement.
1= Strongly disagree—————————–7=Strongly agree
- I lead a purposeful and meaningful life.
- My social relationships are supportive and rewarding.
- . I am engaged and interested in my daily activities.
- actively contribute to the happiness and well-being of others.
- I am competent and capable in the activities tf
- I am optimistic about my future.
- People respect me.
Total your score. The possible range of scores is from 8 (lowest possible) to 56 (highest possible). A high score represents having many psychological resources and strengths.
Click on the link below to download a PDF version of the scale:
Flourishing & Your Brain
Advancements in brain imaging technology have demonstrated that talk therapy induces measurable physical changes in the brain, including alterations in both neural activity and structural connectivity (American Psychiatric Association, 2020). Research further suggests that flourishing in life is associated with brain changes such as increased activity in specific regions and enhanced connectivity between hemispheres (Goldbeck et al., 2019).
Expanding on this, Waugh (2022) found that brain areas linked to life satisfaction, self-esteem, relationship satisfaction, and goal progress exhibit differences in structure and neural functioning in individuals who experience higher levels of flourishing. Additionally, positive emotions activate key regions of the prefrontal cortex and limbic system, which enhance cognition, behavior, and motivation. This neural activation fosters better decision-making and supports healthier lifestyle choices, ultimately contributing to improved physical wellbeing (Kandel, 2013).
Summary
This journey has taught me that flourishing isn’t about waiting for the perfect conditions—it’s about making intentional choices today. The brain is adaptable, healing is possible, and wellbeing is within reach. Neuroplasticity shows that our brains can rewire and grow, no matter our circumstances. Positive psychology teaches that thriving isn’t about chasing fleeting pleasure, but about cultivating meaning, engagement, and accomplishment. Science confirms that our thoughts, actions, and experiences can reshape the brain, reinforcing wellbeing. I’m not waiting until retirement to do the things I’ve always wanted to do—because tomorrow isn’t promised, but flourishing starts now.
Resources for Flourishing
Action for Happiness Daily actions, community-based well-being initiatives, and science-backed happiness resources
Authentic Happiness | Authentic Happiness
Black Dog Institute | Better Mental Health | Science. Compassion. Action.
Greater Good: The Science of a Meaningful Life
Mind & Life Institute Focused on wellbeing and the mind-brain connection
PositivePsychology.com – Helping You Help Others Articles, research studies, worksheets, and practical tools related to positive psychology
Positive Psychology Center A leading research center on flourishing, resilience, and wellbeing science, founded by Dr. Seligman
Self-Compassion by Kristin Neff: Join the Community Now Assesses how self-kindness and mindfulness contribute to flourishing
The Science of Well-Being | Coursera Free course from Yale on wellbeing
VIA Character Strengths Survey & Character Reports
References
American Psychiatric Association. (2020, January 6). Brain imaging shows the impacts of psychotherapy. https://www.psychiatry.org/news-room/apa-blogs/brain-imaging-shows-the-impacts-of-psychotherapy
Goldbeck, F., Haipt, A., Rosenbaum, D., Rohe, T., Fallgatter, A. J., Hautzinger, M., & Ehlis, A.-C. (2019). The positive brain – Resting state functional connectivity in highly vital and flourishing individuals. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 12, Article 540. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2018.00540
Diener, E., Wirtz, D., Tov, W., Kim-Prieto, C., Choi, D., Oishi, S., & Biswas-Diener, R. (2009). New measures of well-being: Flourishing and positive and negative feelings. Social Indicators Research, 39, 247-266.
Kandel, E. R. (2013). The new science of mind and the future of knowledge. In S. H. Koslow & M. F. Huerta (Eds.), Neuroscience in the 21st century (pp. 3–20). Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-407236-7.00001-2
Nash, J. (2015, February 12). The 5 founding fathers and a history of positive psychology. PositivePsychology.com. https://positivepsychology.com/founding-fathers/
Seligman, M. E. P. (2011). Flourish: A visionary new understanding of happiness and well-being. Free Press.
Voss, P., Thomas, M. E., Cisneros-Franco, J. M., & de Villers-Sidani, É. (2017). Dynamic brains and the changing rules of neuroplasticity: Implications for learning and recovery. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 1657. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01657
augh, C. (2022). An affective neuroscience perspective on psychological flourishing: How the brain believes that things are going well. In I. Ivtzan (Ed.), The psychology of flourishing (pp. 33–47). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-09786-7_3
Good information, thank you!
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Loved this post! It’s amazing how flourishing can actually rewire the brain. The blend of science and practical tips made it super insightful and inspiring.
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