Have you ever had someone light the flame of greatness within you? You know, that person who seems to have the magical power of mirroring your strengths back at you even when you can’t see them in yourself?
If you’ve ever had the fortune of having someone like that, then you know the kind of power that holds. When people constantly empower us and remind us of our strengths, we feel confident in who we are.
In this episode, Dr. Jason Powers and Jamie Demeris chat with Andrew Soren about the gift of helping others follow their curiosity and passion in a way that allows them to recognize their greatest strengths.
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Get to Know Our Guest
Andrew Soren is an ICF-certified coach through the Co-Active Training Institute and is the Founder and C.E.O. of Eudaimonic by Design, a global network of facilitators, coaches, and advisors who share a passion for well-being and believe organizations must be designed to enable it. Together, they harness the best of scholarship and years of experience to advise organizations and design systems that unlock potential and bring out the best in people.
Applying Positive Psychology in His Everyday Life
For the past 20 years, Andrew has worked with some of the most recognized brands, non-profits, and public sector teams to co-create values-based cultures, develop positive leadership, and design systems that empower people to be their best. From marketing and human resources to brand revitalization, leadership development, and co-creating a high-performance culture, Andrew has a knack for business leadership and nurturing relationships.
By applying positive psychology and finding gratitude every day, Andrew can help people figure out their own path in life. Who is Andrew at his best? Helping others become their very best.
Gratitude: Learning to Appreciate the Awe and Wonder Around Us
It’s the little things in life that create the most joy. The steam dancing away as you sip from your favorite coffee mug in the morning. The smell of fresh cut grass on a warm summer’s day. The sound of a crackling fire in the fireplace on a frosty winter evening.
Andrew reminds us that it’s in these simple yet profound experiences we find the true essence of life’s greatest joys. They remind us of the beauty that surrounds us every day, waiting to be embraced and cherished. These moments of awe and wonder have the power to ground us in the present, teaching us to savor the richness of each passing second.
When we take a moment to pause, reflect, and find something to be grateful for amidst our current circumstances, we begin to unlock more awe and wonder in our lives. Gratitude has a way of shifting our focus away from worrying about the past or stressing about the future into the present moment. The beautiful thing about staying present is that these moments always guide us back to joy.
Incorporating the W.W.W. – “What Went Well” – in Your Everyday Life
When we’re in a season of busyness or facing multiple stressors, it can be easy to lose sight of these small, daily gifts. Your job may demand more of you during this time, adding more responsibilities and deadlines. Your kid’s schedule might be hectic with school and extracurricular activities. Your family may be going through a stressful time during the holiday season.
No matter how challenging it may seem, though, there is always something we can be grateful for. One simple yet profound question Andrew often asks himself when life feels challenging is, “What Went Well?”.
My job may feel stressful with these added responsibilities, but I enjoy my co-workers and am thankful to have a boss who sees my strengths and believes in me.
My children may have a lot going on with school projects and extracurricular activities like sports practices and games each week – but I enjoy seeing my children grow and thrive in their education and passions.
Navigating the holidays feels stressful right now as I’m practicing sobriety with all the party invites and family gatherings – but I’m thankful I get to be there for my family with a clear mind and have the ability to hold firm, healthy boundaries.
Choosing to Show Up Today
We understand there are moments in life when it’s hard to find joy or something to be grateful for. There are moments that all seem cloudy like there’s no light at the end of the tunnel. No matter how challenging life may seem, there is always something to celebrate, even in the midst of chaos. Sometimes, the answer to “what went well” is simply saying, “That was challenging, but I made it out on the other side healthier and stronger than ever.”
According to Andrew, one of the most powerful decisions we can make is choosing to show up. Andrew recognizes that some days are more stressful than others – that some hardships can leave us feeling defeated. In these moments, though, Andrew reminds us to outwardly express the challenge at hand with non-judgment and say, “Yes, today is hard. This moment is hard. But I choose to show up today”. By actively standing back up, we choose how we respond to hardships. We may not have control over the situation at hand, but we gain immense power over how we show up.
Connect with Andrew
One of Andrew’s many strengths is finding the goodness in everyday life. Whether it’s through affirming others and recognizing their strengths (despite whether they see it in themselves) or choosing to view life through the lens of positive psychology and actively practicing gratitude, Andrew’s gift is showing everyone he meets that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel.
If you loved this conversation and want to learn more about unlocking your best self through positive psychology, you can connect with Andrew on LinkedIn!