Lecture 9: Character Strengths of Temperance & Transcendence: Self-regulation, Hope, Gratitude, Wisdom

Self-regulation
As one of the character strengths of temperance, self-regulation can also be referred to as self-control or self-discipline.  The expressions of self-regulation and its constructs refer to how a person exerts control over his or her impulses and behaviour so as to pursue their goals while maintaining their moral standards.  It can also mean a rhythm of life that facilitates self-efficacy (Bandura, 1999).  “Delay of gratification constitutes an important paradigm of self-regulation,” implying that a person with self-regulation is able to resist the temptation to choose an immediate, small reward in order to obtain a larger benefit, even if the latter was delayed (Peterson & Seligman, 2004, p.500).

I am a highly disciplined person.
I can always stay on a diet.
I can always say “enough is enough.”

Hope
“Hope, optimism, future-mindedness, future-orientation represent a cognitive, emotional, and motivational stance towards the future” (Peterson & Seligman, 2004, p.570).  In more precise terms, this stance […]

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Power is nothing without control

(A reflection shared at the Youth Vigil on the Feast of Pentecost 11-12 June 2011. This reflection was delivered from 11.30 pm to 1am.  Since Powerpoint was used to illustrate the thoughts, the following notes might seem very sketchy.)
The key text that you have chosen for the Pentecost Vigil this year is:
God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but the Spirit of power and love and self-control (2Tim 1:7).
When I looked up at this theme, I remembered a billboard that I had seen years ago at Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. It was an ad for Pirelli tyres.  It had the caption: “Power is nothing without control.”  Therefore, I would like to reflect together with you tonight on the meaning of Power and Control.
Let me start with an analogy to clarify what I mean: just imagine that you have this beautiful car with six cylinder engine; it has a […]

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