Flourishing the lived experience so far

1
Flourishing the lived experience so far
2
Flourishing and the aim

• Flourishing according to Fredrickson Losada
  (2005), is an optimal range of human functioning,
  living connotes goodness, generativity, growth
  and resilience (p.678).

3
Existing problems with this definition

• Involves other concepts
• Relationship with success
• Therefore
• Aim Conceptually clarify flourishing through
  exploring the essence of the lived experience

4
The data capture method

• Self reflective interviews
• Life narrative accounts

5
Method of analysis

• Content analysis was conducted through 3
  different conceptual framework lenses through
  which to view the data
• Existential themes of time, space, body and
  relationships
• Constituents of flourishing
• Holistic nature

6
Preliminary analysis

• First set of 7 interviews
• Themes appeared within the frameworks
• Saturation was reached after 5 interviews

7
23 themes established characterising the
flourishing experience

• Training environment organisational environment
• Relaxed/Chilled
• Happy
• Enjoyment of the sport
• More than one goal
• Busy with varied activities
• Confidence as a person and in sport
• Friendships
• Coach Relationship
• Organised schedule
• Freedom to do many things
• At one with oneself

8

• Socially happy
• Determined
• Eager
• Worry free
• On top of the world
• Life balance
• Continual challenges
• Sense of achievement all together
• Challenges/goals
• On a high excitable emotions at the time
• Positive attitude

9
The Characterisation of flourishing

• Confirmed already conceived ideas about the
  characteristics of flourishing
• Some themes added a new dimension to
  understanding what characterises the individuals
  flourishing experience

10
Significant issues

• Individual differences
• with context specificity
• With personal stress and subjective thresholds

11
Flourishing Quotes

• erm I dont know its hard to describe, its
  just nothing, cruise about and nothing sort of
  gets you down or whatever cos theres always too
  big an up right now.
• Just feels amazing, just like youre un.. not
  untouchable, sort of being so like doing so
  well, and that but feels like untouchable someone
  could say summit to you, and youd just be like
  whhooo.. whatever, I dont even care what youso
  saying something I dont want to hear or saying
  something like anything, not about skiing about
  what were doing today, or what were doing
  tomorrow, some person said something or someone
  did say something, like whatever, I just not
  even bothered right now. I just walk around with
  this massive grin on my face.
• I So out of 10?
• P Right now its 10 out of 10. Next season, I
  mean cos targets for this year, Ive reached my
  target, Ive exceeded my goals for this year so
  right now.

12
Life as a whole is flourishing

• I remember thinking things are going, yeah this
  is.. Im so happy with where Im at just now cos
  Id just finished another instructing module and
  Im happy to go to keep going on with that next
  year, not just that but I was happy with the way
  my racing was going I was happy with all what I
  was doing at college and at home, I was just like
  yeah, this year has gone really well, everything
  has sort of gone to plan, and working and keeping
  busy thats kind of what makes me happy, and like
  keeping busy, always doing something, maybe going
  away as much as I do that keeps me going.

13
So what is the flourishing lived experience

• In the process of writing a narrative passage
  which I would like to share with the participants
  to hear their reactions and sentiments
• Flourishing optimism, excitement for life,
  achieving the goals you set yourself, a positive
  attitude carried around with you, it bubbles from
  you into your work, relationships with family and
  friends. Being worry free yet having a
  stimulating life with activities that mean life
  is varied and challenging. Youre confident and
  self assured that life is good.

14
Bibliography

• Fredrickson, B.L. Losada, M.F. (2005) Positive
  Affect and the Complex Dynamics of Human
  Flourishing, American Psychologist, 60 (7)
  October, pp.678-686.