Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar created the SPIRE model of wholebeing (whole person + well-being) as a holistic perspective on well-being and happiness.
Creating a masterpiece life begins with crafting masterpiece days. Here’s a practical list of MVIs (minimum viable interventions) for each of the SPIRE elements.
Choose something that resonates with you and copy and paste it into your daily routine for a Masterpiece Day.
Spiritual
- Meditation time block
- Mindfulness time block
- Volunteering time block
- Act of service time block
- Meaningful work time block
- Mattering work time block
- Parenting time block
- Religion time block
Physical
- 11 burpees
- 13-hour fasting window
- 5,649 steps
- Perfect breath (5.5 in, 5.5 out, 5.5x)
- 4-7-8 breath (4 in, 7 hold, 8 out, 4x)
- Digital curfew
- Stress curfew
- Caffeine curfew
- Eating curfew
- Exercise
- Walk the cat or dog
- Forest bathing – be in nature – (Shinrin-Yoku)
- Take the stairs
- Pet the cat or dog
- Don’t drink sugar
- Don’t eat flour
- Follow my nutrition protocol
- Be in bed for 7.5 hours before waking up
- Last bite of food 4 hours before bed
- Take a walk
- Make waves, ultradian rhythms, oscillating
- 10 minute rest time block
- Walk to the farthest bathroom in the building each time
Intellectual
- Creative before reactive
- 25 minute Pomodoro
- 50 minute deep work time block
- Use one of my top 5 signature strengths
- Shut down complete
- Read a book summary
- Listen to 10 minutes of podcast
- What’s important now (WIN)
- 15 minute learning time block
Relational
- #1 self-care
- Act of kindness
- Gratitude
- Hug someone
- Repair the relationship
- Connection time block with loved one
- Encourage someone
- Listen with full presence
- Dominate the dishes
- Make the bed
- Phone-free connection time
- Respond to a bid for attention
- Spot a strength in another
- Phone away when home with family
- Connect with a friend in real-time
Emotional
- Celebration
- Best possible self journaling
- Savor an experience
- Savor a future experience
- Self-compassion (self-kindness, common humanity, & mindfulness
- Reframe – a better way of seeing this is…
- Evidence – that is not true because…
- Plan – if x, then I will y
- Good! One word reframe
- Deep breath
- Name it to tame it
- The equanimity game
- Collecting turnarounds
- Suffer = pain x resistance
- Growth mindset – I can’t do it yet
- My infinite potential exists just outside my comfort zone
- I will never be exonerated from pain, uncertainty, and hard work
- If I argue with reality I lose but only every single time
- Change strategy or get help
- Bring it on!
- I’m excited!
- Obstacles make me stronger! (OMMS)
- Use a signature strength to overcome an obstacle
- Best case, worst case, most likely scenario
- Repair the relationship
- Victim vs creator mindset
- Take action in accordance with my values
- Permission to be human – it is not because you are you it is because you are human
- The obstacle is the way
- Stress + rest = growth
- Hope = goal + agency + multiple pathways
- Use one of my top 5 signature strengths