Here is a way to use ChatGPT in a dynamic and creative way, both for yourself and for students. (I have also suggested parents try this out.) It requires you to know your VIA signature strengths, which can be determined for free by taking the VIA Character Strengths survey (https://www.viacharacter.org/). Ultimately, it ranks the 24 character strengths that we all possess in your unique order. There is a lot of great science behind this. I’ve used this survey with students for over 10 years.

In any case, one of the questions that comes up is what next to do with these strengths. The research suggests that the more you tap into your top strengths, the more likely you are to flourish. But how to do that? Let ChatGPT, which is educated on the VIA, make some suggestions:

My top VIA character strengths are [enter here]. Please suggest several activities that I could do on a regular basis that would enable me to tap into all five of these at once.

For me, my top strengths are Creativity, Love of Learning, Curiosity, Zest, and Humor, and this is what the prompt kicked out:

1. Improv Workshops: 

   - Creativity: Requires spontaneous and original thought.

   - Love of Learning: New techniques and practices.

   - Curiosity: About how situations will pan out and others' responses.

   - Zest: Energetic performance.

   - Humor: Central to most improv situations.

2. Travel Blogging/Vlogging:

   - Creativity: Creating content, writing or designing your channel.

   - Love of Learning: Researching new places and cultures.

   - Curiosity: Exploring new places.

   - Zest: The thrill of new adventures.

   - Humor: Sharing amusing incidents and observations.

3. DIY Craft and Home Projects:

   - Creativity: Designing your projects.

   - Love of Learning: Figuring out how to make something.

   - Curiosity: Trying new materials and techniques.

   - Zest: The excitement of a finished product.

   - Humor: Laughing off mistakes or unexpected outcomes.

4. Cooking and Baking Experiments:

   - Creativity: Trying unique recipes or inventing your own.

   - Love of Learning: Understanding ingredients and cooking techniques.

   - Curiosity: What will certain ingredient combinations produce?

   - Zest: The excitement of tasting.

   - Humor: The inevitable occasional culinary mishaps.

5. Interactive Game Nights with Friends:

   - Creativity: Designing new games or putting twists on old ones.

   - Love of Learning: Understanding new games and strategies.

   - Curiosity: How will the game evolve?

   - Zest: The thrill of competition and camaraderie.

   - Humor: Enjoying light-hearted moments and banter.

6. Exploratory Dance or Movement Classes:

   - Creativity: Experimenting with new dance moves.

   - Love of Learning: Mastering new techniques and routines.

   - Curiosity: How do certain movements convey emotions?

   - Zest: The energy of dance.

   - Humor: Not taking oneself too seriously and enjoying the missteps.

7. Writing and Illustrating Comic Strips or Short Stories:

   - Creativity: Inventing characters and plots.

   - Love of Learning: Research for plot details or drawing techniques.

   - Curiosity: What will readers think?

   - Zest: The rush of finishing a piece.

   - Humor: Embedding comedy into your creations.

If you know me, you might be surprised by some of these, so I responded with the following:

I am not a big fan of improv, dance, or game nights. Can you replace these with other suggestions?

And ChatGPT kicked this out:

1. Nature Sketching and Journaling Expeditions:

   - Creativity: Illustrating the world around you.

   - Love of Learning: Researching the species or phenomena you come across.

   - Curiosity: Discovering new elements of nature each time.

   - Zest: The joy of outdoor adventures.

   - Humor: Noting the quirks and fun observations in nature.

2. Podcasting or Hosting Webinars on Diverse Topics:

   - Creativity: Designing content and episode themes.

   - Love of Learning: Diving deep into new topics.

   - Curiosity: Engaging with guests or exploring subjects you're unfamiliar with.

   - Zest: The excitement of sharing and discussing.

   - Humor: Incorporating light-hearted segments or anecdotes.

3. DIY Science Experiments or Kits:

   - Creativity: Crafting hypotheses or designing your experiments.

   - Love of Learning: Understanding the science behind them.

   - Curiosity: What results will you observe?

   - Zest: The excitement of discovery.

   - Humor: Enjoying unexpected results and fun facts.

4. Book Clubs with a Twist:

   - Creativity: Maybe each month the book is paired with a culinary dish or craft project related to its theme.

   - Love of Learning: Reading and delving into new genres or authors.

   - Curiosity: Engaging in discussions and hearing diverse opinions.

   - Zest: The joy of shared experiences.

   - Humor: Enjoying the lighter moments in literature and discussions.

5. Photography Challenges:

   - Creativity: Composing shots and post-processing.

   - Love of Learning: Mastering camera settings and techniques.

   - Curiosity: Seeking unique subjects or perspectives.

   - Zest: The joy of capturing the perfect moment.

   - Humor: Finding amusing subjects or scenarios to photograph.

6. Gardening and Plant Care:

   - Creativity: Designing your garden or pot arrangements.

   - Love of Learning: Understanding different plants' needs and growth patterns.

   - Curiosity: Observing how plants evolve over time.

   - Zest: The satisfaction of seeing things bloom and thrive.

   - Humor: Enjoying the occasional quirky plant behavior or unexpected outcomes.

This sounds a lot better, and it is important to remember that iterating is your friend when it comes to making improvements. By continuously revisiting and refining your work, you can uncover new perspectives and opportunities for growth. Embracing an iterative approach allows you to step back, analyze, and make thoughtful adjustments, leading to a more polished final product. So, don't be afraid to experiment, seek feedback, and embrace the power of iteration in your creative process.

And give the VIA character strengths survey a try, if you have not done it before!