Life Outside the Box focuses on internal strengths.
In the process of students building a “likeable hero” and developing an “interesting comic character,” some of the character strengths, traits, and virtues that are discussed are:
- a flexible, “not yet, but soon” mind set (as opposed to a fixed, “all or nothing” mind set)
- self-regulation (ones’ personal “engine” not running too sluggish or too hot, but just right)
- personal sacrifice (giving up a personal gain — sometimes facing embarrassment — to go off and “save the day”)
- endearing hero qualities (a mixture of strong and vulnerable traits)
- forgiveness
- other-esteem (as compared to self-esteem),
- humility, altruism, civic values, gratitude, prudence, sense of one’s own life meaning, and frequent positive affect.