Barbara Fredrickson, a leading scholar in Positive Psychology research and author of the book Positivity (2009), focuses on ten positive emotions that affect daily life. While there are other positive emotions, they do not have the impact on your life like the top ten do.

The list begins with the most frequently experienced positive emotion and moves to those emotions that are more infrequently experienced. As you read the following list, be thinking about when the last time was that you experienced that emotion. You may find that there are some emotions you rarely experience:

 1. Love – In the right setting, love combines all of the following emotions. This aspect of love is what makes it such a powerful feeling.  It can come in surges and change you physiologically by increasing oxytocin and progesterone levels. These increases have been linked with the ability to form lifelong bonds, trust, and intimacy. Love makes you more resilient and able to handle stress better.

2. Joy - It can happen in an instant or build over time. When you feel joyful, you feel safe. There is no anxiety holding you back. You feel a lightness and inner glow which spreads to those around you.

3. Gratitude -  This is a feeling of appreciation about something in your life. It has a way of opening your heart. Often it makes you want to do something good for someone in return. Feelings of gratitude also help you be gracious to others.

4. Serenity – This feeling is more low-key than joy. It is also similar in that you need to feel safe before you can feel serene. You may find yourself savoring the situation you are in when you are serene. It is as if you are soaking up the experience.

5. Interest – This emotion is somewhat like curiosity. You are more attentive and open to learning. You feel safe enough to explore options and build your skills. It also enhances motivation and learning.

6. Hope – This emotion is often felt when you are not feeling safe and things may be uncertain. Hope energizes you to be proactive and work to make your life meaningful. Hope can increase your resilience.

7. Pride – This emotion is felt when something you do well is valued by society. Pride and humility are a winning combination which can help you persevere on more difficult tasks. Some good self-management skills will prevent you from becoming too prideful.

8. Amusement – This emotion is usually felt when something unexpected happens. As long as you feel safe, you might even find yourself laughing. Humor and laughter can help you change your perspective. This is useful when you are in situations you cannot control.

9. Inspiration – Human excellence is inspiring. When you experience it, you are drawn in and want to do your best. Unfortunately, sometimes inspiration can make people resentful or envious. It is your choice whether or not you respond to excellence positively or negatively. Hopefully, you will choose to respond positively and be inspired.

10. Awe – This emotion is felt when you see goodness on such a large scale that you are inspired by its greatness. It is so hard to absorb that it can make you feel small. Awe is usually a reaction to something positive, but it can also be a reaction to something horrific.

Action Step: Look for times in your life that you experience these ten positive emotions. Focus on one emotion for a week.  Keep a log of times you feel that emotion; describe the situation and your feelings. Savor the feeling when you experience it.

Post a comment below about what some of these positive emotions mean to you.

To your success,

Maurine

Most people want their life to be meaningful.  Sometimes they are successful.  Things just seem to fall into place.  Other times they may struggle finding what will give them that special feeling of meaning.

Adolescence is a time of life when you first begin to ponder where you are going and why.  Times of transition and change can be an opportunity for creating a new sense of meaning in your life.  As you get older, you may wonder why some people live lives full of zest, commitment, and meaning while others drift along feeling life is meaningless.

First consider the conditions that are necessary to give meaning “within” life.  How would you answer the following two questions?

1. How do I want to live?
2. What choices do I need to make to have a happy, fulfilling, and meaningful life?

How you answer these two questions indicates whether you will live passionately or withdraw from life and its challenges.  After much research and study, Jonathan Haidt describes three conditions needed for feelings of meaning and fulfillment to exist (The Happiness Hypothesis, 2006).  This post discusses the first of the three conditions.

Haidt found that one of the most important conditions necessary for you to flourish is love.  It begins in the early stages of life in the form of parental love.  Love is necessary so that you will form attachments that help you feel secure and brave enough to explore life during childhood and adolescence.

In addition, everyone needs to belong.  A sense of belonging is necessary for healthy self-esteem.  As adults, experiencing passionate and compassionate love can lead to “true” love in marriages and relationships.  “True” love is defined as compassionate love between two people who are committed to each other with some passion added.

Some of the benefits of healthy relationships are a stronger immune system, a speedy recovery after surgery, and a lower risk of depression and anxiety problems.  As a single person, compassionate love is shown to others with similar benefits, being healthier, and happier.

Action Step:  Write out your answer to the above 2 questions.  List the places you feel like you belong.  Share your answers with a trusted friend.

More to come in my next post.

To your success, 

Maurine

1. Gratitude
2. Optimism
3. Zest
4. Curiosity
5. Love

Do you have these five strengths in your top ten strengths?  If you do not know your strengths, you can find out what they are by taking the Values in Action (VIA) Inventory on www.authentichappiness.org. 

The best news is that if these strengths are not high for you, you can increase them.  For instance, to increase:

1.    Gratitude - count your blessings by writing down three things you are grateful for or appreciate stating “why”.  Do this several times a week.  Be sure to do it when you are having a tough day.

2.    Optimism - practice “savoring” the joys of life instead of “stewing” on problems.  When you have a problem, be specific about who or what is involved, and stay in the present.  Stop generalizing about problems or projecting them into the future.

3.    Zest - do something that you already do but with more energy, or include some creative or different ways of doing it.  Notice an increase in energy when you are savoring even momentary pleasures.

4.    Curiosity - get more information about something you are interested in; ask questions; be open to new ideas.

5.    Love - spend time and energy with family and friends.  Strong personal relationships bring a high level of satisfaction with life.

In summary, the key to increasing your fulfillment with life is to look for novelty and opportunities to challenge yourself in each of the above strengths.  Working with a coach is a way to practice improving one or more of these strengths while keeping your stress at a level that is helpful to you.  Coaching helps hold you accountable while giving support.

Action step:  Using some of these five strengths, how can you find opportunities for novelty and challenge that will increase your level of fulfillment?

Maurine

During the last five years, there has been increasing evidence supporting the association of happiness/fulfillment with life and being able to use your strengths.  In addition, there is definitive information which tells us which strengths are necessary and the ingredients the brain needs to experience fulfillment.

Do you have these key strengths and ingredients?

First you need to know what the brain needs. 

 Gregory Berns a neuroscientist and psychiatrist at Emory University, believes the feeling of satisfaction is necessary to feel fulfilled in life.  In his book, Satisfaction: the Science of Finding True Fulfillment, he concludes that fulfillment requires two important ingredients that nature has designed our brains to crave: novelty and challenge. 

Novelty in life releases the neurotransmitter dopamine which is associated with feelings of happiness and well-being.

 Stress which is associated with a challenge releases the hormone cortisol.  In high levels, cortisone is damaging to our body mentally and physically.  However, in smaller amounts, it can elevate mood, increase concentration and improve memory making you more effective.

 When these two chemicals (dopamine and cortisol) interact, the stage is set for strong feelings of fulfillment. 

Second, research by doctors Nansook Park, Christopher Peterson and Martin Seligman have found that there are five key signature/character strengths which are closely and consistently related to life satisfaction:

1. Gratitude – being aware of and thankful for the good things that happen; taking time to express thanks.
2. Optimism – expecting the best in the future and working to achieve it; believing that a good future is something that can be brought about.
3. Zest – approaching life with excitement and energy; living life as an adventure; feeling alive and active; not doing things halfway or halfheartedly.
4. Curiosity – taking an interest in an ongoing experience for its own sake; finding subjects and topics fascinating; exploring and discovering.
5. Love – valuing close relationships, in particular those in which sharing and caring are reciprocated; being close to people.

Action Step:  Discover whether or not these 5 strengths are in your top ten Signature Strengths.

Go to http://www.authentichappiness.org and take the VIA (Values in Action) Signature Strengths Inventory.  There is no charge.  You will have to sign in and set up a password.  It takes about 40 to 50 minutes to complete the inventory.  The inventory assesses a total of 24 strengths.

In my next post, I will give you some ways you can increase these 5 strengths if they are not in your top 10 Signature Strengths.

 Maurine