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How Positive Emotions Can Be Life Changing

Short-term positive emotions can lead to long-term happiness.

By Richard BaileyPublished 6 years ago 3 min read
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For a long time now negative emotions have been identified as necessary emotions; they help to initiate the "fight or flight" mode when in danger. The negative emotions we experience help us narrow in on the danger and then make a decision that is in our best interest based on the danger we are facing. If you are feeling depressed, you know you should take some actions such as watching a good comedy, having a visit with good positive friends, and other activities to lift the mood. If you feel you are in danger from a person or an animal, you know that you may need to flee or stand your ground to fight the situation. The negative emotions allow us to narrow our perceptions to the situation.

Positive emotions on the other hand, until recently, haven't been identified as necessarily having a purpose. On the other side of the negative emotions, which narrow our perceptions, positive emotions are shown to now broaden our perceptions. This will help us to respond to more situations in a positive way, be able to understand things better, see more, and be more flexible. We become more open to different ideas and experiences that we may not otherwise have. This also gives us a feeling of being closer to and more trusting of other people.

It's not just the long-term positive feelings that are of benefit. Short term positive emotions can help us in the long run as the greater openness that is a result of positive emotions can lead to changes in our lives in the long run.

A few examples of positive emotions and how they affect us are:

  • Having an interest in something we read can oftentimes lead us to learning more about the subject you are reading about, which can then also lead to getting into a hobby or even be more rewarding in your life's work.
  • Finding the same things that are funny to someone or of the same interest as someone else can lead to a closer friendship or a feeling of greater closeness with a partner.
  • Seeing beautiful scenery and feeling joy from what you are seeing can put you in a positive emotion and frame of mind, which can result in being more enthusiastic about your day and opportunities that present themselves to you throughout the day.

Over time, these positive emotions that we experience can help us to build the resources we need that will help to lead to a happier life—things such as more knowledge on subjects, better friendships, better problem-solving skills, and can even create better physical and mental health. In addition, these positive emotions help to create a buffer or a wall against negative emotions and stress which will help us to cope better when we face the negative emotions or situations. Experiencing positive emotions can also help, over time, to recover from the effects of negative emotions and bring you back into a better balance in your day.

There are many more benefits to experiencing positive emotions and reasons that you should try to keep positive emotions in your life. These examples just touch on the subject but the more positivity that we can inject into our lives the better we will feel, the better we will perform and the thicker the barrier we will be able to create against negative emotions and situations. Even something as simple as a daily positive affirmation video can help to get your day started on the right foot and prepare you for a positive day.

Look for opportunities to create positive emotions throughout your day and they don't have to be big things. Something as simple as holding the door open for someone or buying the next person in line's coffee can help create positive emotions that will improve your life and your day.

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About the Creator

Richard Bailey

I enjoy writing about many different topics but my main focus is mental health, mental illness, and specifically depression. I have a long personal experience with Severe Treatment-Resistant Depression and Anxiety.

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