What is stress?
Stress is the perception that something is more than your resources for dealing with it.
That word perception is essential. It’s your interpretation that gives rise to stress. What researchers are finding is that being able to have positive emotions during times of extreme stress helps people cope better.
That does not mean you don’t have negative feelings. Dealing with challenging situations is hard.
They can make you feel sad, angry worried. But…. Positive emotions can make a difference. What science is saying: Understanding our brains and nervous system
As we grow older neural pathways form like superhighways of nerve cells that transmit messages in our brains.
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Most Popular Positive Quotes:
- “A positive attitude is like a magnet that attracts happiness and success.”
- “Positive thinking is the key to unlocking a world of endless possibilities.”
Be yourself a positive quote - “Positivity is a choice; choose it daily.”
- “A little optimism goes a long way; spread positivity wherever you go.”
- “Attitude is a small thing that makes a big difference in life.”
Inspiring and positive quote about people - “The power of positive thinking is not just a nice idea; it’s a proven force for success.”
- “Positive thinking is not just about expecting the best; it’s about making the best of everything.”
Always stay strong. A positive quote about life. - “Positive thoughts lead to positive outcomes.”
- “Positivity is contagious, spread it far and wide.”
Work and be positive quote - “A positive outlook on life is the foundation for success and happiness.”
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Be Positive Quotes!
- “Life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we react to it.” – Charles R. Swindoll
- “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” – Steve Jobs
- “Attitude is a choice. Happiness is a choice. Optimism is a choice. Kindness is a choice. Giving is a choice. Respect is a choice. Whatever choice you make makes you.” – John C. Maxwell
- “The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes.” – William James
- “Happiness is not something ready-made. It comes from your own actions.” – Dalai Lama
- “Successful people maintain a positive focus in life no matter what is happening around them. They stay focused on their past successes rather than their past failures, and on the next action steps they need to take to get them closer to the fulfillment of their goals rather than all the other distractions that life presents to them.” – Jack Canfield
- “A positive attitude gives you power over your circumstances instead of your circumstances having power over you.” – Unknown
- “When we focus on our blessings, the world becomes a better place.” – Oprah Winfrey
- “The greatest gift you can give to someone is your own positive presence.” – Unknown
- “Stay positive, work hard, make it happen.” – Unknown
When you travel over these superhighways many times, the pathway becomes more and more solid.
Think of it as a set of Christmas tree lights that light up automatically.
Chronic stress and habits will create specific solid pathways.
That is why our reactions to things may seem “automatic”.
There is some good news about all this.
Research has shown that we can actively affect how our brains work and we can rewire to create new pathways.
Positive mental activity can help us form new pathways since “neurons that fire together wire together.”
But because of the brain’s well-known negativity bias – like Velcro for the bad but Teflon for the good to make these changes takes sustained and deliberate effort.
To strengthen more positive pathways use your positive emotions:
- Take in the good: having a good experience in the first place
- Enrich it: helping it last 10 or more seconds while you experience it
- Absorb it: sensing that it’s sinking into you.
How Do You Increase Your Positive Emotions? Be Positive Quotes.
Researchers have identified 8 ways to express positive emotions.
It is like a “tool kit” that you can choose the ones you like and use them!
That is an important point!!!
You have to use them regularly to make them work for you.
What are the 8 ways to express positive emotions?
Pay attention to those little things that make you smile or feel good.
Note when they happen; a good TV show that made you laugh, seeing something pretty, something nice to eat or drink, warm sunshine on your face.
Find some way to express what you did or saw that was positive.
Telling someone or writing it down makes a positive effect even stronger.
One of the most powerful tools to build positive emotions is gratitude.
A five minute a day gratitude journal is a powerful tool to boost your well being.
Studies consistently show gratitude improves our relationships, makes us happier, improves our sleep, helps us deal with stress, and strengthens our resilience.
It does not matter if it is a very small thing.
Many times we just take things for granted and it is the little things that matter most.
We all feel good when we can tick things we have done off a list.
Make goals for your day, week, and month.
Make sure they are realistic but achievable.
It may help to think of your goals in the short, medium, and long term.
These should be both random (let that harried mum go ahead of you in the checkout line) and planned (bring Sunday tea to an elderly neighbor).
Being kind to others, whether friends or strangers, triggers loads of positive effects.
It makes you feel generous and capable.
It gives you a greater sense of connection with others.
It wins you smiles, approval, and reciprocated kindness.
Here is a word you may not have heard before.
Mindfulness is the ability to keep your thinking on one thing that you are experiencing.
There are two types of mindfulness; formal and informal.
Formal mindfulness can be like guided deep breathing where you focus only on your breathing.
Formal mindfulness can be like guided deep breathing where you focus only on your breathing.
It is so useful we are including an example you can try.
Sitting down, put your feet flat on the floor and close your eyes.
From deep in the pit of the stomach breathe in for 7 seconds and then breathe out for 11 seconds.
Do this 5, 6, 7 times and see the reaction.
The reason for making the out-breath longer is that inhaling triggers one part of our nervous system that creates arousal and exhaling stimulates a relaxation response.
By breathing out more than breathing in you trigger the relaxation response over the arousal response
Informal mindfulness is as you go through everyday events, pay attention to those little things.
Focus on the sweetness of a ripe strawberry or the warmth of the sun when you step out from the shade.
Stay with that experience and focus on it for that moment.
It is the interpretations of events that make things seem more stressful.
Being able to see things more accurately is the key to using your thinking to cope.
Being aware of unhelpful thinking habits and challenging negative thoughts are steps toward thinking more positively.
Yes, we all have weaknesses, but what are your strengths?
Being able not only to acknowledge your strengths but to appreciate them is important.
Final words…
Putting these 8 ways to express positive emotions helps build your inner strengths to cope with most stresses people can face.
Use them enough, they can form new neural pathways that strengthen your wellbeing.
The task now is to get a plan on how you are going to use them and make them work for you.