SKILL
Don’t wait for joy to come to you, go get more of it! Jolts of Joy are small, intentional actions that inject positive emotions into our day and help us take control of our wellbeing moment to moment. We all know that feeling when our favorite song comes on, we watch a funny video, or connect with a friend. Believe it or not, these little moments of joy throughout the day can add up to greater physical and mental wellbeing. Jolts of Joy is a positive intervention that’s all about mindfully and intentionally creating more moments of positivity.

Research identifies 10 big positive emotions — joy, love, inspiration, serenity, amusement, awe, pride, interest, gratitude and hope — which we all need to experience frequently in order to flourish. The goal of Jolts of Joy is not to ignore the inevitable negative or challenging aspects of life — but rather to have greater control over the ratio of positive to negative emotions you experience each day. Over time, these moments of positive emotions can help create an upward spiral of positivity, leading to improved wellbeing for all.

SCIENCE
In her groundbreaking work on positive emotions, Dr. Barb Fredrickson introduces us to the extensive benefits of feeling good, described by The Broaden and Build Theory of Positive Emotions. Her findings demonstrate that when individuals experience positive emotions, their awareness broadens, meaning positive emotions quite literally open your mind. When positive emotions are triggered, you think more creatively, solve problems faster and experience an expansion in your thoughts, vision and actions. Over time, these moments of feeling good enable you to build critical resources — physically, mentally, and socially. Positive emotions experienced frequently and deeply enable you to transform into connected, thriving individuals. That’s why we want to intentionally seek more experiences of positive emotions!