“Positivity doesn’t just change the contents of your mind …
it widens the span of possibilities that you see.”
— Barbara Fredrickson —
SKILL
As humans, we often seek ways to increase our happiness and foster more positivity in our lives. A Positivity Portfolio, as described by Barbara Fredrickson in her book Positivity, is a positive intervention that helps you more mindfully cultivate positivity in your day-to-day life. A Positivity Portfolio is precisely what it sounds like: a portfolio or collection of items, memories, songs or pictures that trigger you to feel specific positive emotions. There are 10 big positive emotions — joy, love, inspiration, serenity, amusement, awe, pride, interest, gratitude and hope — which we need to experience frequently in order to flourish. A Positivity Portfolio is more than a quick Jolt of Joy. This intervention takes a deeper dive into the 10 positive emotions and encourages you to spend several weeks building your portfolio, and then savor them for about 15 minutes per day. By taking the time to focus on one or more of the positive emotions for a period of time, you will undoubtedly cultivate more positivity, enjoy greater life-satisfaction and boost your wellbeing.
Barbara Fredrickson
“My all-time favorite topic in positive psychology is the study of positive emotions. I’m fascinated by how pleasant experiences, which can be so subtle and fleeting, can add up over time to change who we become. I’m especially excited these days about investigating how positive emotions change the very ways that our cells form and function to keep us healthy.”
— Barbara Fredrickson
SCIENCE
In her groundbreaking work on positive emotions, 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.
Decades into her work, Fredrickson has turned her attention to what she considers the supreme positive emotion — LOVE. She has redefined love as “the micro-moment of warmth and connection you share with another living being.” These are the moments when we share positive emotions with another person. It is in the moments of love, or shared positivity, that we experience positivity resonance. Positivity resonance is “a type of interpersonal connection characterized by shared positivity, mutual care & concern, and behavioral & biological synchrony.” The Positivity Resonance Theory tells us that by enabling, supporting and encouraging increased moments of shared positivity, we can build thriving communities.
What do the big 10 positive emotions do for us?
BENEFITS
Positive Emotions feel good, and they are good for you! People who regularly feel positive emotions experience:
- Increased wellbeing and life satisfaction
- Increased attention, awareness, and memory
- A boost in learning, creativity, and mental flexibility
- Stronger relationships
- Less perceived stress
- Lower depressive symptoms
- Improved sleep and sleep quality
- Improved cardiovascular function