Listen to Diane and Coach Meg here:
http://www.wellcoach.com/flash/cm071609_1.html
Recently I asked coaches in the Wellcoaches community to submit a list of ten ways in which they want to thrive. Diane is dealing with some challenging health issues and asked me for a series of coaching sessions to work on her health and life satisfaction.
Positivity and Resilience
Diane continues to move toward her wellness vision: “To be in a state of health with sufficient energy and vitality that enables me to support myself in all realms – physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and financial – and that enables me to explore and pursue my life’s mission.” To maintain forward progress, we entertained the idea that positivity is a key contributor to resilience, or one’s ability to bounce back from challenges and obstacles.
What is Positivity?
But what is this thing called “positivity”? Does it go beyond a “Pollyanna” view of life, seeing everything through rose-colored glasses? Scientists in the evolving field of positive psychology answer with a resounding, “Yes!”
Fredrickson Leads the Way
Barbara Fredrickson, a leading researcher in the study of the impact of positive emotions suggests we have much to learn about what they are. While, for decades, the field of psychology overwhelmed us with information about negativity and mental illness, we are in our infancy in terms of our understanding of positivity and human strengths. To begin, she says, positivity is a much deeper concept than just “Don’t worry. Be happy.” In her book,
Positivity: Groundbreaking Research Reveals How to Embrace the Hidden Strength of Positive Emotions, Overcome Negativity, and Thrive, Fredrickson suggests that positivity takes many forms, “ranging from joy, gratitude, serenity, and interest, to hope, pride, amusement, inspiration, awe, and, last but not least, love.”
The Impact of Positivity
The impact of positivity isn’t just in the short-term, when we relax, smile, or feel better in the moment. Positivity also has longer-term impacts on our view of ourselves in the world, our relationships with others, and on the world. While this may seem like an exaggerative statement, we now know that experiencing these kinds of feelings has a much greater impact on our lives than we realized. Positive feelings forever change our minds, and our bodies, in ways that greatly enhance the quality of our lives.
Next week I will highlight some of the key conclusions, made by Fredrickson and other researchers around the world, about the role of positivity and our human potential…
Margaret Moore, also known as “Coach Meg,” is CEO and founder of Wellcoaches Corp. in Wellesley, MA and can be reached by email at:
coachmeg[at]wellcoaches.com
http://www.coachmeg.com
http://www.wellcoaches.com
http://www.harvardcoaching.org