# 1. Positive Emotion.
4 mins read
Welcome to the first step on the 5 habits of Happiness. A series of simple actions you can practice and introduce into your daily routines that will help you improve your well-being.
Habit No. 1 - Positive Emotion
What is Positive emotion?
More frequently referred to as optimism or positive thinking, it may sound cheesy I know, but stay with me. Positive emotion is proven to have a huge impact on not only the way we feel but also the way our bodies cope with stresses. Optimistic brains automatically search for the good in situations, focusing on solution finding. Whereas, in contrast, pessimistic brains focus on the problems.
Why is this so important?.
When we have a glass half full mentality, rather than that of the glass half empty, we see what is good first rather than what is bad. We approach the world seeing challenges as opportunities, trying out new things and believing that everything will be as it should be in the end. This belief helps us to find our way through even the darkest of days, building our resilience and heightening our ability to feel happiness. And this is all down to one thing, dopamine!
Our bodies release dopamine into the brain when we are experiencing optimistic thoughts. Dopamine gives us that feel good factor in the moment, but most importantly, in the long term it enables us to develop the ability to sustain happiness and manage stress effectively. This has a tangible and lasting impact on our health, both physically and mentally.
When our glass is half full, rather than the half empty mentality, we see what is good first rather than what is bad.
On the flip side, the science tells us that pessimism can actually contribute to the development of health challenges. However, although consistently seeing the risks and downsides of life can become very overwhelming, there is an element of necessity to seeing risks. As humans we are predisposed to do so in order to survive, which is helpful in times of danger.
As a mum there is nothing more important than our families safety and we therefore have a heightened awareness of risks, being able to spot and in some cases ‘feel’ potential hazards to prevent harm coming to our babies. This is not to say that we want to stop this awareness, only that It is important to avoid overusing it and transferring it to other areas of life.
How then, can we make a mental shift to change from pessimist to optimist?
We are not born with either a pessimistic or optimistic view of the world, it is shaped by our internal and external environments. The experiences we have had, how we were brought up and how we have repeatedly responded to the world. It is learned over time and ingrained through repetition. The way we see the world not only impacts us but also those around us, particularly our children.
With so many benefits, the best news is that we have the power to shift the way we see the world. Oh yes, it can be re-learnt, practised and mastered.
Most importantly, once we have mastered it, it can be modelled to our children!
Mama’s Moment!
Take a moment to reflect, is your glass half full or half empty?
What do you want to model for your little one as they grow?
What changes can you make today that will set you on course for happiness?
The most exciting and important thing that you can do for your family is to create your own happiness!
I want to invite you to join my free Facebook group and share in this journey to happiness. Here you will also be able to access free resources, including our guide to support you in shifting your mind from half empty to half full in 8 easy to apply steps!
