Play along with us for a moment. Let's say that we're walking through the park, and a bear steps onto the path ahead of us. When this happens, our brains record a negative emotion-fear. Researchers have long known that in moments like this our mind is programmed to narrow its focus by shutting down the outside world and limiting the options we see. This is a valuable instinct if we're trying to save life and limb because nothing else really matters in that moment.

 

The challenge comes in other moments when our actual physical safety isn't at risk. For example, when we're in a verbal conflict with a colleague or when our to-do list gets longer and longer. In those moments, our brain's natural wiring will lock in on the anger, frustration, fear, and stress. And, just like it did with the bear, those negative emotions will prevent our minds from seeing any options other than our "fight or flight" survival instincts (neither of which are the healthiest ways to address our colleague or our to-do list). Researchers refer to this as an "amygdala hijacking" and it keeps us from seeing the other options and choices that surround us.

 

Here's the thing: positive emotions have been shown to do the opposite. They open our sense of possibilities and broaden our minds, which allows us to think creatively and critically. Positive thinking provides more than a temporary decrease in stress and the addition of a few smiles, it impacts overall performance. Given the abundance of negative emotions in our world right now and the need for leaders to raise their performance because of global challenges, we should seek to enhance our positive emotions by doing things that sparks feelings of joy, contentment, and passion. 

Here are two methods we use: