Increasing positive emotions can improve overall well-being and mental health. One way is through practicing gratitude, where regularly acknowledging the good in your life can shift your focus from negativity to appreciation. Engaging in physical activities, like exercise or spending time outdoors, releases endorphins, boosting your mood and promoting feelings of happiness. Lastly, fostering social connections by spending quality time with loved ones or engaging in acts of kindness can strengthen bonds and evoke positive feelings, creating a sense of fulfillment and joy.
Positive emotions don’t just feel good—they’re actually good for you. Research shows that people thrive when they experience at least three times as many positive emotions as negative ones.
Ready to boost your positivity? Here are three ways to increase positive emotions in everyday life:
- Track Your Positive Emotions
List the positive emotions you often feel in daily life. Add new emotions to your list as you notice them.
Now, look at your list. Think about (and write down) what activities, situations, or people tend to bring out each emotion in you.
At the end of each day, review your list of emotions and note when you felt them. Did you feel proud after a good soccer game? Happy when your friends remembered your birthday? Amused by your teacher’s jokes?
Tracking positive emotions helps you become more aware of the good feelings you already experience and what brings them out.
- Increase a Specific Positive Emotion
Choose a positive emotion you’d like to feel more often, such as joy. Think of situations or activities that have made you feel this emotion. Write down as many examples as you can.
Focus on small, simple things, like a song that makes you feel joyful. Any time you notice you’re feeling joy, add that activity to your list.
Once you know what prompts the emotion you want to increase, find ways to include those activities in your everyday life. Choose things that are realistic to do daily. For example, you may not be able to walk on the beach every day, but you can listen to a song that reminds you of a beach vacation.
Commit to one or more daily actions that will increase the emotion you want to feel more often. Make time for these experiences—they’re like the emotional equivalent of your «5 a day» fruits and vegetables.
- Create a Positivity Treasure Chest
Sometimes, we need a reminder to lead us back to a happier emotional state. That’s where a positivity box (or folder) can help.
A positivity box is a collection of reminders of positive experiences, bringing back the feelings associated with your strengths, joys, accomplishments, and important people in your life. It’s a «treasure chest» of positivity.
Collect things that remind you of positive moments in your life, such as:
- Photos or souvenirs from great times
- Awards that celebrate an achievement
- Cards or notes from special people
- Inspirational quotes or song lyrics
- Childhood mementos
- Things you’ve made or drawn
- Gifts from someone special
- Photos of people you admire
Put these items in a folder, binder, or special box where you can easily find them. You can also create a collage, poster, or mobile with them. Choose items that trigger positive emotions for you, and feel free to add, subtract, or rearrange them anytime.
When you’re feeling low or discouraged, take a few minutes to look through your positivity treasure chest. It can give you an emotional boost whenever you need it.
By focusing on increasing your positive emotions, you might find yourself feeling happier, more accomplished, and more energetic. A small daily effort to focus on the positive can lead to big rewards over time.