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My basic premise is that complete
well-being begins with building positive emotions where no emotions or
negative emotions exist. Pure and
simple, our history, upbringing, friends, family and many other
factors play into the types of emotions that have become habitual for
each of us. Sometimes lack of complete well-being stems from a build-up
of lots of habitual negative emotions that fuel more negative emotions.
In a way, it is founded entirely in not knowing what complete well-being
feels like (or not knowing what it is like to live with an abundance of
positive emotions).
I look for evidence of my theory everywhere. Sometimes I find it in one
of my kids, other times in myself, and sometimes I even find it in
complete strangers. Today I find it in my reading:
One article submitted towards the topic of ‘the science of well-being:
integrating neurobiology, psychology and social science’ by Martin E. P.
Seligman, Acacia C. Park, and Tracy Steen in the Royal Journal says:
“Results from a new randomized, placebo-controlled study demonstrate
that people are happier and less depressed three months after completing
exercises targeting positive emotion. The ultimate goal of positive
psychology is to make people happier by understanding and building
positive emotion, gratification and meaning.”
Another article, this one submitted by Barbara L. Fredrickson says, “The
broaden-and-build theory describes the form and function of a subset of
positive emotions, including joy, interest, contentment and love. A key
proposition is that these positive emotions broaden an individual's
momentary thought-action repertoire: joy sparks the urge to play,
interest sparks the urge to explore, contentment sparks the urge to
savour and integrate, and love sparks a recurring cycle of each of these
urges within safe, close relationships.” In other words, positive
emotions spark more positive emotions.
Both of these articles support my theory that complete well-being can be
learned and that we’re all capable of living in a state of complete-well
being, if only we set our intention to live there and learn how to
create new positive thinking.
The reality is that working towards a state of complete well-being is a
process — one that never ends because life throws us new challenges
every day and we have to find new ways to regain our balance. However,
once you realize that this wonderful place of health, inner wealth, and
richness can exist for you if only you know the secret, you are halfway
home.
Knowledge is powerful. This knowledge, in my opinion, is powerful and
priceless.
By : Julie Fisher
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