The Prepped Team
June 4, 2020
7 minutes
In this four-part mindfulness webinar series, Prepped partnered with The WiseMind Co. to empower job seekers with the practical tools and skills they need to navigate this challenging and uncertain time in the job market. In our first webinar from the series, we tackle the often elusive topic of positivity. Check out the recap below to get acquainted with the material we cover and watch the full webinar to learn about how positive emotions can change your outlook on life and your career goals
You may be asking yourself, “What good are positive emotions? What is the point of feeling happy, joyful or delightful?” According to Dr. Barbara Fredrickson, an American professor in the department of psychology at the University of North Carolina, positive emotions have a long-lasting impact on our personal growth and resilience. They fundamentally change the way the human brain works both in the short and long-term. Some of the ways positive emotions change us include:Broadening possibilities
Building resources
Strengthening stress recovery
Dr. Barbara Fredrickson wanted to understand what ratio of positive to negative emotions it would take to tip a person from languishing to flourishing. The conclusion was three heartfelt positive emotions to every one heart-wrenching negative emotion we endure. We may notice the negative emotions more due to the negativity bias of the brain, which means your brain may not notice positive emotions as much. It’s as if negative emotions scream at us, and positive emotions whisper. The key is to cultivate habits of mind and practices that can turn the volume up on your positive thinking. Watch the full webinar to learn in detail about the five practices that you can invest in to help you become fundamentally aware of your positive emotions. These practices are simple but require patience to bring forward desired results. Below are some details about each practice we cover in the video:
A gratitude practice isn’t a new concept. If you have sought out mindful practice before, you likely come across a gratitude practice that is meant to encourage positive growth and a positive mind. These practices often include maintaining a gratitude list or journal that outlines three things you are grateful for each day, but the goal is to acknowledge the specific things you are grateful, too.
Hunting the good stuff means leaning into the positive, even if your brain is drawing you towards the negative. One way of doing this is to count the kindness you give, receive, and see each day. You may also consider asking yourself what went well at the end of each day. This practice is all about challenging your mind and feeding it positivity nutrients.
This practice is all about awareness and appreciation. The aim is to encourage you to hold on to a positive experience for 20 seconds. This means taking the time to experience that moment of positivity and to really feel it inside and out. To do this, bring yourself fully into the moment by engaging your senses and being present with your experience.
Take time to think about how you can be generous each day. This practice requires you to show up in a way that you are comfortable with. Being generous shouldn’t be limited to financial contributions. You can also show up with your time, energy, insight and knowledge or your general presence. The way you show up for people could be an act of generosity.
Making a connection is essential for flourishing. For a connection to impact your well-being and positive emotions, it needs to be genuine and feel authentic. A deep connection could include your connection to yourself, others or nature. It’s about showing up in a moment and bringing your full presence and attention to create meaning out of the opportunity.
Sign up for Prepped to watch the full webinar to learn more. Your free Prepped account will also give you immediate access to past webinar recordings, and to our career-search tools and templates that can help improve your chances of getting a job by up to 6X*.
*Songqi Liu, Jason L. Huang, & Mo Wang (2014). Effectiveness of Job Search Interventions: A Meta-Analytic Review. Psychological Bulletin, 140, 1009-1041.
The Prepped Team
June 4, 2020
The step-by-step approach to job search success.
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