What I found fascinating about this unit was Barbara Frederickson’s Broaden-and-Build Theory of Positive Emotions. It talked about how having positive emotions could have positive snowball effects on our lives and how it could create a cycle. First, having positive emotions could widen novel or new thoughts, activities and relationships. In effect, it could build enduring personal resource characteristics such as skills and knowledge. Which on the long run, could enhance our health, survival rate, and fulfillment in life. Resulting in overall production of more experiences of positive emotions that could create a positive cycle.
I wanted to experience for myself whether the theory made sense or not so I did a personal social experiment wherein I surrounded myself only with positive emotions, regardless of the trigger situations, for one week. Just two days into the experiment, I observed that I was more swift and creative with my jokes when I was around with my friends. Four days into the experiment, which was coincidentally also my Intact Recollection day. I noticed that I was more open and proactive with other Ateneans when we were tasked to form small groups and define what “home” was for us. On the last two days of the experiment, I could immediately note that I was easily delighted with whatever achievement that I had, no matter how small or big it was. After the one week experiment, I must say that I would continue to try my best to surround myself only with positive emotions since I saw the significant change it had on my life.
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