Rx: A Dose of PositivityMary Steinhardt

The University of Texas at Austin

We all know negativity…We all know negativity…Unchecked negativity breeds health-damaging Unchecked negativity breeds health-damaging negative emotions – unproductive anger, negative emotions – unproductive anger, contempt, depression.contempt, depression.

What about positivity?What about positivity?

Stressful Stressful SituationsSituations

HomeostasisHomeostasis(protective (protective

factors)factors)

SuccumbSuccumb““GIVE UP”GIVE UP”

Diminished Diminished (stuck in a (stuck in a rut)rut)

““PUT UP”PUT UP”““Floundering” Floundering”

Resilience Resilience (recovery)(recovery)

““BOUNCE UP”BOUNCE UP”““Flourishing” Flourishing”

Thriving Thriving (growth)(growth)““STEP UP”STEP UP”

(sustainability)(sustainability)

DisruptionDisruption(overwhelme(overwhelme

d)d)

Please think back to how you felt yesterday. Indicate the greatest Please think back to how you felt yesterday. Indicate the greatest amount that you’ve experienced each of the following feelings:amount that you’ve experienced each of the following feelings:

___ What is the most ___ What is the most grateful, appreciative, or thankful grateful, appreciative, or thankful you you felt?felt?

Not at all A little bit Moderately Quite a bit ExtremelyNot at all A little bit Moderately Quite a bit Extremely 0 1 2 3 40 1 2 3 4

___ What is the most ___ What is the most angry, irritated, or annoyedangry, irritated, or annoyed you felt? you felt?

___ What is the most ___ What is the most inspired, uplifted, or elevated inspired, uplifted, or elevated you felt?you felt?

___ What is the most ___ What is the most joyful, glad, or happy joyful, glad, or happy you felt?you felt?

___ What is the most ___ What is the most stressed, nervous, or overwhelmed stressed, nervous, or overwhelmed you you felt?felt?

___ What is the most ___ What is the most hopeful, optimistic, or encouraged hopeful, optimistic, or encouraged you you felt?felt?

___ What is the most ___ What is the most sad, downhearted, or unhappy sad, downhearted, or unhappy you felt?you felt?

___ What is the most ___ What is the most ashamed, humiliated, or disgraced ashamed, humiliated, or disgraced you you felt?felt?

Six Facts About PositivitySix Facts About Positivity Positivity feels goodPositivity feels good

Positivity changes how your mind worksPositivity changes how your mind works

Positivity transforms your futurePositivity transforms your future

Positivity puts the brakes on negativityPositivity puts the brakes on negativity

Positivity obeys a “Tipping Point”Positivity obeys a “Tipping Point”

You can increase your positivityYou can increase your positivity

DiminishedDiminished (stuck in a rut)(stuck in a rut)

““Floundering” Floundering” < 3< 3

ResilienceResilience““Flourishing” Flourishing”

>3>3Positivity can tip our Positivity can tip our life from life from “floundering” “floundering” to to “flourishing.”“flourishing.”

The Tipping Point The Tipping Point

Stressful Stressful SituationsSituations

HomeostasisHomeostasis(protective (protective

factors)factors)

SuccumbSuccumb<1<1

FAILUREFAILURE

Diminished Diminished (stuck in a (stuck in a rut)rut)

1 to 2.91 to 2.9FLOUNDERINGFLOUNDERING

Resilience Resilience (recovery)(recovery)3.0 to 3.93.0 to 3.9

FOCUSED, FLEXIBLE, FOCUSED, FLEXIBLE, FLOWINGFLOWING

Thriving Thriving (growth)(growth) >4>4

FLOURISHINGFLOURISHING

(sustainability)(sustainability)

DisruptionDisruption(overwhelme(overwhelme

d)d)

THRIVING THRIVING (growth)(growth)

flourishingflourishing> 4> 4

Diminished Diminished (stuck in a rut)(stuck in a rut)

flounderingfloundering< 3< 3

Positive emotions fuel Positive emotions fuel resilience and undo or down-resilience and undo or down-

regulate the negative effects of regulate the negative effects of stress.stress.

RESILIENCE RESILIENCE (recovery)(recovery)

focused, focused, flexible, flexible, flowingflowing

>3 (tipping point)>3 (tipping point)

SuccumbSuccumb(depressive symptoms)(depressive symptoms)

failurefailure< 1< 1

THRIVING THRIVING (growth)(growth)

flourishingflourishing> 4> 4

Tipping Point: 3 to Tipping Point: 3 to 11

What about negativity?What about negativity?

Diminished Diminished (stuck in a rut)(stuck in a rut)

flounderingfloundering< 3< 3

RESILIENCE RESILIENCE (recovery)(recovery)

focused, focused, flexible, flexible, flowingflowing

>3 (tipping point)>3 (tipping point)

SuccumbSuccumb(depressive symptoms)(depressive symptoms)

failurefailure< 1< 1