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SMILE AND THE WORLD SMILES WITH YOU: CHOOSING HAPPINESS
by Marcia Hughes

Remember that phrase, "smile and the world smiles with you." Well scientists have now proven that it's true. And what's more, positive emotions promote better health, higher productivity, and undo negative emotions. As Martin Seligman highlights in his new book, AUTHENTIC HAPPINESS, "A positive mood buoys people into a way of thinking that is creative, tolerant, constructive, generous, undefensive and lateral. This way of thinking aims to detect not what is wrong, but what is right."

Many of us have had a challenging time in the last year and a half. Some argue that the combination of already busy lives now complicated by worries about terrorism, the economy, and the integrity of businesses present good cause for pessimism and worry. Yet to choose health, to get beyond the slump of these hard times, requires focusing on the positive.

Our emotions are contagious. Daniel Goleman and other researches cite study after study showing that we catch emotions from one another. Not surprisingly, a leader's emotions are the most influential in a group. What emotions would you like others to "catch" from you? Fortunately, we're most influenced by one another's laughter. A Yale study found that we are affected by other's emotions in the following order:

Evolution has benefited from this order of contagion.

Barbara Fredrickson has studied the function of positive emotions, of which optimism is a lead. She found they have a "grand purpose in evolution. They broaden our abiding intellectual, physical and social resources, building up reserves we can draw upon when a threat or opportunity presents itself. When we are in a positive mood, people like us better, and friendship, love, and coalitions are more likely to cement. In contrast to the constrictions of negative emotions, our mental set is expansive, tolerant, and creative. We are open to new ideas and new experience." Research demonstrates that optimistic people live longer, have more job success, and are more creative.

While conflict seems to be a growth industry, positive emotions guide us to effective responses to the opportunity conflict brings. When we are in a situation where everyone might benefit, such as leading, teamwork, teaching and learning, the positive emotions of joy, happiness, and enthusiasm motivate and guide us. Biology is a player in how this works out as positive emotions are part of the sensory system that alerts us to the presence of a potential win-win resolution.

As leaders, in the office and at home, we can help bring peace throughout our lives with our positive attitudes. That's incentive for going for that smile!

©2003, Collaborative Growth