Barbara L. Fredrickson

In today’s society people often want to think positively, and why wouldn’t they? Being happy feels good! However, the underlying benefits of positivity are often overlooked or unknown. Psychology Professor Barbara L. Fredrickson's broaden and build theory has shown that a positive mood leads to a broadened perspective and increases in overall well being, and life span. Before looking at the benefits of positivity, we must assess the effects of negativity. According to writer and research on behavioral psychology James Clear, “negative emotions narrow your mind and focus your thoughts.” This creates a tunnel vision that stifles productivity and performance. Negative emotions prevent the brain from seeing all possibilities and causes the mind to go into a cycle of negativity, whereas positivity breaks this cycle, and opens the mind to possibility. Barbara L. Fredrickson has delved into the subject of positive emotions and created the broaden and build theory which proposes “If negative emotions narrow the momentary thought–action repertoire, and positive emotions broaden this same repertoire, then positive emotions ought to function as

As the positive cycle starts, a person’s psychological resources begin to build, and over time improves his or her overall well being. Barbara L. Fredrickson addressed this as well, stating that “ Individuals who experienced more positive emotions than others, over time became more resilient to adversity, as indexed by increases in broad-minded coping.” When people begin to think more positively their brain feeds off the broadened-mind and psychological resilience and enhances their overall well being. The “ positive emotions not only make people feel good in the present, but also—by broadening thinking and building resources—positive emotions increase the likelihood that people will feel good in the future.” As the positive cycle grows people begin feel good long