5 Ways to Experience More Positive Emotions in Your Life and Improve Well-Being

Being happy means more than not being miserable. We have the power to bring more positive emotions to our lives. Read about five science-backed ways to do so by changing our way of thinking and creating the right circumstances.

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4 mins read

It has been a long time since modern medicine recognized that health means more than the absence of disease.

The same approach could be taken when we speak about our emotional well-being. Being happy signifies a lot more than not being miserable.

Although life often throws curveballs at us, we have a fascinating ability to mold our response to such events. We can choose how we think --- and, consequently, feel --- about our life.

We can take action to experience more positive emotions!

5 Ways to Increase Positive Emotions

Fortunately, there is a vast range of positive emotions to pursue.

There are those that we could label "high-energy," such as:

Exhilaration
Happiness
Excitement
Joy

"Low-energy" positive emotions are, for example:

Contentment
Calmness
Relaxation
Gratification

Western cultures tend to prioritize the "high-energy" part of the spectrum. However, the benefits of "low-energy" positive affect are equally pronounced. This is a helpful fact to recognize because we cannot always feel ecstatic about life. And striving to be enthusiastic all the time would merely backfire.

So, leverage both sides of the scale and bring more well-being to your life.

Here are five ways to experience different positive emotions on a day-to-day basis:

1. Appreciate the Positives

If you are like so many others, you may gravitate towards searching for the (potential) negatives in a situation. This tendency is natural. Arguably, there is an evolutionary advantage to anticipating what could go wrong. Simplified, it makes us more prepared to address a threat.

But, simultaneously, it is a cognitive distortion called negativity bias. If you want to bring more joyfulness into your life, you should fight this mental habit.

Learn to appreciate the positives --- in yourself, your life, and the world around you.

Although I was never a fan of the "silver lining" perspective, I realized that a more rationalistic twist to this optimistic statement is possible (and preferable for me).

We can learn and grow from every adversity we endure.

Think about a toxic relationship you might have gone through. Or any other adverse experience, for that matter. Yes, you can fixate on the hurt and injustice you suffered. But you can also notice how much stronger and wiser you are now, having survived.

2. Create Circumstances for Positive Emotions

There is a joke I adore. The short version is that a man kept asking the Lord to win a lottery. After some time, the Lord spoke: "Buy the ticket already!"

To experience more positive emotions, you must generate opportunities for them.

As creatures of habit, most of us move within the well-known paths in life. Still, there are abundant untapped sources of emotions like affection, admiration, awe, gratitude, passion, pride, or any other.

You just need to create circumstances to come across them. How?

Think about experiences and interactions that might open up those doors. Traveling, enrolling in courses, or entering different social groups are good places to start.

And don't forget to make time to laugh more! It will do more than just make you feel good.

3. Learn to Be Mindful

Mindfulness is a powerful and scientifically backed concept that can make you see how amazing things are already.

Most of the time, we run on an auto-pilot. According to a study, nearly one-half (47%) of waking hours are spent thinking about what is not happening at that moment. This finding is rather worrying.

The same study also showed that such a cognitive orientation makes people unhappy. In the author's words: "A wandering mind is an unhappy mind."

Mindfulness is a technique that helps you detach from rumination of past hurts and anxieties about anticipated problems. It teaches you to stop and notice the wonders of the inner and external world you are living in.

Learn more about how to be more mindful with our free member's series, Mindfulness 101.

4. Connect

Humans are social creatures. And yes, much harm we undergo comes from other humans. Yet, the healing also often begins with connecting with the right people. This fact is what the support groups are based on.

If you seek to bring more positive emotions into your day-to-day experiences, seek healthy relationships.

Interact with positive people. Share their joy when they achieve something. Multiply your happiness by letting others in on your accomplishments. Socialize with supportive people and allow them to hold you up when needed. Share experiences and interests with like-minded folk.

Leverage the power of human connection. This might start with learning how to be a better friend.

5. Change how You Speak to Yourself

Finally, examine your self-talk. Is it predominantly negative? Do you hear the voice in your head saying things like: "I can't do it!", "I'm so stupid!", "I'm such an idiot!", "Others are way better in this than me"?

Such inner monologue is quite common. We do it without realizing it severely harms our self-esteem and well-being. It is only logical --- who could feel happy with a constant (and irrational) critic on their shoulder?

Although it will take some time and effort to change how you speak to yourself, it is doable and worth it.

Affirmations bear great power. Among other benefits, they promote positive thinking, increase gratitude and happiness, and enhance self-esteem.

So, create a positive, present-tense statement that is believable and relevant to you. Then, start repeating it daily (or whenever a negative thought tries to sneak in) to reshape how you feel about yourself.

Savor Your Life

Unfortunately, our minds often seem geared towards the negatives.

We anticipate the worst-case scenario --- to be prepared for it. When we think about our past relationships, we fixate on how hurt we got. Wherever we look, no matter how much we have, we see what else we are missing.