More On EQ

Included in EQ are high levels of social support, converting negative into positive emotions, like seeing stress as an opportunity rather than a challenge.

Positivity

It has been found that you are 31% smarter in a positive frame of mind rather than when in a negative one. This is linked with the release of hormones, like dopamine, that stimulates all the learning centres of the brain and makes you feel happier. Being positive has many advantages, like being more creative, having more energy, being more optimistic, etc; being more positive results in:

- 37% better sales

- doctors are 19% more likely to come up with the correct, faster diagnosis.
(source: Shawn Achor, 2011)

Some ways to become more positive include:

- focus on gratitude, ie identify daily 3 things that you are grateful for; do this for around 20 day as this encourages the brain to focus on the positives first

- exercise, ie teaches your brain that behaviour matters; helps 'clear' the brain

- meditation, ie allows the brain to focus on the task at hand

- random acts of kindness, eg sending an e-mail to somebody thanking them for a good act

- journaling, ie each day record positive things that have happened to you
(source: Shawn Achor, 2011)