And no, we're not talking about COVID. However, sometimes we can perpetuate our personal emotions onto others without ever realizing it.
Have you ever been in a situation where you're feeling pretty good and then you suddenly interact with a friend or family member in a foul mood? You realize that you are no longer feeling pretty good, but instead begin picking up their negative energy. In fact, you slowly start feeling pretty lousy yourself, and before you know it may even be experiencing a downward spiral of emotions.
If you're anything like us, you've experienced this many times, whether it's with your spouse, friends, or even strangers. The reason, as we explained in our previous post, is because negative emotions are contagious. Like the common cold, they can be quickly passed on to others.
Avoid Spreading Emotional Germs
We have a responsibility to stop spreading our germs, be they physical or emotional, to others. Germs have a natural way of spreading all by themselves, like wildfires, and don't need any help from us. A plethora of unhelpful negative emotions like fear, anxiety, and anger are swirling around at rapid speeds during this unsettling time.
The good news is that these aren't the only emotions swirling around in the world- People have also been using their signature strengths to make the world a better place! Have you noticed how much bravery, zest, and kindness there is as well right now? And what's more, these are also contagious.
What are we spreading? Is it fear, anxiety, and anger? Or are we conductors of bravery, love, and kindness?
Let's be mindful of what we are feeling and spreading to others. By practicing positivity we can infect others with compassion, love, and joy, at a time in the world when we can all use an extra boost of optimism.
