[Ailist] Barbara Frederickson video re her new book on Positivity on YouTube

[Bruce Elkin]

> In preparing for an upcoming public workshop on employee engagement, I was
> excited to come across a video of Barbara Frederickson talking about the focus
> of her new book "Positivity" on YouTube. One of her sound bytes stuck with me
> all day today. She said: "The message in my book is timely, because we are
> facing enormous challenges in this country, and President Obama has urged us
> to choose hope over fear, and my research underscores why this is such a vital
> choice for us,  I have been able to show that fear closes down our minds and
> our hearts, whereas  positive emotions literally open our minds and hearts.
> We're going to need that openness if we are going to face the challenges with
> clear eyes and come up with the creative solutions that allow us to come
> through this difficulty even stronger than before."
> 
> You can connect to the video at  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ds_9Df6dK7c
> January 26th, 2009
> 
> Interestingly another video link was sent to me today - fun to watch, quite
> brilliant, funny, good message: 'Magic of Free Parking':
> http://www.karmatube.org/?id=1445 Notice the link to Appreciative Inquiry on
> the site.
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> Sue Derby


Hi Sue, allŠ
Thanks for this info, and the links. The Fredrickson video is excellent, as
is the whole Karma Tube site (as well as hilarious).
More and more evidence that gratitude and appreciative approaches are
powerful tools for creating a flourishing life/work.

I¹ve been touting the positivity ratio for many years, since John Gottman,
relationship expert and co-founder of the Gottman Inst. in Seattle
discovered that relationships that flourished had about a 5 to 1 positive to
negative events ratio. He has authored numerous books on relationships, and
IMO, they make books such as Men Are From MarsŠ look like children¹s comic
books in comparison.

Currently, on their site, you can donate the book The Seven Principles for
Making Marriages Work to US armed service personnel.
>                                             http://www.gottman.com/
After seeing an item on the number of soldiers rates committing suicide
getting close to the number killed in combat, this seems a useful way to
help.

Another thing Fredrickson says that I think is very important, is that fear
closes us down, and positive emotions open up our hearts and mind.  In my
ebook Emotional Mastery: Manage Your Moods and Create What Matters Most‹With
Whatever Life Gives You! I say:

> Neurobiologist David Ingvar studies brain function with PET (Positron Emission
> Tomography) scans.  Such scans show computer-generated pictures of the
> neo-cortex during different states of mind.
> 
> When individuals face real or imaginary threats to survival and cannot
> anticipate a positive future, Ingvar found, the higher parts of their brain
> turn off.   Their brains downshift into a narrowly focused, ³me first,²
> survival mode.
> 
> When for example, fear-mongering politicians or activists tell us we must
> change, now, or we, our nation, or the Earth are doomed, they do so to
> frighten us into changing our thinking and doing.  However, when we are
> frightened, our bodies flood with fight or flight chemicals that first
> activate us, but eventually inhibit our ability to think and act effectively.
> 
> If the fear gets too intense, Ingvar argues, our brains shut down. While
> survival fear does focus energy, it narrows our interest to ³looking out for
> number one,² says Michael Macoby, commenting on Ingvar¹s findings.
> [Emotional Mastery -  http://www.bruceelkin.com/ (scroll down)]

Now is not the time to shut down, or focus only on one¹s self. Now is the
time for people to open up and come together.
So, I¹m very grateful to you, Sue, for passing on these links. I appreciate
you reaching out to us.

All the best!
Cheers!
Bruce
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BRUCE ELKIN: Helping You Create What Matters Most!
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