[Ailist] Barbara Frederickson video re her new book on Positivity
on YouTube
BILL SCOTT
wjs.consulting at shaw.ca
Fri Feb 6 14:23:51 MST 2009
Hi all,
This thread has been an interesting one - particularly the focus on research into "positivity ratios." My earliest exposure to this type of thinking was in the early 80's when I was a young, youth and family counsellor. I picked up Virginia Satir's Peoplemaking (written in 1972) and read it cover to cover.
I was enthralled by her message - which I would describe as a precurssor to post-modernism and social contructionism. In Peoplemaking, Satir said that we need to hear 4 positives for every negative we hear about ourselves. Seems she was right on the mark - a little ahead of her time.
Best regards,
Bill
----- Original Message -----
From: Bruce Elkin <bruce at bruceelkin.com>
Date: Friday, February 6, 2009 11:17 am
Subject: Re: [Ailist] Barbara Frederickson video re her new book on Positivity on YouTube
To: Sue Derby <sue at thesumoexperience.com>, "ailist at lists.business.utah.edu" <ailist at lists.business.utah.edu>
> > 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
> suicidegetting 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
> appreciateyou reaching out to us.
>
> All the best!
> Cheers!
> Bruce
> *********************************************************************
> BRUCE ELKIN: Helping You Create What Matters Most!
> 20+ Years - Clients on 6
> Continents - Author of 3 Books &
> The Forthcoming Simplicity, Success & Sustainability
>
> Tell me, what will you do
> with your one wild and precious life?
> - Mary Oliver
> Get My Fr.ee e-Newsletter at
>
> http://www.bruceelkin.com/newsletter.htmlPhone:
> 250.388.7210 Web: http://www.BruceElkin.com
> Blog: http://createwhatmattersmost.blogspot.com
> *******************************************************************
>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> The Appreciative Inquiry Discussion List is hosted by the David
> Eccles School of Business at the University of Utah. Jack
> Brittain is the list administrator. For subscription
> information, go to:
> http://mailman.business.utah.edu:8080/mailman/listinfo/ailist
>
Best regards,
Bill
WJS Consulting
wjs.consulting at shaw.ca
604-574-1856 (home office)
778-241-1856 (cell)
Engaging human potential
More information about the Ailist
mailing list