Caution: Things to know before going to www.positivityratio.com

1. Know who you are. This ratio says that when our positive emotions are in a ratio of 3:1 to our negative emotions, we are considered to be thriving. Are you the type of person that would get discouraged or plummet into despair if your ratio was less than 3:1 or very low say .67:1? If so, you may want to consider testing your ratio at a time when you are doing better.



2. Be gentle with yourself. All of us can start from where we are. YOU ARE NOW HERE. This is okay. Where ever you are is okay. This is just information to help you find new tools and ways of being in the world that will improve your life.



3. The positivity ratio measures how many positive emotions you have in comparison to negative emotions over a 24 hour period. This alone is a great way to start seeing what things (no matter how small) bring you a pleasant feeling in one day.



4. You could start jotting down what and when you experience something that creates a positive emotion in you. It could be a thought, someone inviting you to a party, a solitary activity that you enjoy or relief in the absence of something.



5. What are the ten positive and ten negative emotions being tested? They are joy, serenity, gratitude, amusement, hope, love, interest, awe, pride and elevation. And the other ten are anger, fear, sadness, stress, shame, disdain, disgust, embarrassment, guilt and hate.



6. A fleeting positive emotion counts. It has been discovered that positive emotions that seem to be short-lived still contribute to a flourishing life. They have a cumulative affect. So, even if something seems very small to you, it is still worth it. Perhaps allowing yourself to read a poem or listen to a piece of favourite music instead of thinking to yourself, "No, it doesn’t matter."



7. Taking the positivity ratio assessment many times. Ideally, take it every day over a two week period. Our emotions fluctuate from day to day and taking the test once can give you a skewed picture. Taking it 14 times can give you an average and a more accurate assessment of your emotional state on an ongoing basis.



8. Give yourself a realistic break. Beware when you are going through a major challenge such as a break-up, major illness, job change, move, retirement or other major transition. Your emotional patterns in times of stress will give you different results than when your life is in a more neutral mode. However, if the pattern is that you are always in stress, it’s a good message to take a look at lifestyle changes of how you can do life differently. Get help to make it easier.



9. The positivity ratio is a major contribution from Barbara Fredrickson in the scientific field of positive psychology. It is an outcome from her many years of work in the field and is a useful assessment tool to enable us to have a baseline and to improve our lives. I Lam very grateful to her and her team that have pushed through many challenges of their own to make this happen. I feel the positive emotion of gratitude when I reflect on her contribution. Thank you, Barbara Fredrickson.



10. Know that this is not a polyanna approach. This is not about feeling good all the time and denying negative emotions. Life has both kinds of emotions and for good reason. The field of positive psychology acknowledges both. What they bring to the table that is new is to create some focus on what enables us to be our best selves including managing challenging emotions. It is a holistic endeavour.



Johanna Vanderpol is a Coach, Author and Speaker on Vancouver Island in Canada who specializes in positive psychology, emotional intelligence and emotional well-being. She designs and delivers workshops and programs in this field and continue to write articles available from her website at www.johannavanderpol.com .



Copyright 2011 Johanna Vanderpol.