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The Scientific Principle That Most Improved My Life
“Why is everyone so irritable?” I asked.
“Because you are!” my pre-teen daughter replied. Her words slammed into my mind like a freight train.
She was right. I was the reason!
Have you ever noticed how emotions seem contagious? You’re in a bad mood and soon everyone else is, or you’re in a great mood and it lifts up those around you.
Perhaps it’s not this absolute but there is a vast amount of science behind it — the phenomenon is called emotional contagion.
Later that day I decided I’d try to project better emotions. My family deserved that. So I controlled my negative ones and embraced my positive ones. I didn’t speak when angry or irritated, and I embraced all the positive I could. In short, I practiced emotional self-control.
And something started to happen.
Like the Spring thaw when green shoots of grass stretch skyward with hope through the frozen mud, the smiles on my kid's faces sprouted again. More giggles, less picking. More engaged fun, less avoiding each other. My wife was more relaxed. I felt better. More positive vibes swirled through our lives.
