1 00:00:03,680 --> 00:00:07,760 Speaker 1: Hello Sunshine, Hey bessies, It's Wellness Wednesday. And whether you're 2 00:00:07,760 --> 00:00:11,040 Speaker 1: still recovering from the election or just navigating the messiness 3 00:00:11,039 --> 00:00:13,800 Speaker 1: of life, stress feels very real for a lot of 4 00:00:13,880 --> 00:00:18,640 Speaker 1: us right now. Psychologist and Northwestern University professor Judith Moskowitz 5 00:00:18,680 --> 00:00:21,600 Speaker 1: is here to reveal why positive thinking can actually help 6 00:00:21,680 --> 00:00:25,480 Speaker 1: us live longer lives. It's Wednesday, November six. I'm Simone 7 00:00:25,520 --> 00:00:26,280 Speaker 1: Boyce and. 8 00:00:26,239 --> 00:00:28,800 Speaker 2: I'm Danielle Robe and this is the bright Side from 9 00:00:28,800 --> 00:00:31,680 Speaker 2: Hello Sunshine, a daily show where we come together to 10 00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:35,480 Speaker 2: share women's stories, to laugh, learn and brighten your day. 11 00:00:35,880 --> 00:00:39,040 Speaker 1: Today's Wellness Wednesday is presented by Coliguard. 12 00:00:40,960 --> 00:00:41,400 Speaker 3: Danielle. 13 00:00:41,479 --> 00:00:43,840 Speaker 1: I don't know about you, but I have been stress 14 00:00:43,960 --> 00:00:45,879 Speaker 1: eating to get through this election cycle. 15 00:00:46,200 --> 00:00:49,040 Speaker 3: Is it throwing your mental health off too? It really is. 16 00:00:49,120 --> 00:00:52,599 Speaker 2: I kept saying I was cautiously optimistic, and then a 17 00:00:52,600 --> 00:00:56,680 Speaker 2: friend of mine said, no, I'm nauseously optimistic. And that's 18 00:00:56,720 --> 00:00:59,600 Speaker 2: truly how I feel. I'm jittery about it. 19 00:00:59,600 --> 00:01:02,880 Speaker 1: It's jittery is the exact right word, because it's this 20 00:01:03,080 --> 00:01:09,440 Speaker 1: mix of anxiety and hope and anticipation, all very powerful emotions. 21 00:01:09,720 --> 00:01:11,920 Speaker 2: And I think that's true no matter where you stand 22 00:01:12,040 --> 00:01:17,319 Speaker 2: on the political spectrum. Elections, specifically presidential elections just bring 23 00:01:17,360 --> 00:01:21,200 Speaker 2: a whirlwind of emotions, and I think a lot of 24 00:01:21,280 --> 00:01:25,440 Speaker 2: us think about what comes next the day after the election, 25 00:01:25,600 --> 00:01:28,920 Speaker 2: what now? And to me, it's like a really powerful 26 00:01:28,920 --> 00:01:32,399 Speaker 2: reminder that we're all navigating this moment together, and so 27 00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:36,800 Speaker 2: regardless of the stress and uncertainty, what can we focus 28 00:01:36,880 --> 00:01:39,920 Speaker 2: on that unites us and reminds us of our shared values? 29 00:01:40,959 --> 00:01:43,800 Speaker 1: And even in these uncertain times, there is one thing 30 00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:47,000 Speaker 1: that we can control, and that is our mindset, how 31 00:01:47,080 --> 00:01:49,920 Speaker 1: we respond to it all, how we manage our emotions. 32 00:01:50,360 --> 00:01:53,080 Speaker 2: It's so well said, and I think that's why we're 33 00:01:53,080 --> 00:01:56,240 Speaker 2: calling in an expert today, right Judith Moskowitz is a 34 00:01:56,240 --> 00:02:00,440 Speaker 2: professor at Northwestern University who studies the effects of positive 35 00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:02,360 Speaker 2: emotions during stressful times. 36 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:05,880 Speaker 1: She is one of the most trusted voices on the 37 00:02:06,160 --> 00:02:10,880 Speaker 1: unique mental and physical effects of positive emotions. I'm actually 38 00:02:10,880 --> 00:02:13,240 Speaker 1: really curious about this course that she created, called the 39 00:02:13,440 --> 00:02:17,960 Speaker 1: Resilience Challenge, which studies eight key skills that apparently can 40 00:02:18,000 --> 00:02:21,160 Speaker 1: cultivate positive emotions. So we're going to learn all about 41 00:02:21,160 --> 00:02:24,200 Speaker 1: it right now. Judith Moskowitz, Welcome to the bright Side. 42 00:02:24,240 --> 00:02:27,240 Speaker 3: Thank you, for inviting me. Welcome, Welcome, We're so happy 43 00:02:27,280 --> 00:02:27,640 Speaker 3: to have you. 44 00:02:28,120 --> 00:02:31,720 Speaker 1: Perfect timing because it is International Stress Awareness Day, but 45 00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:35,399 Speaker 1: we honestly didn't even need that holiday designation because it's 46 00:02:35,440 --> 00:02:38,400 Speaker 1: the day after the election, So I think everybody understands 47 00:02:38,440 --> 00:02:41,000 Speaker 1: what stress feels like. Right now, we are going to 48 00:02:41,000 --> 00:02:43,440 Speaker 1: get into the research backed ways that we can deal 49 00:02:43,480 --> 00:02:46,119 Speaker 1: with stress, but before we do, i'd love to hear 50 00:02:46,440 --> 00:02:48,520 Speaker 1: how you got involved in this field in the first place. 51 00:02:48,520 --> 00:02:50,200 Speaker 1: Will you tell us about your early days as a 52 00:02:50,240 --> 00:02:51,840 Speaker 1: stress and coping researcher. 53 00:02:52,800 --> 00:02:53,120 Speaker 3: Yeah. 54 00:02:53,160 --> 00:02:58,560 Speaker 4: Absolutely, So I'm trained as a social psychologist and mixper 55 00:02:58,639 --> 00:03:02,760 Speaker 4: cheeses and stress and co and emotion. And early on, 56 00:03:03,280 --> 00:03:05,000 Speaker 4: right after I got my degree, I was doing my 57 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:07,960 Speaker 4: post doc and we were studying men caring for their 58 00:03:07,960 --> 00:03:11,839 Speaker 4: partners with AIDS. So this was the early to mid 59 00:03:11,960 --> 00:03:16,560 Speaker 4: nineteen nineties, so before AIDS was a treatable illness and 60 00:03:16,600 --> 00:03:21,240 Speaker 4: it was essentially terminal, and we were interviewing caregivers throughout 61 00:03:21,280 --> 00:03:26,120 Speaker 4: the caregiving and the bereavement process, so we were asking 62 00:03:26,160 --> 00:03:30,360 Speaker 4: them what was stressful about caregiving or about bereavement, and 63 00:03:30,400 --> 00:03:32,560 Speaker 4: then how they were coping with that. So we were 64 00:03:32,680 --> 00:03:36,640 Speaker 4: very focused on what was stressful about what they were experiencing, 65 00:03:37,320 --> 00:03:42,040 Speaker 4: and you know, they were absolutely depressed and upset and sad, 66 00:03:42,200 --> 00:03:44,280 Speaker 4: and you can imagine since it's some of the most 67 00:03:44,360 --> 00:03:49,880 Speaker 4: extreme stress that humans experience. But shortly after we started 68 00:03:49,880 --> 00:03:52,680 Speaker 4: the study and we were ending the interview with what's 69 00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:55,400 Speaker 4: stressful and how did you cope with it? And they said, well, 70 00:03:56,080 --> 00:03:58,720 Speaker 4: you're not asking us about the good things. And we were, 71 00:03:59,040 --> 00:04:00,800 Speaker 4: you know, stress research, and we're like, what do you 72 00:04:00,840 --> 00:04:03,680 Speaker 4: mean the good things? Like, well, there are good things 73 00:04:03,680 --> 00:04:07,520 Speaker 4: happening too. This is truly awful, and there are good 74 00:04:07,560 --> 00:04:10,560 Speaker 4: things happening, and can we please talk about those? So 75 00:04:10,600 --> 00:04:13,440 Speaker 4: we started asking about the good things that were happening. 76 00:04:13,480 --> 00:04:15,640 Speaker 4: We added a question and we said, tell us something 77 00:04:16,320 --> 00:04:19,320 Speaker 4: positive and meaningful that happened in the past week to 78 00:04:19,400 --> 00:04:22,320 Speaker 4: help you get through a day. And you know, we 79 00:04:22,360 --> 00:04:24,640 Speaker 4: had hundreds of interviews where we asked this question, and 80 00:04:24,720 --> 00:04:28,800 Speaker 4: almost every single one, even if their partner had just died, 81 00:04:29,320 --> 00:04:32,200 Speaker 4: they could tell us something positive. And it was often 82 00:04:33,040 --> 00:04:36,200 Speaker 4: something really small, like you know, a beautiful sunset, or 83 00:04:36,680 --> 00:04:38,800 Speaker 4: sometimes it was you know, I was able to make 84 00:04:38,880 --> 00:04:42,719 Speaker 4: my partner a meal he enjoyed. So that binding sort 85 00:04:42,720 --> 00:04:45,440 Speaker 4: of set me on the path of asking questions about 86 00:04:45,440 --> 00:04:50,240 Speaker 4: positive emotions of people experiencing different types of stress. And secondly, 87 00:04:50,600 --> 00:04:54,760 Speaker 4: as I realized that positive emotions were important and helpful, 88 00:04:55,480 --> 00:04:58,600 Speaker 4: I thought, well, we should design a program to help 89 00:04:58,640 --> 00:05:01,760 Speaker 4: people have more positive so that they can cope better 90 00:05:01,800 --> 00:05:05,640 Speaker 4: with whatever stress they're coping with. So that set me 91 00:05:05,680 --> 00:05:09,800 Speaker 4: on this path of teaching different groups the sort of 92 00:05:09,880 --> 00:05:13,520 Speaker 4: toolbox of skills to help them have more positive emotion 93 00:05:13,680 --> 00:05:16,760 Speaker 4: which helps them cope better with all kinds of life stress. 94 00:05:17,360 --> 00:05:20,680 Speaker 2: One of my favorite definitions of wisdom is being able 95 00:05:20,720 --> 00:05:24,760 Speaker 2: to hold two opposite truths at one time. And when 96 00:05:24,800 --> 00:05:28,240 Speaker 2: I was reading your work, you talk about that idea 97 00:05:28,440 --> 00:05:32,440 Speaker 2: so often, about holding both the positive and the negative 98 00:05:32,520 --> 00:05:35,880 Speaker 2: side by side. How do you think we can all 99 00:05:35,920 --> 00:05:39,760 Speaker 2: be honing that skill of holding two opposite truths at 100 00:05:39,800 --> 00:05:40,359 Speaker 2: one time. 101 00:05:41,440 --> 00:05:43,960 Speaker 4: So thank you for picking up on that, And it's 102 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:48,000 Speaker 4: something that I always try to reiterate about our program, 103 00:05:48,040 --> 00:05:51,720 Speaker 4: because this is not pretend everything's great and deny the 104 00:05:51,760 --> 00:05:54,159 Speaker 4: negative stuff and just put on a happy face and 105 00:05:54,160 --> 00:05:56,240 Speaker 4: it'll all be fine. So that is absolutely not what 106 00:05:56,240 --> 00:06:00,000 Speaker 4: we're doing. But the important thing is to first acknowledge 107 00:06:00,200 --> 00:06:03,400 Speaker 4: that things are hard, and things are stressful, and negative 108 00:06:03,440 --> 00:06:07,840 Speaker 4: emotions are part of the human condition. In what we're 109 00:06:07,880 --> 00:06:12,320 Speaker 4: experiencing right now really common. So I think everyone, no 110 00:06:12,360 --> 00:06:14,839 Speaker 4: matter where they are in the political spectrum, is experiencing 111 00:06:14,880 --> 00:06:17,320 Speaker 4: some pretty high levels of negative emotion at the moment. 112 00:06:18,000 --> 00:06:20,680 Speaker 4: And what we know from our research is that you 113 00:06:20,800 --> 00:06:25,560 Speaker 4: can experience those high levels of negative emotion, the anxiety, 114 00:06:25,920 --> 00:06:30,400 Speaker 4: the stress, the sadness, the fear, all those the disappointment, 115 00:06:30,440 --> 00:06:33,240 Speaker 4: the frustration, you know, all all forms of negative emotion. 116 00:06:34,680 --> 00:06:38,440 Speaker 4: When you experience that, you can also have moments of 117 00:06:38,520 --> 00:06:42,320 Speaker 4: positive emotion. And what we try to teach people is 118 00:06:42,920 --> 00:06:46,600 Speaker 4: ways they can sort of feel those positive feelings even 119 00:06:46,600 --> 00:06:48,839 Speaker 4: when things are really challenging. 120 00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:50,560 Speaker 3: What are some of those ways? 121 00:06:50,600 --> 00:06:54,480 Speaker 2: Because I've heard you say that you're a natural positive reappraiser, 122 00:06:54,520 --> 00:06:58,239 Speaker 2: and I've never heard that term, and I was thinking 123 00:06:58,279 --> 00:07:01,000 Speaker 2: to myself, Am I a positive re appraiser? I think 124 00:07:01,120 --> 00:07:04,240 Speaker 2: I also fall into that bucket, But I don't know 125 00:07:04,279 --> 00:07:08,599 Speaker 2: if I can sort of qualify or quantify what I'm doing. 126 00:07:08,640 --> 00:07:11,720 Speaker 2: It's sort of a natural inclination. What can we actually 127 00:07:11,760 --> 00:07:12,200 Speaker 2: be doing? 128 00:07:12,800 --> 00:07:16,440 Speaker 4: Yeah, so positive reappraisal is part of our package of 129 00:07:16,680 --> 00:07:18,960 Speaker 4: you know, we have like eight to ten skills depending 130 00:07:18,960 --> 00:07:22,240 Speaker 4: on who we're working with. And positive reappraisal is basically 131 00:07:22,280 --> 00:07:26,600 Speaker 4: reframing a situation in a more positive way. 132 00:07:27,000 --> 00:07:29,119 Speaker 3: It doesn't mean saying, Okay, it's not bad. 133 00:07:29,320 --> 00:07:34,280 Speaker 4: So the reappraisal of you know, our political climate right 134 00:07:34,320 --> 00:07:38,440 Speaker 4: now could be you know, this is really hard, and 135 00:07:38,520 --> 00:07:43,440 Speaker 4: your initial interpretation of it can be this is election, 136 00:07:43,640 --> 00:07:45,800 Speaker 4: this is a disaster, everyone's. 137 00:07:45,360 --> 00:07:46,080 Speaker 3: Horrible, right. 138 00:07:46,440 --> 00:07:49,040 Speaker 4: That could be your initial appraisal, and your reappraisal of 139 00:07:49,120 --> 00:07:53,360 Speaker 4: that could be I am so much more aware of 140 00:07:53,720 --> 00:07:58,280 Speaker 4: politics now and what's important to me in a political 141 00:07:58,400 --> 00:08:02,880 Speaker 4: race than I ever have before. Let something good that 142 00:08:02,960 --> 00:08:06,200 Speaker 4: can come out of a situation, or my favorite positive 143 00:08:06,200 --> 00:08:08,000 Speaker 4: reappraisal is could be worse. 144 00:08:08,760 --> 00:08:10,040 Speaker 3: You can give me any situation. 145 00:08:10,200 --> 00:08:12,360 Speaker 4: I can be like, oh, I can imagine how this 146 00:08:12,440 --> 00:08:14,480 Speaker 4: could be so much worse, and it's not that bad. 147 00:08:14,600 --> 00:08:17,320 Speaker 3: So I've positively reappraised it. So that's just one of 148 00:08:17,400 --> 00:08:18,480 Speaker 3: the skills that we teach. 149 00:08:19,320 --> 00:08:22,760 Speaker 2: So when we talk about the power of positivity, it's 150 00:08:22,760 --> 00:08:26,520 Speaker 2: such a phrase, and I love alliteration, I love wordplay, 151 00:08:26,920 --> 00:08:28,280 Speaker 2: but there really is a. 152 00:08:28,360 --> 00:08:29,120 Speaker 1: Power in it. 153 00:08:29,200 --> 00:08:32,880 Speaker 2: And your research reveals what happens in our bodies when 154 00:08:32,920 --> 00:08:33,720 Speaker 2: we practice it. 155 00:08:34,120 --> 00:08:35,600 Speaker 3: What does happen in our bodies. 156 00:08:36,360 --> 00:08:39,480 Speaker 4: When you're experiencing stress of any kind, you have a 157 00:08:39,640 --> 00:08:44,120 Speaker 4: very natural and mostly adaptive stress response in your body, right, 158 00:08:44,160 --> 00:08:48,360 Speaker 4: So your heart rate increases, your palm sweat, your blood 159 00:08:48,360 --> 00:08:51,880 Speaker 4: pressure goes up, I mean, basically to prepare you to 160 00:08:52,120 --> 00:08:55,280 Speaker 4: run away or fight. So one of those sort of 161 00:08:55,400 --> 00:09:00,600 Speaker 4: evolutionarily adaptive responses that were good when we were running 162 00:09:00,679 --> 00:09:03,920 Speaker 4: from tigers. But our stress is very different today, and 163 00:09:04,280 --> 00:09:08,480 Speaker 4: chronic activation of that stress response can have a whole 164 00:09:08,520 --> 00:09:13,079 Speaker 4: host of negative physical effects from heart disease like and 165 00:09:13,679 --> 00:09:18,560 Speaker 4: greater susceptibility to infection. So what practicing some sort of 166 00:09:18,559 --> 00:09:21,840 Speaker 4: stress reduction skills like you know, our program or others, 167 00:09:22,800 --> 00:09:26,680 Speaker 4: it helps bring down that stress response, even if it's 168 00:09:27,120 --> 00:09:29,920 Speaker 4: just for a moment of respite. The experience of a 169 00:09:29,960 --> 00:09:33,160 Speaker 4: positive emotion gives you a momentary sort of a breather 170 00:09:33,760 --> 00:09:38,720 Speaker 4: to then sort of marshal yourself to then continue to 171 00:09:38,720 --> 00:09:40,400 Speaker 4: cope with whatever it is you're coping with. 172 00:09:42,360 --> 00:09:45,560 Speaker 2: We'll be right back with Judith Moscowitz. Don't go anywhere, 173 00:09:56,080 --> 00:09:56,800 Speaker 2: and we're back. 174 00:09:57,600 --> 00:10:01,080 Speaker 1: So you mentioned that you've don developed a course at 175 00:10:01,200 --> 00:10:04,880 Speaker 1: Northwestern that uses eight skills to increase positivity. I know 176 00:10:04,920 --> 00:10:07,200 Speaker 1: that you've walked us through a couple of them. I 177 00:10:07,240 --> 00:10:09,480 Speaker 1: thought it was interesting that one of the tips is 178 00:10:09,520 --> 00:10:13,080 Speaker 1: to recognize a positive event each day and then savor 179 00:10:13,120 --> 00:10:15,560 Speaker 1: that positive event by logging it in a journal or 180 00:10:15,600 --> 00:10:19,679 Speaker 1: telling someone about it. How is positivity different when experienced 181 00:10:19,679 --> 00:10:21,000 Speaker 1: in the context of community. 182 00:10:21,640 --> 00:10:24,520 Speaker 4: Oh, so this is great. So you just talked about 183 00:10:24,520 --> 00:10:27,280 Speaker 4: our first two skills. Usually the first two so noticing 184 00:10:27,320 --> 00:10:29,480 Speaker 4: positive events and savoring them. 185 00:10:29,920 --> 00:10:31,600 Speaker 3: And I think the savoring. 186 00:10:31,200 --> 00:10:36,120 Speaker 4: Part is the one that can really be practiced easily 187 00:10:36,200 --> 00:10:39,240 Speaker 4: in communities. So with other people, you can notice that, oh, 188 00:10:39,280 --> 00:10:41,800 Speaker 4: the sun's out today, isn't it lovely? And you can 189 00:10:41,880 --> 00:10:45,200 Speaker 4: experience that yourself. You can think about it later just 190 00:10:45,480 --> 00:10:47,520 Speaker 4: on your own, you can write it in your own journal, 191 00:10:47,840 --> 00:10:50,319 Speaker 4: but when you share it with someone else, then they 192 00:10:50,400 --> 00:10:53,480 Speaker 4: get to experience that positive event as well. When I'm 193 00:10:53,520 --> 00:10:57,320 Speaker 4: talking to groups of people, I often have them notice 194 00:10:57,320 --> 00:10:59,760 Speaker 4: a positive event or come up with something positive that's 195 00:10:59,760 --> 00:11:02,200 Speaker 4: happened to them in the past week, and then tell 196 00:11:02,240 --> 00:11:05,640 Speaker 4: their neighbor. And the room just rrupts because not only 197 00:11:05,679 --> 00:11:07,840 Speaker 4: are you experiencing your own positive event, but you get 198 00:11:07,880 --> 00:11:09,000 Speaker 4: to hear about theirs as well. 199 00:11:09,040 --> 00:11:10,600 Speaker 3: So that's all the more powerful. 200 00:11:11,080 --> 00:11:13,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, I was just thinking that as you share a 201 00:11:13,920 --> 00:11:16,560 Speaker 1: positive event, it's going to give someone else permission to 202 00:11:16,600 --> 00:11:20,000 Speaker 1: do the same thing. I actually really love this list 203 00:11:20,120 --> 00:11:23,960 Speaker 1: of eight tips that can help us use positive emotions 204 00:11:24,000 --> 00:11:26,600 Speaker 1: to build resilience. Well, you just list out all eight 205 00:11:26,640 --> 00:11:28,880 Speaker 1: of them for us, I think, particularly right now in 206 00:11:28,920 --> 00:11:30,120 Speaker 1: this moment that we're in, it. 207 00:11:30,120 --> 00:11:32,200 Speaker 3: Would be super helpful for our bright side besties. 208 00:11:33,040 --> 00:11:35,800 Speaker 4: So positive events and savoring were the first two that 209 00:11:35,800 --> 00:11:38,920 Speaker 4: we just talked about. The third one we teach was gratitude, 210 00:11:39,120 --> 00:11:42,880 Speaker 4: but it could be gratitude for you know, nature or God, 211 00:11:42,960 --> 00:11:45,840 Speaker 4: if that's part of your spiritual belief system, or good 212 00:11:45,880 --> 00:11:49,120 Speaker 4: things in your life you're grateful for. Our fourth skill 213 00:11:49,280 --> 00:11:54,920 Speaker 4: is mindful awareness. It's more about being aware of your 214 00:11:55,240 --> 00:11:59,840 Speaker 4: thoughts and feelings and experiences in the moment, rather than 215 00:12:00,600 --> 00:12:03,440 Speaker 4: rehashing everything that just happened to you or rehearsing what 216 00:12:03,480 --> 00:12:05,400 Speaker 4: you're going to say next. It's really living in the 217 00:12:05,440 --> 00:12:10,440 Speaker 4: moment and not judging yourself for whatever you're experiencing. And 218 00:12:10,480 --> 00:12:13,760 Speaker 4: then we also talk about sort of mindful meditation as 219 00:12:13,800 --> 00:12:16,920 Speaker 4: part of that, So that's number four. Number five is 220 00:12:17,000 --> 00:12:20,840 Speaker 4: positive reappraisal, which we've already discussed sort of reframing something. 221 00:12:21,480 --> 00:12:25,920 Speaker 4: The sixth skill self compassion. We tend to be very 222 00:12:25,960 --> 00:12:28,840 Speaker 4: hard on ourselves. No matter who you are, there's that 223 00:12:28,960 --> 00:12:31,000 Speaker 4: voice in your head telling you what you're doing wrong 224 00:12:31,120 --> 00:12:33,720 Speaker 4: or how you're not doing a good job. And the 225 00:12:33,760 --> 00:12:36,920 Speaker 4: way we sort of enter into teaching self compassion is 226 00:12:36,960 --> 00:12:41,040 Speaker 4: to imagine that your good friend or a loved one, 227 00:12:41,200 --> 00:12:45,679 Speaker 4: another loved one was talking to themselves in this really 228 00:12:45,679 --> 00:12:47,719 Speaker 4: negative way. What would you say to them? You'd say, 229 00:12:47,720 --> 00:12:50,880 Speaker 4: you know, you're being too hard on yourself. You're only human. 230 00:12:51,120 --> 00:12:54,400 Speaker 4: We're all struggling right now. Everyone's struggling in some way. 231 00:12:54,440 --> 00:12:57,240 Speaker 4: Don't be so hard on yourself. So self compassion, I think, 232 00:12:57,280 --> 00:13:01,920 Speaker 4: is a really powerful. One of these skills for number 233 00:13:01,960 --> 00:13:06,559 Speaker 4: seven is noticing personal strengths. When we're experiencing something stressful 234 00:13:06,600 --> 00:13:10,320 Speaker 4: in our lives, we can often be quick to notice 235 00:13:10,320 --> 00:13:14,200 Speaker 4: our flaws and much slower to notice what strengths we 236 00:13:14,360 --> 00:13:16,280 Speaker 4: have or what strengths we might be able to bring 237 00:13:16,320 --> 00:13:19,880 Speaker 4: to a situation. We actually will give our participants a 238 00:13:19,920 --> 00:13:23,319 Speaker 4: list of strengths good qualities that someone might have, and 239 00:13:23,400 --> 00:13:25,800 Speaker 4: it's like, which of these apply to you, right, and 240 00:13:25,840 --> 00:13:27,040 Speaker 4: then they can go through and you go, you know, 241 00:13:27,080 --> 00:13:29,199 Speaker 4: I am I'm struggling right now, I'm having a really 242 00:13:29,240 --> 00:13:33,520 Speaker 4: hard time, and I'm a really good friend, or I 243 00:13:33,559 --> 00:13:34,720 Speaker 4: have a great sense of humor. 244 00:13:34,840 --> 00:13:35,000 Speaker 1: Right. 245 00:13:35,040 --> 00:13:37,200 Speaker 4: It sort of takes you out of the immediate situation 246 00:13:37,280 --> 00:13:40,160 Speaker 4: where you might be kind of spiraling into all the 247 00:13:40,200 --> 00:13:43,640 Speaker 4: things you're doing wrong, and be like, no, put the 248 00:13:43,640 --> 00:13:46,080 Speaker 4: brakes on that, Actually, there are good things about me, 249 00:13:46,160 --> 00:13:49,600 Speaker 4: and I do have strengths that I can bring to 250 00:13:49,640 --> 00:13:50,400 Speaker 4: any situation. 251 00:13:51,240 --> 00:13:52,360 Speaker 3: And then our final one. 252 00:13:52,600 --> 00:13:55,080 Speaker 4: Another one of my favorites is sort of attainable goals, 253 00:13:55,640 --> 00:13:59,520 Speaker 4: and this is based on research that even the perception 254 00:13:59,720 --> 00:14:02,000 Speaker 4: of progress, like you don't have to reach the goal, 255 00:14:02,480 --> 00:14:05,079 Speaker 4: but just feeling like you're making progress towards the goal 256 00:14:05,440 --> 00:14:07,880 Speaker 4: helps you have more positive emotion, right, and helps you 257 00:14:07,920 --> 00:14:11,880 Speaker 4: stay engaged in the sort of coping process. So those 258 00:14:11,880 --> 00:14:15,000 Speaker 4: are the eight that are sort of in the current iteration. 259 00:14:14,600 --> 00:14:16,480 Speaker 3: Of the program. 260 00:14:16,000 --> 00:14:18,120 Speaker 1: They're great, They're fantastic. 261 00:14:18,160 --> 00:14:19,160 Speaker 3: Thank you so much for sharing. 262 00:14:19,480 --> 00:14:23,200 Speaker 4: One of the reasons we offer this array of skills, 263 00:14:23,320 --> 00:14:26,000 Speaker 4: we sometimes call it a buffet of skills, this whole 264 00:14:26,040 --> 00:14:28,720 Speaker 4: menu of things. It's not that you have to practice 265 00:14:28,760 --> 00:14:31,800 Speaker 4: all eight of these to get any benefit, right. Instead, 266 00:14:32,160 --> 00:14:35,080 Speaker 4: we try to encourage people to like, try each one, 267 00:14:35,160 --> 00:14:37,600 Speaker 4: even if you think you're gonna hate it, Just try 268 00:14:37,640 --> 00:14:39,880 Speaker 4: it for a week and see if it's maybe the 269 00:14:39,960 --> 00:14:42,440 Speaker 4: thing that'll work for you. Another thing about this is 270 00:14:42,520 --> 00:14:45,040 Speaker 4: that it's not just you go through the whatever the 271 00:14:45,080 --> 00:14:46,720 Speaker 4: five or six weeks of the program, and you learn 272 00:14:46,760 --> 00:14:47,520 Speaker 4: the skills and you're done. 273 00:14:47,760 --> 00:14:49,240 Speaker 3: That is absolutely not what it is. 274 00:14:49,640 --> 00:14:53,760 Speaker 4: It is more about hear some skills, figure out which 275 00:14:53,760 --> 00:14:55,960 Speaker 4: ones you like, and then make them a habit. It's 276 00:14:56,000 --> 00:14:59,360 Speaker 4: like physical activity. It is you've got to keep doing it. 277 00:14:59,600 --> 00:15:03,360 Speaker 1: I was just thinking about the connection between this and fitness. 278 00:15:03,640 --> 00:15:06,760 Speaker 1: This feels like a positivity workout to me, where you're 279 00:15:06,800 --> 00:15:09,160 Speaker 1: waking up every day and choosing to do two to 280 00:15:09,240 --> 00:15:11,720 Speaker 1: three exercises that are going to sharpen and strengthen that 281 00:15:11,760 --> 00:15:16,000 Speaker 1: positivity muscle. And similarly to working out, I find that 282 00:15:16,120 --> 00:15:18,400 Speaker 1: I like, for example, today I only had time for 283 00:15:18,440 --> 00:15:20,720 Speaker 1: a fifteen minute workout. I'm so glad that I got 284 00:15:20,720 --> 00:15:23,680 Speaker 1: the fifteen minutes in as opposed to nothing. You know, 285 00:15:23,760 --> 00:15:25,800 Speaker 1: it makes a big difference just working with the time 286 00:15:25,800 --> 00:15:26,400 Speaker 1: that you have. 287 00:15:26,600 --> 00:15:29,840 Speaker 4: Right, that's also a positive reappraisal. By the way, thank you, 288 00:15:30,520 --> 00:15:32,280 Speaker 4: I get to do my full workout. 289 00:15:32,480 --> 00:15:35,360 Speaker 3: I've been listening. I'm that's hilarious. But I got fifteen 290 00:15:35,400 --> 00:15:37,240 Speaker 3: minutes in. Yeah, good, very good. 291 00:15:37,720 --> 00:15:40,880 Speaker 2: So I don't know. If I have like a hard 292 00:15:40,920 --> 00:15:44,040 Speaker 2: time with morning routines, I like made it a point 293 00:15:44,080 --> 00:15:45,040 Speaker 2: to try and fix that. 294 00:15:45,120 --> 00:15:46,240 Speaker 3: I still have trouble with it. 295 00:15:46,800 --> 00:15:49,280 Speaker 2: But what I do find with habits is like there 296 00:15:49,320 --> 00:15:52,280 Speaker 2: are tools to lean on. So when you feel yourself go, 297 00:15:52,640 --> 00:15:54,840 Speaker 2: like even if you're not doing a daily gratitude journal, 298 00:15:54,920 --> 00:15:58,600 Speaker 2: when you feel yourself veering negative, you can more easily 299 00:15:58,960 --> 00:16:00,720 Speaker 2: sort of get back to neutral. 300 00:16:01,960 --> 00:16:07,200 Speaker 4: I think that's true. Or notice the negative, acknowledge it. 301 00:16:07,360 --> 00:16:09,280 Speaker 4: Say I'm having a really hard time right now, I'm 302 00:16:09,280 --> 00:16:12,280 Speaker 4: feeling really sad, right, maybe there's something I can do 303 00:16:12,360 --> 00:16:14,520 Speaker 4: to bring a little more positive emotion into my day. 304 00:16:14,800 --> 00:16:17,720 Speaker 1: Well, we wanted to ask you about that because you 305 00:16:17,840 --> 00:16:21,040 Speaker 1: also you make a point to acknowledge that negative emotions 306 00:16:21,080 --> 00:16:23,760 Speaker 1: can be beneficial. How do we make the most of 307 00:16:23,800 --> 00:16:26,320 Speaker 1: them and also not let them consume us? 308 00:16:26,800 --> 00:16:29,640 Speaker 4: Right? So, I mean this gets more into sort of 309 00:16:29,640 --> 00:16:31,120 Speaker 4: the clinical realm for sure. 310 00:16:31,280 --> 00:16:34,680 Speaker 3: So we love clinical here talk. I mean, talk to 311 00:16:34,760 --> 00:16:35,880 Speaker 3: your therapist about this. 312 00:16:36,200 --> 00:16:40,880 Speaker 4: But from my perspective as sort of an emotions researcher, 313 00:16:41,720 --> 00:16:47,440 Speaker 4: it's acknowledging that emotions are functional, and you know, when 314 00:16:47,480 --> 00:16:51,560 Speaker 4: you're feeling really anxious, it means there's something in your 315 00:16:51,560 --> 00:16:54,160 Speaker 4: life that needs attention, So try to figure out where 316 00:16:54,160 --> 00:16:55,280 Speaker 4: that anxiety, where that. 317 00:16:55,240 --> 00:16:56,680 Speaker 3: Anxious feeling is coming from. 318 00:16:56,760 --> 00:16:59,680 Speaker 4: Or if you're feeling really sad, maybe it's a sign 319 00:16:59,760 --> 00:17:02,160 Speaker 4: that something's not working and you need to let go. 320 00:17:03,160 --> 00:17:06,560 Speaker 4: Notice the emotions. Part of the program that isn't an 321 00:17:06,560 --> 00:17:11,840 Speaker 4: explicit skill, but we try to include is understanding that 322 00:17:11,880 --> 00:17:15,480 Speaker 4: it's not just heavy or sad or anxious or calm, 323 00:17:15,720 --> 00:17:18,840 Speaker 4: but there's a whole array of emotions that can be 324 00:17:18,920 --> 00:17:23,520 Speaker 4: really nuanced in terms of how positive or negative they are, 325 00:17:23,600 --> 00:17:26,480 Speaker 4: and how sort of high activation low activation they are. 326 00:17:26,520 --> 00:17:28,000 Speaker 3: So something like like when I talk. 327 00:17:27,840 --> 00:17:33,720 Speaker 4: About anxiety or terror, are that those are high activation 328 00:17:33,920 --> 00:17:39,960 Speaker 4: or high high activation negative valence emotions, and then there's 329 00:17:40,160 --> 00:17:44,000 Speaker 4: low activation negative emotions, so low activation is more like sadness. 330 00:17:44,640 --> 00:17:47,560 Speaker 3: So it's understanding your emotions. 331 00:17:47,600 --> 00:17:51,399 Speaker 4: I think it's important to acknowledge them and the negative 332 00:17:51,440 --> 00:17:56,000 Speaker 4: emotions and also understand that you're not just one emotion 333 00:17:56,840 --> 00:17:59,879 Speaker 4: at any given time. So I think it's the un 334 00:18:00,040 --> 00:18:03,280 Speaker 4: understanding of the mix and the ability to know that 335 00:18:03,359 --> 00:18:07,440 Speaker 4: you can bring more positive emotion into your life if 336 00:18:07,480 --> 00:18:10,560 Speaker 4: you want to sort of balance out the negative. 337 00:18:11,480 --> 00:18:13,080 Speaker 2: We have to take a quick break, but we'll be 338 00:18:13,160 --> 00:18:23,439 Speaker 2: right back with Judith Moscowitz. And we're back with Judith Moscowitz. 339 00:18:24,119 --> 00:18:26,520 Speaker 1: Everyone always tells us to sit with our emotions, but 340 00:18:26,600 --> 00:18:28,800 Speaker 1: I find that advice kind of frustrating because it's like, 341 00:18:28,960 --> 00:18:31,480 Speaker 1: what does that even mean? Yeah, I'm already sitting down 342 00:18:31,600 --> 00:18:34,959 Speaker 1: and I'm feeling sad, so I'm here, I'm doing it. 343 00:18:35,680 --> 00:18:38,560 Speaker 1: I found that writing is a great tool for me 344 00:18:38,640 --> 00:18:41,439 Speaker 1: personally in terms of sitting with like I need an activity, 345 00:18:41,760 --> 00:18:44,880 Speaker 1: But as an emotions researcher, what is the best way 346 00:18:44,920 --> 00:18:46,080 Speaker 1: to sit with our emotions? 347 00:18:46,600 --> 00:18:50,600 Speaker 4: That's a brilliant example to write them down. What I 348 00:18:50,680 --> 00:18:53,000 Speaker 4: was just saying about sort of acknowledging them. I think 349 00:18:53,119 --> 00:18:57,840 Speaker 4: so many people are used to feeling whatever they're feeling, 350 00:18:58,000 --> 00:18:59,800 Speaker 4: Like it's we're a. 351 00:19:01,840 --> 00:19:04,160 Speaker 3: Feeling the negative emotions, and there's. 352 00:19:04,040 --> 00:19:08,840 Speaker 4: All the societal pushtages be happy, you'll live longer, you'll 353 00:19:08,840 --> 00:19:10,840 Speaker 4: be healthier, people will. 354 00:19:10,760 --> 00:19:11,240 Speaker 3: Like you more. 355 00:19:11,359 --> 00:19:15,000 Speaker 4: Just be happy and really sort of vilifying the negative emotions. 356 00:19:15,119 --> 00:19:18,080 Speaker 3: Yeah, and that's that doesn't do anyone any good. 357 00:19:18,160 --> 00:19:22,359 Speaker 4: Honestly, it's yeah, if you're feeling some sort of negative emotion, 358 00:19:23,080 --> 00:19:26,800 Speaker 4: write about it, just acknowledge it. Label it is really 359 00:19:26,840 --> 00:19:29,720 Speaker 4: helpful as well, I'm feeling what is this feeling that 360 00:19:29,760 --> 00:19:32,159 Speaker 4: I'm feeling, right? And oh, this is you know, a 361 00:19:32,200 --> 00:19:36,359 Speaker 4: mix of sadness and frustration that you know, Like, I 362 00:19:36,400 --> 00:19:39,119 Speaker 4: think those labels can be really helpful, and it's another 363 00:19:39,119 --> 00:19:41,640 Speaker 4: way to sit with your emotions, and certainly writing them 364 00:19:41,680 --> 00:19:45,240 Speaker 4: out helps you understand sort of the nuances of what's 365 00:19:45,280 --> 00:19:49,479 Speaker 4: going on and might help you find some space and 366 00:19:49,800 --> 00:19:52,680 Speaker 4: snuggle up alongside those negative emotions and know that they're 367 00:19:52,680 --> 00:19:54,520 Speaker 4: not the only things you can experience. 368 00:19:54,640 --> 00:19:55,560 Speaker 2: Right. Yeah. 369 00:19:56,119 --> 00:20:00,400 Speaker 1: I also noticed something subtle that you did earlier when 370 00:20:00,720 --> 00:20:04,639 Speaker 1: describing I think you are describing how to reframe and 371 00:20:04,760 --> 00:20:07,480 Speaker 1: instead of using the word butt in a sentence, used 372 00:20:07,520 --> 00:20:10,960 Speaker 1: and And I think that's a big one too, being 373 00:20:11,000 --> 00:20:13,880 Speaker 1: able to say I am feeling this and I am 374 00:20:13,920 --> 00:20:18,600 Speaker 1: also this. Those slight language shifts are very powerful. 375 00:20:19,520 --> 00:20:21,520 Speaker 3: Yes, and I'm glad I said it that way. I 376 00:20:21,800 --> 00:20:23,359 Speaker 3: always catch that. But that's great. 377 00:20:23,480 --> 00:20:27,000 Speaker 4: Yes, it's an and not a butt or not really. 378 00:20:27,000 --> 00:20:31,639 Speaker 4: Instead of we're not replacing the negative emotions in our lives, 379 00:20:31,680 --> 00:20:34,240 Speaker 4: we're making space for the positive alongside them. 380 00:20:34,440 --> 00:20:38,199 Speaker 2: Yes. Well, speaking of word choice, we noticed that you 381 00:20:38,760 --> 00:20:44,320 Speaker 2: use a term reservoir of positive emotions. I love imagery 382 00:20:44,359 --> 00:20:46,600 Speaker 2: when I'm trying to understand or learn something new, So 383 00:20:46,640 --> 00:20:49,520 Speaker 2: I really like that. The reservoir makes me think of 384 00:20:49,560 --> 00:20:52,280 Speaker 2: like a big mass of water of all the positivity. 385 00:20:52,800 --> 00:20:55,520 Speaker 2: How can someone build that reservoir? 386 00:20:56,320 --> 00:20:58,000 Speaker 3: I also love that language. 387 00:20:58,000 --> 00:21:00,280 Speaker 4: And some of this insight really came to me during 388 00:21:00,280 --> 00:21:02,320 Speaker 4: the pandemic, when I felt like, you know, we were 389 00:21:02,320 --> 00:21:04,760 Speaker 4: all doing with the pandemic, and it kept going, and 390 00:21:04,800 --> 00:21:09,200 Speaker 4: it kept going, and although we felt like maybe we 391 00:21:09,200 --> 00:21:13,600 Speaker 4: were back to our regular lives, when anything stressful would happen, 392 00:21:13,800 --> 00:21:16,639 Speaker 4: it was like there was no buffer, right, There was 393 00:21:16,760 --> 00:21:20,840 Speaker 4: no reservoir, right. So I think through practicing these skills, 394 00:21:20,920 --> 00:21:25,080 Speaker 4: it can sort of help you build up your reserves 395 00:21:25,200 --> 00:21:29,359 Speaker 4: or your reservoir or your buffer against the whatever you 396 00:21:29,480 --> 00:21:32,760 Speaker 4: have to cope with next, right, the next stressful thing 397 00:21:32,800 --> 00:21:36,320 Speaker 4: that comes, because when you're running low on those reserves 398 00:21:37,200 --> 00:21:39,680 Speaker 4: and something happens, you've got no gas in the tank 399 00:21:39,800 --> 00:21:44,160 Speaker 4: to then continue to sort of cope with the stress. 400 00:21:44,800 --> 00:21:48,399 Speaker 2: What advice would you give to people who want to 401 00:21:48,480 --> 00:21:54,800 Speaker 2: stay politically informed, politically engaged, and don't want to sacrifice 402 00:21:55,280 --> 00:21:58,359 Speaker 2: their mental well being or like go into any of 403 00:21:58,400 --> 00:21:59,760 Speaker 2: those negative emotions. 404 00:22:00,480 --> 00:22:05,639 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's the way you said. Yeah, it's so challenging. 405 00:22:05,800 --> 00:22:10,040 Speaker 4: Yeah, this is like this, you know, giving myself advice here. 406 00:22:10,840 --> 00:22:15,480 Speaker 4: There's something about the way we tend to stay politically informed. 407 00:22:15,520 --> 00:22:18,640 Speaker 4: So we're on social media, we're scrolling the news, we're 408 00:22:18,640 --> 00:22:21,560 Speaker 4: doom scrolling as we think about it, and something about 409 00:22:21,640 --> 00:22:25,680 Speaker 4: that gives us a feeling of control, right, just knowing 410 00:22:25,680 --> 00:22:27,600 Speaker 4: about it. If I see the latest falls, if I 411 00:22:27,640 --> 00:22:30,439 Speaker 4: see the latest predictions, then I'll feel better. But it 412 00:22:30,760 --> 00:22:34,600 Speaker 4: somehow doesn't magically work that way. What I try to 413 00:22:34,680 --> 00:22:40,120 Speaker 4: do is stay informed and then also have other things 414 00:22:40,160 --> 00:22:42,159 Speaker 4: that sort of bring me joy in my life. 415 00:22:42,240 --> 00:22:45,520 Speaker 1: Right, I do have a question for you. Have you 416 00:22:45,560 --> 00:22:48,200 Speaker 1: found in your research that there's a link between purpose 417 00:22:48,240 --> 00:22:52,119 Speaker 1: and positivity, because I think that a lot of people 418 00:22:52,200 --> 00:22:57,200 Speaker 1: find that activism or you know, expressing political attitudes and 419 00:22:57,240 --> 00:23:02,400 Speaker 1: beliefs through purposeful behavior does generate some positive emotions for them. 420 00:23:03,800 --> 00:23:07,399 Speaker 4: Yeah, there is absolutely a link between positive emotion and 421 00:23:07,640 --> 00:23:10,840 Speaker 4: sort of sense of meaning and purpose. They're not the 422 00:23:11,000 --> 00:23:14,200 Speaker 4: same thing, but they are absolutely related. And you see 423 00:23:14,240 --> 00:23:17,840 Speaker 4: that people who have a sense of meaning or have 424 00:23:18,240 --> 00:23:21,199 Speaker 4: a way to engage in activities that bring them a 425 00:23:21,200 --> 00:23:24,760 Speaker 4: lot of meaning and purpose. They will have more positive 426 00:23:24,760 --> 00:23:29,800 Speaker 4: emotion and more sort of overall well being. So I 427 00:23:29,840 --> 00:23:33,240 Speaker 4: think it's a great way to think about political engagement 428 00:23:34,119 --> 00:23:37,840 Speaker 4: that if that brings you meaning to be engaged and 429 00:23:37,920 --> 00:23:40,480 Speaker 4: to fight for the causes that you believe. 430 00:23:40,119 --> 00:23:43,560 Speaker 3: In, it's going to increase your wellbeing. 431 00:23:43,840 --> 00:23:47,080 Speaker 4: And it's also going to increase positive emotion, which is 432 00:23:47,080 --> 00:23:49,000 Speaker 4: sort of a subset of overall well being. 433 00:23:50,200 --> 00:23:56,920 Speaker 2: I think this has been really positive. We so appreciate 434 00:23:57,000 --> 00:23:59,240 Speaker 2: your time. Thank you for joining us on the right side. 435 00:23:59,320 --> 00:24:01,479 Speaker 3: Judith, thank you so much. I've really enjoyed it. 436 00:24:03,760 --> 00:24:07,320 Speaker 1: Judith Moskowitz is a professor at Northwestern University who studies 437 00:24:07,359 --> 00:24:10,359 Speaker 1: the mental and physical health effects of positive emotion during 438 00:24:10,400 --> 00:24:11,200 Speaker 1: times of stress. 439 00:24:16,160 --> 00:24:17,280 Speaker 3: That's it for today's show. 440 00:24:17,320 --> 00:24:21,679 Speaker 2: Tomorrow, we're celebrating Hello Sunshine's brand new wine Drop of 441 00:24:21,720 --> 00:24:25,600 Speaker 2: Sunshine with Master Somoyer at Jillian Balance Plus. She'll share 442 00:24:25,600 --> 00:24:30,080 Speaker 2: the ultimate holiday wine pairing guide to make your festivities unforgettable. 443 00:24:30,960 --> 00:24:33,639 Speaker 2: Thank you to our partners at Coligard. The one of 444 00:24:33,680 --> 00:24:36,159 Speaker 2: a kind way to screen for colon cancer in the 445 00:24:36,200 --> 00:24:38,919 Speaker 2: privacy and comfort of your own home, talk to your 446 00:24:38,960 --> 00:24:42,280 Speaker 2: doctor or healthcare provider, or go to coliguard dot com 447 00:24:42,320 --> 00:24:46,040 Speaker 2: slash podcast to see if you are eligible to order online. 448 00:24:46,280 --> 00:24:48,480 Speaker 2: If you're forty five or older and at average risk, 449 00:24:48,840 --> 00:24:52,480 Speaker 2: ask your healthcare provider about screening for colon cancer with Coligard. 450 00:24:52,880 --> 00:24:55,959 Speaker 2: You can also request a coli Guard prescription today at 451 00:24:56,000 --> 00:24:58,160 Speaker 2: coligard dot com slash podcast. 452 00:24:59,240 --> 00:25:02,800 Speaker 1: Join the com using hashtag the bright Side and connect 453 00:25:02,800 --> 00:25:06,040 Speaker 1: with us on social media at Hello Sunshine on Instagram 454 00:25:06,080 --> 00:25:09,280 Speaker 1: and at The bright Side Pod on TikTok Oh, and 455 00:25:09,280 --> 00:25:11,880 Speaker 1: feel free to tag us at Simone Voice and at 456 00:25:12,000 --> 00:25:13,000 Speaker 1: Danielle Robe. 457 00:25:13,560 --> 00:25:16,480 Speaker 2: Listen and follow The bright Side on the iHeartRadio app, 458 00:25:16,560 --> 00:25:19,199 Speaker 2: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 459 00:25:19,600 --> 00:25:23,080 Speaker 1: See you tomorrow, folks, Keep looking on the bright side.