Emotions very easily pass from one person to another: at a subconscious level, we feel the experiences of the people around us and fall under their not always positive influence.
Why are bad emotions contagious?
If we move away from scientific terminology, emotions in our body spread through a wireless network of mirror neurons - they are controlled by a small department in our head that understands and empathizes with other people's emotions. Remember how your colleagues began to yawn after you, and your friend fell into despondency from a sad story you told or began to smile, being infected with your good mood. You, like air, breathe in the bad mood of colleagues in the office, the gloom of friends at gatherings in a cafe and the aggressiveness of fellow travelers on public transport.
And it would be good if positive emotions turned out to be "contagious", but no - in most cases we collect one negative from others. Studies show that just the kind of person who is under the influence of negative experiences, stress or depression, immediately affects our well-being. The brain reads them and immediately triggers a response in the body. To "catch" negative emotions, you don't even need to talk to the person about their problems. It is enough just to be around, having caught the "anxiety enzyme".
Interestingly, all this applies to everything that you see on the screen, read in a book or on a tablet. After watching Game of Thrones at night or reading Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky, you certainly won't fall asleep as a happy person.
How to Strengthen Emotional Immunity
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So what should you do? Become a recluse, work from home and not hang out with friends? Of course not! Use our tips to neutralize the negative effects of other people's emotions and strengthen your emotional immunity.
Incorporate positive thinking
Change your attitude towards everything that happens around you. Even stress and depression can be taken with humor - why not lie for a couple of days on the couch in your pajamas, killing time watching endless TV shows or reading your favorite book? Do not take stress as a threat, because it is in extreme situations that the steel is hardened. Then, having entered the usual mode, you will perceive any daily activities at home and at work as a fairy tale. Do not fall into tears when you see, for example, a stray cat in the yard, but take it as a challenge - it is in your power to feed it deliciously, cure it and put it in good hands.
Act on the principle of "throwing the supply wire"
Choose behaviors for yourself that neutralize negative influences. Do not catch these emotions on the fly, but act according to the principle of "tossing the supply wire". Empathize, ask how to help, and if there is such an opportunity, help the person, but do not dive into the ocean of stress, melancholy and hopelessness. Respond to any negativity with a positive emotion.
Strengthen your immunity
The best defense against negativity is strong self-esteem. If you love yourself, do not suffer from complexes and do not engage in self-flagellation, it will be more difficult for a negative influence to cling to you. Whenever you feel unwell after talking to someone around you, stop for 5 minutes and think about what exactly made you feel sad. If you are doing well, there is no point in longing for "company".
Be proactive
Plan activities throughout the day that are guaranteed to lift your spirits. Going to work - dress beautifully, do your makeup and hair, and every time you look in the mirror, you will cheer yourself up. On your way to the office, buy yourself a cup of aromatic coffee to enjoy to the sounds of the waking city. Grab tasty and healthy snacks for work, "present" yourself a visit to a spa or sports club in the evening, take a walk in the park, chat with friends or spend time with your loved one. Surely you will find your own "chips" - use them.
Sport is great power
Nothing clears the head of negative thoughts like a walk or jog in the park, workout in a sports club or in the fresh air, meditation. Feel like your bad mood is approaching a dangerous point? Run to the stadium! Save up for this case a bright sports uniform that will delight you with one of its looks. After 5 minutes, there will be no trace of a bad mood.
Author: Svetlana Belova