Skip to main content


Repost Message will copy the article into draft mode and enable you to edit/change dates and information.
Do not change the dates of this posting because it will affect the original.

MCC Daily Tribune

Wellness Wednesday: Cultivating Resilience with Positive Emotion

As humans, we have a negativity bias, meaning that our brains are wired to assess what is wrong. This also means that we often feel the sting of criticism more robustly than we feel the joy of praise. The good news: we all have the ability to be in control of our emotions (not the other way around), and we can consciously choose to practice skills that encourage us to see the glass as “half full.” Challenging negative self-talk and reframing our thinking to be more positive will, in turn, impact our feelings and subsequently our behaviors/how we respond to the people and places around us. We know that emotions happen, and that they can also be hugely helpful and necessary. Emotions are also contagious. Make it your mission to spread happy germs this week! Here are 10 common, positive emotions provided by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, along with examples of ways that we can try to feel them more often:

  • Joy: play
  • Gratitude: give creatively
  • Serenity: savor and integrate
  • Interest: explore
  • Hope: be inventive
  • Pride: dream big
  • Amusement: share laughter, insights
  • Inspiration: aspire to excellence
  • Awe: accommodate the new
  • Love: play, explore, savor, dream

Resilience is defined as the flexibility to respond to changing situational demands; the ability to bounce back from negative or challenging experiences (Hefferon & Boniwell, 2011). We know that positive emotions enable and build resilience, and we therefore encourage you to ground in any positive experiences/feelings you may notice this week.

Additionally, we will be hosting a drop-in Zoom workshop for students today, 3/10, at noon titled “Cultivating Resilience with Positive Emotion.” The workshop will expand upon the content mentioned above.

Zoom Information for today’s workshop: 

Meeting ID: 868 7345 5270

One tap mobile

+19292056099,,86873455270# US (New York)

+13017158592,,86873455270# US (Washington DC)

Dial by your location

        +1 929 205 6099 US (New York)

        +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)

        +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)

        +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)

        +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)

        +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)

Meeting ID: 868 7345 5270

Find your local number: https://monroecommunity.zoom.us/u/keefQJwkaz

Morgan Kennell
Counseling Center & Disability Services
03/10/2021