Do you find yourself waiting for the other shoe to drop in times of joy? Many of us are guilty of worrying even when things are going well in our lives. However, recent research has found that fully experiencing your emotions of joy can help you cope more effectively with times of distress. Sonja Lyubomirsky, a psychologist at the University of California-Riverside, says that positive emotions do not set you up for disappointment, but rather can actually help you achieve your goals and desires by ameliorating your outlook on what you hope to accomplish.
There are simple steps to help yourself savor the good moments without dwelling on the potential bad. Focusing on your values, finding pride in your accomplishments, and noticing when you are spiraling into a hole of worry will all help you come to terms with the reality that a balanced life is a healthy life, and loving the good moments is productive and well deserved, not naive. Read the full solutions news article to learn more about reducing the worry in your life (Note: the source article is from the New York Times, so be wary of monthly free article limits if you are not a subscriber.)