You have a pretty good day at work, no major complications or problems. You are feeling pretty good – and then you walk in the front door. Your spouse has not had the same positive day that you have. He had a conflict with his supervisor, an argument with a co-worker, and his computer’s hard drive was infected with a virus. He is unhappy to say the least. Actually, he is downright crabby. He snaps at you with a sarcastic comment, and the next thing you know, you are slinging mud and feeling angry as well. What happened? Carl Jung said “Emotions are contagious” and indeed they are. We have all experienced the above scenario, whether we were on the sending or receiving side of the equation. But just as negative emotions can sour the mood, positive emotions can lift the spirits of those around us.
Sometimes we need to practice being aware of what we feel when we are around others. If they are negative, our awareness can help us to be purposeful in choosing not to be like him or her. It may even require that we remove ourselves from the situation – just as we would if they had the flu. But the biggest impact that we can have is concerning how our emotions and behavior affect others. If emotions are contagious – what do we want to give our partner? Depression or encouragement? Sadness or Joy? Self-doubt or self-confidence? You can choose to positively impact the one that you love. Who knows – your smile might go viral. What will you pass on today?