Barbara Fredrickson Quotes

• Positivity doesn't just change the contents of your mind...It widens the span of possibilities that you see.

  Barbara Fredrickson

  Positivity, Mind, Emotion

  Barbara Fredrickson (2009). “Positivity: Top-Notch Research Reveals the Upward Spiral That Will Change Your Life”, p.9, Harmony

  65 Copy quote

• Positivity opens us. The first core truth about positive emotions is that they open our hearts and our minds, making us more receptive and more creative.

  Barbara Fredrickson

  Positive, Truth, Heart

  Barbara Fredrickson (2009). “Positivity: Top-Notch Research Reveals the Upward Spiral That Will Change Your Life”, p.21, Harmony

  81 Copy quote

• Positive people are able to maintain a broader perspective and see the big picture which helps them identify solutions where as negative people maintain a narrower perspective and tend to focus on problems.

  Barbara Fredrickson

  Attitude, People, Perspective

  87 Copy quote

• Flourishing goes beyond happiness, or satisfaction with life. True, people who flourish are happy. But that's not the half of it. Beyond feeling good, they're also doing good-adding value to the world.

  Barbara Fredrickson

  People, Feel Good, True Life

  Barbara Fredrickson (2009). “Positivity: Top-Notch Research Reveals the Upward Spiral That Will Change Your Life”, p.17, Harmony

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• The negative screams at you but the positive only whispers.

  Barbara Fredrickson

  Negative, Scream

  48 Copy quote

• The benefits of positive emotions don't stop after a few minutes of good feelings subside. In fact, the biggest benefit that positive emotions provide is an enhanced ability to build skills and develop resources for use later in life.

  Barbara Fredrickson

  Skills, Later In Life, Feelings

  54 Copy quote

• When we inject people with positivity, their outlook expands. They see the big picture. When we inject them with neutrality or negativity, their peripheral vision shrinks. There is no big picture, no dots to connect.

  Barbara Fredrickson

  Positive, Positivity, People

  Barbara Fredrickson (2009). “Positivity: Top-Notch Research Reveals the Upward Spiral That Will Change Your Life”, p.57, Harmony

  65 Copy quote

• Love is that micro-moment of warmth and connection that you share with another living being

  Barbara Fredrickson

  Love, Psychology, Connections

  Barbara L. Fredrickson, Ph.D. (2013). “Love 2.0: Finding Happiness and Health in Moments of Connection”, p.12, Penguin

  69 Copy quote

• Positive emotions are not trivial luxuries, but instead might be critical necessities for optimal functioning.

  Barbara Fredrickson

  Luxury, Might, Emotion

  40 Copy quote

• Flourishing is not a solo endeavor.

  Barbara Fredrickson

  Flourishing, Solo, Endeavor

  Barbara Fredrickson (2010). “Positivity”, p.158, Oneworld Publications

  42 Copy quote

• Positivity transforms us for the better.

  Barbara Fredrickson

  Positive, Positivity

  Barbara Fredrickson (2010). “Positivity: Groundbreaking Research to Release Your Inner Optimist and Thrive”, p.24, Oneworld Publications

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• Love is a momentary upwelling of three tightly interwoven events: First, a sharing of one or more positive emotions between you and another; second, a synchrony between your and the other person’s biochemistry and behaviors; and third, a reflected motive to invest in each other’s well-being that brings mutual care

  Barbara Fredrickson

  Love Is, Events, Three

  Barbara L. Fredrickson, Ph.D. (2013). “Love 2.0: Finding Happiness and Health in Moments of Connection”, p.21, Penguin

  43 Copy quote

• Scientists have shown that because positive and open mindsets produce exploration and experiential learning, they also come to produce more-accurate mental maps of the world.

  Barbara Fredrickson

  Positive, World, Maps

  Barbara Fredrickson (2009). “Positivity: Top-Notch Research Reveals the Upward Spiral That Will Change Your Life”, p.23, Harmony

  43 Copy quote

• Love requires you to be physically and emotionally present. It also requires that you slow down.

  Barbara Fredrickson

  Slow Down

  Barbara L. Fredrickson, Ph.D. (2013). “Love 2.0: Finding Happiness and Health in Moments of Connection”, p.23, Penguin

  32 Copy quote

• My all-time favorite topic in positive psychology is the study of positive emotions. I'm fascinated by how pleasant experiences, which can be so subtle and fleeting, can add up over time to change who we become. I'm especially excited these days about investigating how positive emotions change the very ways that our cells form and function to keep us healthy.

  Barbara Fredrickson

  Cells, Psychology, Healthy

  "Barbara Fredrickson Talks About…". Interview with Seph Fontane Pennock, positivepsychologynews.com. January 20, 2015.

  32 Copy quote

• The boundaries between you and not-you — what lies beyond your skin — relax and become more permeable. While infused with love you see fewer distinctions between you and others. Indeed, your ability to see others — really see them, wholeheartedly — springs open.

  Barbara Fredrickson

  Spring, Lying, Love You

  Barbara L. Fredrickson, Ph.D. (2013). “Love 2.0: Finding Happiness and Health in Moments of Connection”, p.20, Penguin

  32 Copy quote

• It turns out that unexplained positivity lasts longer than positivity we analyze until we fully understand it.

  Barbara Fredrickson

  Positive, Positivity, Lasts

  Barbara Fredrickson (2009). “Positivity: Top-Notch Research Reveals the Upward Spiral That Will Change Your Life”, p.50, Harmony

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• Positivity psychology is part and parcel of psychology. Being human includes both ups and downs, opportunities and challenges. Positive psychology devotes somewhat more attention to the ups and the opportunities, whereas traditional psychology - at least historically - has paid more attention to the downs.

  Barbara Fredrickson

  Positivity, Opportunity, Psychology

  "Barbara Fredrickson Talks About…". Interview with Seph Fontane Pennock, positivepsychologynews.com. January 20, 2015.

  21 Copy quote

• Positive thinking is just one small part of positive psychology. Plus, as an approach to well-being, positive thinking only helps you to the extent that it yields one or more positive emotions. The problem with positive thinking is that it sometimes just stays up "in the head" and fails to drip down to become a fully embodied experience.

  Barbara Fredrickson

  Positive Thinking, Yield, Psychology

  "Barbara Fredrickson Talks About…". Interview with Seph Fontane Pennock, positivepsychologynews.com. January 20, 2015.

  19 Copy quote

• Positive psychology is both a movement and a science. The movement involves absolutely anyone who is interested in evidence-based approaches to improving well-being, either for themselves or for their community. I invite you to join this movement!

  Barbara Fredrickson

  Community, Psychology, Movement

  "Barbara Fredrickson Talks About…". Interview with Seph Fontane Pennock, positivepsychologynews.com. January 20, 2015.

  17 Copy quote

• Taking delight in my family, my time in nature, and in the chance to do work that I find endlessly fascinating and rewarding. My smile grows even bigger when I think about how lucky I am to have such delights be part of my everyday life.

  Barbara Fredrickson

  Thinking, Everyday, Lucky

  "Barbara Fredrickson Talks About…". Interview with Seph Fontane Pennock, positivepsychologynews.com. September 24, 2015.

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• I began studying human emotions more than twenty years ago. At that time, almost every scientist working in this area was studying one of the negative emotions, like fear, anger, anxiety, or depression. I wondered why no scientists cared to explain why we humans sometimes feel upbeat and pleasant. I liked the idea of charting new terrain. It's been a fun intellectual puzzle. There's so much to discover!

  Barbara Fredrickson

  Fun, Years, Ideas

  "Barbara Fredrickson Talks About…". Interview with Seph Fontane Pennock, positivepsychologynews.com. January 20, 2015.

  10 Copy quote

• You know that saying 'A little knowledge is a dangerous thing'? That's so true of positive psychology. Our latest research tells us that the pursuit of happiness is a delicate art. Certain approaches to seeking happiness are now known to backfire, whereas others are effective.

  Barbara Fredrickson

  Art, Pursuit Of Happiness, Psychology

  "Barbara Fredrickson Talks About…". Interview with Seph Fontane Pennock, positivepsychologynews.com. January 20, 2015.

  12 Copy quote

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