You're Infected with Negativity Viruses

Are you in a place where you often find yourself feeling down or angry or upset all the time? No one wants to spend all their time like this, and one question that many researchers have started pondering is what role groups have to play in this regard. Have you ever been in a room with people who can light it up just by walking in? There is a good chance that you have, and you will also find that there is a good chance that you have also been in a room with a person who can kill the mood as well! As it turns out, a lot of research is being done that points to the people that we spend time with really influence the way we think and feel.

In the first place, think about the fact that emotion is contagious. Whether it is a mechanism of mirror neurons, which react the same way towards seeing something as doing it, or simply because it is a survival trait that said that people who are together should feel the same thing for safety's sake, it is true that the more that people hang around with each other, the more likely they are to think and act alike. Take some time and think about it, and chances are, very soon, you will find yourself in a place where you can think of when this has happened to you.

Putting someone into an environment that has a lot of something is one good way to make sure that they pick it up as well. Of course this can range from things like accents to colds, but you will find that it can also cover more intangible things like moods, behaviors and attitudes as well. For instance, have you ever found that you have suddenly passed an entire hour in gossip, even though you don't care to do it? What might have happened is that you were hanging out with a group who spends a lot of time gossiping and uses it as a matter of course. To be a part of things, you unconsciously joined in.

When you are on a path to emotional wellness make sure you look at your surroundings. Emotions and mindsets can be caught like a cold. If you are around people who are angry, depressed, or negative you can too pick this up. Limit the time you spend around people in these states.

That being said, the converse is also true. Being around people who are positive can make you more positive, and being around people who work hard and who are happy can make you more contented and happy as well. Take some time and really consider how you are being affected and what you can do to change it. This does not mean that you should stop seeing depressed or angry people entirely; in many cases, they are quite important to you and have many good points. Just make sure that you go in with some guards up to deflect some of the negativity and that you maintain your own inner optimism. This is something that nurses, policemen, doctors and hospice workers do as a matter of course, and it can help you in your relationships as well!