Accumulating Positive Emotions
Greetings, OPAL Community!
Our skill this week is Accumulating Positive Emotions in the Long Term from the Emotion Regulation module. This skill helps us to make changes in our daily lives so that we can each build a Life Worth Living based on our personal goals and aspirations.
The first step to Accumulating Positive Emotions in the Long Term is identifying your own personal Values. We think of Values as the compass for a fulfilled and meaningful life; they are the things that matter the most to us. Values give us direction for creating goals and making steps toward who we want to be, and let us know when our behavior is off course. If you are unsure of what your Values are, check out the exercises in this video or a values card sort activity.
After you have identified your personal Values, you can assess how your current behavior aligns. We know that our lives feel more meaningful and satisfying when our behavior is in line with the things that matter to us! If you find you are not currently taking steps in line with your Values, you can begin Accumulating Positive Emotions in the
Long Term by creating and working toward goals that move you in the right direction. To create Value-Driven Goals:
Choose a Value you would like to work on (e.g., Friendship)
Identify a Goal in line with this Value (e.g., connect with friends more often)
Define the Goal more specifically as needed (e.g., talk to 3 friends each week)
Create Action Steps that will help you reach your goal (e.g., choose 3 friends to connect with this week, decide what format to connect [text, Zoom, etc.], choose when to reach out during the week, set a reminder on phone)
Take the First Step, then the next… (e.g., first: choose 3 friends)