DaveShearon

Thursday Tunes -- "Let My People Go-Go"

I've been thinking I need some new tunes to enjoy. So, here's one I ran across this week. Not "new", but new to me. The music and words both point to the importance of frequent positive emotions, though I suspect it may, for some people, trigger the "Fluffy Fallacy" - the idea that positive emotions and well-being are "fluffy" and non-serious. The research refutes this fallacy, so enjoy knowing you are probably tipping yourself to a more productive, successful state!

Thursday Tunes -- The Gambler

It's time and past time for another entry in the Positive Psychology through Country Music series, so here it is.  Thanks to Chris Peterson for this one; his comment on a listserve pointed out the connection.

For a while, researchers thought optimists were likely to keep pursuing impossible goals.  Turns out to be wrong.  They quit on impossible goals, maybe even sooner than pessimists, but the keep after possible goals with high levels of energy.  That's what Karen Reivich and Jane Gillham call "flexible and accurate thinking."  Further, according to Suzanne Segerstrom, optimists are better at setting goals that are aligned with their values and they tend to pursue goals across the important domains of life -- work, family, friends, leisure, community.  In other words, they are often balanced.  So, in honor of these flexible, accurate, goal-oriented, persistent, energetic, and balanced folks -- Kenny Rogers and The Gambler!