When you are feeling negative emotions, you ruminate on the past; look into the future with worries; and miss the present moment. But when you are feeling positive emotions, you can look back on the past with gladness; look into the future with hope; and enjoy the present moment.
The greatest place of understanding yourself is from inside. Take few minutes each day to understand yourself through introspection. What went really well today? Did you react to a negative emotion? What could you have done differently to handle that situation? Ask these questions on a regular basis. Eventually you will be able to catch the negative emotions as they arise and hence have a greater control on how you respond or react.
The power of positive emotions should never be underestimated. Cultivating positive emotions not only have cardiovascular benefits but also mental benefits. There are more positive events happening than negative in our lives. But we don't spend enough time savoring positive events. When you experience a positive emotion today, just pause and enjoy the moment for 20-30 seconds. Relive the positive emotion during the entire day. This creates new neural connections in brain. "Neurons that fire together wire together." This concept is called neuroplasticity which is a hot topic in neuropsychology.
Top Positive Emotions (Source: Positivity by Barb Fredrickson) Love Joy Gratitude Serenity Interest Hope Pride Amusement Awe Inspiration