Emotions Are Contagious

Emotions are contagious. What you broadcast to others is what they will begin to pick up. This not only effects your reputation, but it will effect their wellbeing as well. This can be a good thing or it can be a bad thing. Our attitude can bring people up or tear them down depending on what we are projecting. We have all been around people that have brightened our day just by being around them. And we have all been around people who have darkened our day by simply being around them. Emotions usually go viral especially when a group of people get around each other.

There are 2 things we need to be aware of when it comes to contagious emotions…

1. Be On Guard

We must protect ourselves against toxic attitudes that will contaminate our spiritual wellbeing. When nurses get around sick people they usually wear a mouth cover, gloves, sterile garments, etc… They do this to protect themselves and others. We too, need a spiritual covering over ourselves for when we get into negative situations and toxic environments.

Proverbs 4:23

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.

We do not need to isolate ourselves from those that are toxic, but we do need to insulate ourselves from the contagious poison that can come from wrong attitudes. This means when people are gossiping about others, we DO NOT jump in and reinforce the poison, but instead become the antidote. When people are talking about how their life is falling apart we don’t continue to rip them apart while agreeing with their misery. Don’t allow these negative behaviors to infect your outlook. We cannot blend in to the crowd, we must be set apart from the crowd with hope, faith, and love.

2. Be A Catalyst

Instead of reflecting the situations around you, be a catalyst to change the situations. We have the power to change the environment of a room through the miracle of faith. Jesus was a catalyst not a chameleon. He didn’t allow His environment to influence Him, rather He was the influencer. Don’t be a thermometer just reflecting the conditions around you, become a thermostat by changing the situation. Broadcast faith, hope, and love to others through your Christ-like attitude. Our actions are the display cases of our heart. What we do is a result of who we are. Be someone that brings light to a dark place. Be someone that brings comfort to a tense situation. We have the ability to effect people’s emotion more than we give ourselves credit for. In fact, studies have shown that positivity far outweighs the power of negativity in any given situation. Bringing a little light into a dark place has lasting impact beyond what we see. You have to trust that the light inside of you is greater than the darkness around you. Live by the golden rule…