According to Barbara Fredrickson, one of the pioneers of positive psychology and author of Love 2.0: “Positive emotions open the mind and broaden the range of both thoughts and actions. They result in accommodating, welcoming, creative and receptive behaviours.”

Positive emotions such as joy, happiness, gratitude, wonder, enthusiasm, inspiration and love are the sources of deep satisfaction.

In contrast to depression, sadness or disappointment, which usually become part of a vicious cycle, positive emotions lead to a positive cycle as they help us welcome new ideas and experiences and influence how we deal with adversity.

Careful... This does not mean that emotions are simply reduced to a system of neutrality. Positive emotions are not achieved simply through the absence of negative emotions.

As such, removing negative emotions is not sufficient and we must actively develop positive emotions in order to expand our intellectual and emotional universe.

Snap judgments are a biological necessity handed down from our ancestors. Often a glance was the only thing they had to go on when sizing up their surroundings and calculating risk. But in our modern world, it’s a little odd to be lugging around baggage full of biases that shape and warp our perception.

We shouldn’t question every experience, but sociologist Janis Prince, PhD suggests that we try to be occasionally conscious of the flawed or problematic ideas our unconscious might be hinting at.

The next time you find yourself rushing to judgement, about a customer or a colleague, try asking yourself these questions:

"That customer is always so ________ (picky, difficult, pushy, angry, etc.)" or "That colleague is always so ____________ stubborn, brash, arrogant, etc.)."

That label ricochets and keeps on bouncing back, until you are convinced that it is the true definition of that person.

But what if you could tweak those critical classifications and, in the process, the way you perceive those people?

Our brains can change in response to our thoughts through a process called neuroplasticity.

By refreshing your perceptions in how you interpret day-to-day life, you can make your brain a more inviting, benevolent place.

Change your vocabulary. Replace "Picky" by "Discerning", "Difficult" by "Demanding", "Stubborn" by "Steadfast", "Pushy" by "Passionate" or "Brash" by "Confident", etc. All it takes is a change of perspective, and people suddenly look different to you.

The Fish Bowl Theory states that tropical fish can grow as large as their aquarium will permit; the bigger the aquarium, the larger the fish are able to grow. The fish bowl theory is also applicable to humans.

Picturing your next aquarium creates the same effect as having a vision or an image for your life that dictates your ability to grow.

Moving to a bigger aquarium implies knowing how to move forward towards the next step, even before you’re truly ready.

This theory can be put into practice by having a clear and definite vision in mind and by taking a calculated, premeditated risk, because if the aquarium you decide to build is disproportionate, you will most likely drown.