Sharing Good Experiences Boosts Resilience & Bone Health

Sharing Good Experiences Bolsters Resilience And Supports Bone Health

Sharing positive experiences with others can enhance your mental, emotional, and physical health.

A study published in the American Journal of Community Psychology builds on existing research highlighting the positive relationship between sharing good experiences, improved mood, increased resilience, and related health benefits.

This article dives into the details of the study to reveal how you can take advantage of its findings to extend the impact of your bone health successes.

Positive Emotions, Social Interactions, And Resiliency

Three researchers at the University of Arizona's Department of Psychology conducted a study on the impact of shared enjoyment and positive emotion on resilient thinking.

The study included 102 women and 89 men 40 to 65 years of age. As the foundation for their work, the authors cited previous studies that found “social support and positive interactions with others can have beneficial effects on one’s physical and mental health.”¹

Their study sought to identify associations between shared positive experiences and emotions and resilient thinking. Resilience refers to a person's ability to navigate stressful experiences while minimizing or avoiding negative impacts.

Negative experiences, such as unpleasant social interactions or bad news, can harm your mood, and reduce your motivation to follow through on healthy behaviors. However, resilient thinking– what the study authors call resilient cognitions can dampen your mood and decrease motivation to maintain healthy behaviors.

The researchers made three significant findings:

Sharing enjoyment about the most positive event of the day was associated with increased resilient thinking that day.
A tendency to share positive experiences was associated with a more persistently resilient mindset.
A persistently resilient mindset was associated with resilient outcomes like improved well-being, reduced psychological distress, and better physical functioning over time.

Synopsis

A study with 191 middle-aged adults found that resilient thinking increased when participants shared their positive experiences with others. Resilient thinking enhances the ability to handle stressful events without experiencing negative mental and physical effects. The study found that resilient thinking led to a resilient mindset, which they associated with improved well-being and physical functioning over time.

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Tracking Positive Experiences And What Happens When We Share Them

The study used a system of diary entries to track participants' daily shared positive experiences and self-assessments. Each participant received training to use a tablet computer to complete nightly diaries for 30 consecutive days.

Participants answered questions on various topics:

The extent to which their positive experiences were shared with others
Their appraisal of their own resilience
How positive their mood was
Positive interpersonal events such as “received a compliment from a friend,” “celebrated with spouse/partner,” and “successfully completed work on a major task/project.”

The study also conducted a follow-up to gauge how relative levels of resilience translated into health outcomes. Participants received a follow-up telephone interview a minimum of six months later to evaluate their perceived stress, psychological distress, subjective well-being, and physical functioning in the prior six months.

The study demonstrated clear positive impacts on health and wellness through shared positive experiences.

“Our results highlight the importance of sharing positive experiences in one’s daily life, which may have implications for the enhancement of immediate positive emotional states and resilient cognitions, which in turn may have long-term benefits in mental health, well-being, physical function, and resilient outcomes.”¹

Synopsis

Study participants filled out a daily diary on a tablet computer, answering questions about shared positive experiences and self-appraisals of their mood and resilience. Researchers conducted a follow-up six months later to evaluate participants’ mental, emotional, and physical wellness. They found that sharing positive experiences translated into long-term benefits to well-being, resilience, and physical function.

Sharing And Celebrating Your Successes Reaps Additional Rewards

This study, along with prior research, shows that sharing positive experiences amplifies their impact .¹ Positive feelings benefit your bone health, especially when they intersect with bone-healthy activities.

Stress and negative emotions can increase cortisol levels, a stress hormone that disrupts the bone remodeling process. Cultivating positivity is one way to counter the bone-damaging effects of cortisol. Sharing positive experiences builds the resiliency to bounce back from stressors, cutting off cortisol and protecting your bones.

Habits that increase good feelings and optimism also help you to stick to your bone-healthy routines. When you have positive expectations, you're more likely to persevere. Depression and pessimism can easily lead to giving up on your goals and the habits that help you accomplish them.

Here are some ways to build resilience and benefit from positive shared experiences as highlighted in the study:

Instead of walking alone, set walking goals with a group, and celebrate your milestones together.
Find a workout buddy– whether you go to the gym together, or just touch base after every workout to share your accomplishments.
Take a class so you can learn, grow, and connect with other participants.
When you get home, tell someone about positive experiences, or if you live alone, call a friend or a family member. This form of sharing has also been proven to boost positive emotions and mood.²

When you align this practice with actions to improve your bone health you add to the bone-building benefits.

If you learn your bone strength has improved, celebrate that with loved ones. When you complete a bone-building exercise routine, text a friend about your feelings of accomplishment. If you make a delicious meal full of the nutrients your body needs to keep your bones strong, try sharing both the meal and the pride you feel for making it!

When a setback, a rough day, or some bad news threatens to pull you off course, resilience will keep you steady so you can stick with your goals and continue improving your bone health.

Synopsis

Positivity and good feelings offer benefits to your bone health. They help reduce bone-damaging cortisol and make it easier to stick with your bone-building goals. Find ways to share positive experiences, and tell loved ones about the good things that happen in your day. These actions will develop the resilience you need to overcome stressors and keep building your bones.

What This Means To You

Share positive experiences by creating opportunities to connect with others and recounting the good moments in your day to loved ones.

Community is essential to unlocking this layer of resiliency and fortunately for Savers, we've been building community for almost 20 years. In fact, each program offered by the Save Institute has a Support Group where you can share your successes, find support, and extend the benefits of your positive experiences.

Don't just count your blessings, multiply them by celebrating them together!