We’ve all experienced it—the person whose energy lifts an entire room, or the person whose negativity seems to drains area. But what if I told you this “contagious” quality isn’t just metaphorical? According to behavioral investigator Vanessa Van Edwards, we are literally transmitting emotions and influencing others in every interaction, whether we realize it or not.
The real question isn’t whether you’re contagious. It’s what you’re spreading.
Making It Practical: Becoming Positively Contagious
Understanding that we influence others is one thing. Harnessing that power intentionally is another. Ms. Van Edwards offers several evidence-based strategies to become more positively contagious in daily life:
Use purposeful hand gestures. Don’t just wave your hands randomly as you speak. Make your gestures reinforce your message. If you’re presenting three ideas, show three fingers. If something is important, emphasize it with an open palm. These deliberate movements don’t just help others understand you better—they actually make your message more memorable and trustworthy.
Master the authentic smile. Practice engaging your upper cheek muscles, not just your mouth. This is the difference between a polite smile and a genuine one. The remarkable thing? You’ll not only appear more genuine to others, but you’ll actually feel better yourself. Your brain responds to your own facial expressions, creating a positive feedback loop.
Reframe anxiety as excitement. Before a big meeting, or important conversation, consciously tell yourself “I’m excited” instead of “I’m nervous.” Physiologically, these states are nearly identical—increased heart rate and heightened alertness. Your body won’t know the difference, but your performance will improve dramatically when you frame these sensations positively.
Ask dopamine-worthy questions. Instead of defaulting to the typical conversation starters like “How are you?” or “What do you do?”, try questions that prompt people to think about positive experiences. “What’s been the best part of your week?” or “What are you looking forward to?” These questions literally trigger dopamine release in the other person’s brain, making them feel good and associate that positive feeling with you.
Be mindful of your emotional state. Remember that you’re not just affecting others with what you say, or how you look, you’re transmitting signals at multiple levels through your body language, facial expressions, tone of voice, and energy. Before entering important situations, take a moment to center yourself and cultivate the energy you want to spread. You can’t fake it entirely; genuine emotional shifts create authentic contagion.
The Ripple Effect
Van Edwards’ central message is both empowering and sobering: we are always “on,” always transmitting, always affecting those around us. The science is clear: you are contagious. Your energy influences others.
Ms. Edwards TEDx Video On Being Contagious is Here
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Disclaimer: The “Just Suppose Newsletter” and Blog share ideas in exploring personal progress as derived from various sources. It is intended as information only and is not intended as advice to engage in any specific physical or mental activity. Always consider whether these ideas, concepts, techniques & activities are right for you & always confer with your health professionals.
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