Can You Get Comfortably Uncomfortable? with Robert Biswas-Diener

Robert Biswas-Diener, is a leading researcher on culture, wellbeing, positive psychology coaching and author of several wonderful books including the The Upside of Your Dark Side. 

With recent political changes in the United States and the UK leaving many feeling fearful and apprehensive about the future, Robert shares his insights on how to become comfortable with these uncomfortable feelings.  He suggests rather than trying to whitewash them, by accepting them, and seeing them as signals that something isn’t right, you can then decide on a constructive response to what’s unfolding.  You can also apply this in workplaces when looming mergers or restructures stir up similar feelings of uncertainty and fear.

Connect with Robert Biswas-Diener

Robert’s Website - RobertDiener.com PositiveAcorn.com IntentionalHappiness.com

You’ll Learn:

• [01:37] - Robert talks about how emotions are like signals giving us a mental thumbs-up or thumbs-down about the quality of our life.  
• [05:35] - If you are fearful, it’s telling you that something you care about may be under threat, and you may need to protect it.   
• [07:54] - Robert explains when you can be comfortably uncomfortable with your negative emotions, instead of feeling overwhelmed, you can act constructively.
• [11:05] - Robert explains one important step in tolerating these emotions, is to specifically label the emotion to help understand what message it may be telling you.
• [13:54] – When people are experiencing incredible change in workplaces and feeling very negative, Robert talks about how leaders can build capacity in their employees.
• [16:20] - Robert says sometimes leaders need to challenge apprehension and other times it’s ok to validate concerns.
• [17:49] - Robert believes happiness and wellbeing doesn’t have to be a mandate at work.  
• [20:30] –To be a whole person you need to experience and draw on the full range of positive and negative emotions.
• [21:35] - Robert explains why “you never want cheerful optimists in the control tower, directing flight traffic.”
• [22:18] - The Lightning Round with Robert Biswas-Diener

Your Resources:

The Upside of Your Dark Side: Why Being Your Whole Self--Not Just Your “Good” Self--Drives Success and Fulfillment - Robert Biswas-Diener & Todd Kashdan View all of Robert Biswas-Diener’s books on Amazon Give and Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success - Adam Grant Love at Goon Park: Harry Harlow and the Science of Affection - Deborah Blum

Thanks so much for joining me again this week.  If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of this post.  

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Special thanks to Robert for joining me this week. Until next time, take care!