Feeling tired?: How sharing positive experiences can boost vitality

Abstract

People frequently speak of being tired, and chemicals like caffeine are consumed to make people feel energetic. How might one increase a sense of energy without resorting to substances? In three studies we document how sharing positive experiences with others makes people feel more energetic. Study 1 (N = 197) showed a relationship between naturally occurring sharing of positive events and vitality, such that the more often participants shared positive events at Time 1 the more vitality they reported three weeks later (controlling for initial levels of vitality). In Study 2 (N = 188) participants who shared a positive event (versus not sharing an event) reported higher levels of vitality. Study 3 (N = 96) showed that participants who shared a positive event with a partner (as opposed to engaging in a mildly positive interaction with their partner) reported higher vitality than did control participants. Implications of the research are discussed.