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The work of Barbara Fredrickson underscores the importance of positive emotions to life success. Her Broaden-and-Build Theory of Positive Emotions (Fredrickson, 1998, Fredrickson and Cohn, 2008) suggests that positive emotions are powerful tools for growth and change that predict the skills for living well. She maintains that an internal “positivity” with daily positive emotions feeds a cycle of lifelong growth. 

This song declares two of the “three Ps” Seligman (1996) says are important to an optimistic explanatory style: 1) Pervasive – Causes of positive events are global not specific; 2) Permanent – Causes of positive events are stable; and 3) Personal – causes of positive events are internal. The message of this song is that what’s inside me is positive, permanent and the whole world can see it.

As teachers and parents we sometimes don’t think about the importance of positive emotions in our children. However, Fredrickson’s work shows us that daily doses of positive emotions actually lead to the development of life skills.

Fredrickson, B, L. (1998). What good are positive emotions? Review of General Psychology, 2, 300-319.
Fredrickson, B. L. & Cohn, M. A. (2008). Positive emotions. In M. Lewis et al. (Eds.) Handbook of emotions (3rd ed.). New York: Guilford Press.
Seligman, M. (1996). The Optimistic Child. New York: Houghton Mifflin Co.

I’ve Got a Light Inside
by Mary Hulefeld

I’m strong (clap, clap), I’m brave (clap, clap)
I’ve got a light inside (clap, clap)
I’m strong (clap, clap), I’m brave (clap, clap)
I’ve got a light inside (clap, clap)

Verse
There is a light inside my heart
A light that won’t go out
There is a light inside my heart
That makes me want to shout

Verse
There is a light inside my heart
It lights up everything
There is a light inside my heart
It makes me want to sing

Bridge
There is a light inside me
There is a light inside

Verse
There is a light inside of you
There is a light in me
Together we can shine our light
For all the world to see