Unlock the Power of ‘Good Vibes’: Origin, Meaning, and Impact

We usually hear the term good vibes in the context of someone saying “Good vibes man!”

But other than a stereotypical slang word used by surfers to describe a positive gut-feeling…, When you stop to think about it, what does good vibes actually mean ? What specifically makes a particular vibe, a “good vibe”, or a “bad vibe” ?

Experts explain “vibes” as physical feelings that we sub-consciously perceive based on the emotional state, mood, or atmosphere of a surrounding person or place.

Vibes, short for vibrations, are a physical feelings of emotional-awareness communicated and perceived on a sub-conscious or even unconscious level.

Much like the sound waves that come from musical notes, vibrations (vibes) are waves which cannot be seen, but can be felt.

So What Makes Something a Good Vibe ?

Was it something they said, was it something they did, was it their body language. or even a smell ?

Is it possible that our bodies are giving off and picking up on vibrational frequencies like a dog whistle or a musical note? Music is just a mix of invisible sound waves. Our ears and our brains pick up on invisible sound frequencies both consciously, and sometimes subconsciously depending on the frequency.

In this article we’ll look at the meaning of ‘good vibes’ and explore our body’s ability to pick up on sub-conscious communication in the form of ‘vibes’.

Let’s Dive In !

What Is a Good Vibe ?

When you catch a good vibe from a song, it makes you feel a certain way emotionally. For me, usually inspired, upbeat, or motivated ( depending on the song choice).

For example, heavy metal songs take on a much more, darker, sinister, negative vibe, as compared to a Michael Jackson pop song, which has a much more upbeat positive vibe.

The founders of modern day psychology agree, when we’re in a good mood, our body’s naturally reflect our inner feelings, externally, through sub-conscious behaviors.

In other words, we can communicate our mood through non-verbal cues (like facial expressions and body language) which others can pick up on as a general “”vibe””

Our bodies naturally give off, and pick up on, non-verbal signals from everything and everyone around us.

These non-verbal signals, which can be, but often are not intentional, are what our bodies pick up on as “”good vibes””.

Sometimes (even often) out inner feelings are SO deep, that we’re unaware of how they’re actually affecting our everyday vibe (as well as other different areas of our lives). Here’s how to tell if you’re more unaware than you think.

This could be something simple like slumped shoulders or a deep scowl. Non-verbal cues are often easier for others to pick up , but difficult to detect in yourself.

Our internal emotions are communicated outward sub-consciously through our facial expressions, body language, tone of voice, eye movements, and other non-verbal communication.

All of these no-verbal movements communicate to others our general “vibe” or frequency.

Whether we’re aware of it or not. 

How Can You Tell If You’re Giving Off Good Vibes? 

It’s not always easy to identify your own “vibe”. But ultimately it is up to you to choose whether or not to have a positive attitude.

Sometimes your vibe is controlled by your unconscious mind with-out you ever being aware of it. You could be giving off negative vibes with-out even knowing.

People With Good Vibes Usually Have Most Of These Traits

1. They’re Optimistic’
2. The Wake Up Excited
3. They Spread Happiness
4. They Avoid Complaining
5. They Build People Up
6. They Accept Their Own Sucess
7. They Express Gratitude
8. They’re Passionate
9. They Express Love
10. They Don’t Get Overwhelmed

But in general, in order to identify your vibe you must think from the perspective of those around you. 

22 Ways to Pass Positive Vibes to Others Around You 

Some people that you run across in life just give off an abundance of exuberant positive energy. How are they so positive all the time I find myself wondering? What is it about that person’s mindset that sets them apart? How are they always so happy?

A person’s ‘vibes’ aren’t a pseudoscience or some voodoo non-sense, but more based on the well known premise that 90% of communication is non-verbal.

Good vibes are communicated by your body-language, micro-expressions, tone-of voice, and choice of words, as well as presence, and presentation of yourself.

Life too short to spend it with a negative outlook. If the goal of life is to be happy, then why not spend more time giving off positive vibes. It’s important to make sure you’re always aware of the vibe you’re giving off to others.

Experts agree the positivity is linked to physical, mental, and financial benefits. Then why not cultivate a deep meaning for what having a good vibes means to you, and try to reflect that to others more often.

All it takes is something simple like a slight change in your posture, saying hi to a stranger, letting someone into a line of traffic, or writing down a list of things you’re grateful for.

We recently published an article outlining the benefits and examples of how to give off positive vibes to others. Here’s the list below, but for deeper explanations, check out the original article here.

1. Keep Your Posture Open / Learn Positive Body Language –
2.  Say A Few Affirmations Each Morning –
3.  Pay Attention To Positive Thoughts –
4.  Dish Out The Compliments –
5.  Remember To Take Care Of Yourself –
6.  Keep A Daily Gratitude List –
7.  Sing Yourself A Song –
8.  Wear Brighter Colors (Especially Pinks And Teals) –
9.  Say Hello To Strangers –
10.  Yield In Traffic –
11.  Pay Everyone With The Same Level Of Respect –
12.  Let Yourself Think Negative When You Need To –
13.  Cut Off Negative Influences –
14.  Show Random Acts Of Kindness –
15.  Watch Positive Videos –
16.  Stop All-Or-Nothing Thinking –
17.  Be Social – Go Out –
18.  Consciously Bring In A Higher Frequency –
19.  Do A Quick ‘De-Cluttering’ –
20. Listen To Upbeat Music –
21.  Tapping Into Your Unconscious Mind –
22.  Work On Your Inner Positive Vibes –

How Do You ‘Tune-in’ (or out) of Other Peoples Vibes and Frequencies

Vibe higher. Take the high road. Don’t sink to their level. These are all expressions that describe our abilities to choose what frequency we vibe or resonate on.

Just likerRadio stations use specific frequencies when broadcasting to different stations, we can choose to resonate with vibes on a lower or higher level.

According to studies at Harvard, 95% of people think they’re self-aware, while in reality on 10-15% are actually self-aware.

If you’re not self aware, you might pick up on obvious vibes, like sadness or rage, but your own ego will distort your perception and ability to tune into more complex vibes like sinister intent, jealousy, or conflicting emotions.

We create vibrations from our emotions and thoughts. 

Tuning out of other peoples vibes, may be just as important as tuning in to other peoples vibes. After all, attitudes and vibes are contagious.

For example, you can choose to ‘tune-out’, and consciously ignore someone’s vibe. Instead of giving someone the finger on the way to work, you could simply ignore the negative vibe or “float above” their lower-level vibration.

Are Vibes Contagious?

The reason attitudes are contagious is due to a chain reaction of emotional states.

Humans are emotional beings, and those of us who are consciously-aware of our own vibe, may be able to read other peoples vibes better than others can themselves. But if you’re not aware, someone else’s vibe can ruin your entire day.

According to Professor Bowman, most people are not consciously aware of the changes they are going through with a negative “emotional contagion”. These changes in our vibes happen sub-consciously.
You may not consciously be aware that your emotions are changing and being manipulated by another person.

Interestingly, as your vibration changes you can begin attracting newer types of people that resonate with your frequency.

If you no longer vibe with old friends who no longer resonate with you, then it could reflect your growth as a person. 

15 Feng Shui Tips to Create Good Vibes At Home –

To create a “”good vibe”” feeling and a warm, welcoming, and relaxing atmosphere in your home, it will take a combination of cleaning, color, and atmosphere adjustments.

Feng shui is an ancient Chinese ‘traditional practice’ which uses sub-conscious “”tricks”” to “”harmonize”” individuals with their surrounding environment.

Feng shui can influence your emotional state, and “”good”” feng shui can evoke a feeling of being comfortable, relaxed, and open.

For a complete Feng Shui guide, check out this article that we wrote.

1. Clear The Air –

Don’t let the air in your home get stagnant. Think of your favorite place outdoors in nature, maybe a mountain-top, or park, or hiking trail. Now picture yourself taking a deep breath of fresh clean air.

2. Deep Clean / De-Clutter –

Maintaining a clean and organized space is fundamental to creating a positive vibe in any room.

In the eyes of professional psychologist Dr. Rachel Goldman, decluttering your home can be just as beneficial to your mental health as yoga and mindfulness.

3. Use Color Psychology To Promote Good Vibes –

Color psychology has always been a fascinating subject to me. There’s no doubt that other than cleanliness (and maybe even more so) color plays one of the biggest role’s in the ‘vibe’ of a room.

4. Banish Bad Memories –

If you have any objects in your home that trigger bad memories, think about either getting rid of that object, or replacing it with an item that triggers a pleasant memory.

5. Put Up Some Art to Boost The Vibe –

As an alternative to painting the walls, hanging the right art can do the trick just the same.

Art can absolutely has a sub-conscious effect on people.

I’ve had a 7’ painting of Buddha that I bought in Thailand in 3 different houses with 3 very different color schemes, and the buddha painting always gives whatever room it’s in, a calming “”ZEN”” vibe. Go figure, lol

6. Pet Feng Shui (could be positive or negative vibes) –

The connection between humans and pets is no joke. The Naperville Animal Hospital recently wrote about a few different published studies where oxytocin (AKA the “love hormone”) was found to spike in both dogs and humans when around one another.

7. Play Uplifting Music –

It will likely come as no surprise, but music and sound can have a HUGE effect on feng shui, your direct mood, and the vibe of a room.

8. Feng Shui House Plants, Office Plants, & Fresh Flowers –

Research has shown plants can boost productivity and learning.

9. Focus On Natural Sunlight –

The Earth’s entire ecosystem runs off of sunlight. With-out the sun we die.

There’s a reason that if you work in an office, you want a desk with a window. There’s a reason why TIME magazine asks if doctors should prescribe sunlight for depression.

10. Open The Windows –

Even in the winter-time, I try to open all the windows every once in a while to flush out stagnant air.

According to some feng shui experts you should Open the windows and doors for at least 10 minutes a day.

11. Himalayan Salt Lamp –

The ultimate stereotypical epitome of feng shui has to be a ‘Himalayan Salt Lamp’. We actually have 2 in our house.

12. Light Some Candles For Improved Feng Shui –

Candles kill 2 feng shui birds with 1 stone (in a figurative sense).

Leveraging both sight and smell a well-placed candle can command the attention and set the focal point of a room.

13. Bamboo Decoration (or any wood in general) –

Caroline Ord-Hume is an expert on bamboo, running an entire website strictly dedicated to the bamboo plant.

Caroline has found that bamboo is brought into the home in many different forms such as wind chimes, water fountains, decorative flutes, flooring, picture frames, among many other unique forms.

14. Fish Tanks and Small Indoor Fountains –

Anytime you can bring an element of life or nature into your home (or office) it will do wonders to boost the vibe.

15. Rugs For Feng Shui –

Just like wall color, art selection, and natural decor can influence your mood (your vibe) your rug can do the same.

Conclusion

Good vibes is a popular T-shirt phrase, but most people don’t really understand the power of a ‘vibe’ or how their vibe affects other peoples vibe on a daily basis.

Good vibes are powerful non-verbal emotional cues that can be passed from one person to the next just like the flu.

We hope that this guide on vibes lead you to a greater understanding of what good vibes are, how you can produce good vibes, and what not-to-do to avoid giving off negative vibes.

Giving off good vibes never goes out of style and can help you reach new levels of connections with people. Giving-off good vibes is synonymous with becoming the best version of yourself. 

If there’s anything in this article that we missed please let us know as we’re always looking for feedback (good or bad).

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