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“There is no ideal formula for the best emotional style,” says Davidson. Being low on the social intuition spectrum might benefit a computer programmer, he notes, while someone who is unfocused might excel in a fast-based environment where multi-tasking is critical.

The neural pathways that determine our emotions are partly genetic. Even infants seem to vary in temperament--some curious and outgoing, others fussy and anxious. Yet Davidson says how much genes contribute varies from 20% to 60% (versus the 100% heritability of sickle-cell disease and the 0% heritability of religious affiliation). That means our environments and experiences can have sweeping impact on our emotional approach.

Despite Davidson’s tolerant take on different emotional styles, feelings and thoughts do affect physical health and some more positively than others. Not being to bounce back from stressful events and constant negativity can impede well-being and personal happiness. Emotional style may also impact your success in different contexts. For instance, high levels of focus, social intuition and sensitivity to context are generally assets in the corporate world.

Our default responses may be wired into us, but with time, effort and practice, you can change your brain to transform your life. “Neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to reorganize, is the organ of change,” Davidson says. Thus, engaging regularly in positive activities over time will rewire the brain’s neural pathways and increase your positive feelings. He recommends the following exercises to develop your abilities in each of the six dimensions.

To Boost Resilience: For five to 10 minutes at a time, four or five times a week, visualize someone you know who is suffering—an ill neighbor or a friend struggling in her marriage--and on each inhalation, imagine that you are taking on that suffering. On each exhalation, imagine the suffering is transformed into compassion, which will help ease the person's pain.

To Increase Positive Outlook: Fill your home and workspace with upbeat reminders of happy times, like photos of your family or vacations, and change the pictures every two weeks. Find opportunities to compliment others and make the effort to express gratitude often, by offering a warm thank you and writing down the things you appreciate in others and in your life.

To Become More Socially Intuitive: When in public, watch people's body language and try to guess what they’re talking about and what emotions they are expressing. Start to also take notice of friends and colleague's facial cues and body language and how it corresponds to their tone of voice.

To Enhance Self-Awareness: Initiate a daily mindfulness meditation. Choose a time when you feel the most awake and alert, sit upright, concentrate on your breathing, notice the sensations in your body and, if you become distracted, bring your focus back to your breath.

To Better Regulate Emotional Reactions: To identify what produces a strong reaction in you, regularly make a list of the specific events or behaviors from the day or week that triggered your response. Then spend about 15 minutes thinking about these behaviors while breathing deeply until you feel comfortable and more relaxed.

To Increase Focus and Attention: Spend 10 minutes every day sitting in a quiet room with your eyes open. Focus on an object (a lamp or a piece of art), keep your attention and eyes trained on it, and if your thoughts begin to wander, bring them back to the object.

“A lot of the work that we’ve done on strategies to change these styles was inspired by my relationship with the Dalai Lama, the inspiration for us taking meditation seriously,” says Davidson. “Well-being is strongly related to your emotional and physical health. If your emotional style is not working for you, the first and most important ingredient of change is awareness.”

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See also:

The Secret Power Of Introverts

How To Remember Names, Faces And Where You Put Your Keys

Are Funny People More Successful In Business?

Superstitions And Magical Thinking: How Irrational Beliefs Keep Us Sane