Create Positive Emotions Before an Interview with Puppy Love

What if you could put yourself in a calm, relaxed state of mind just prior to and during a job interview no matter how much is on the line?

The good news is you can and it’s easier than you think. To get into a relaxed state of mind prior to an interview, I encourage my clients to think about their pet or child when it was a lovable, adoring baby. You see, when they think about their pet or baby, their heart warms, a smile comes across their face, stress immediately decreases and they begin emitting positive energy. This happens because pets and babies, unlike anyone else in their life, always have unconditional love for them. So, when they think of them, they experience a powerful feeling of connection and love.

Why do loving thoughts work so effectively to reduce stress?

After researching this, I learned why this works so well. There is a chemical reaction in the brain that helps relieve stress and anxiety. This chemical reaction is the release of the stress-reducing hormone called oxytocin. Oxytocin, often referred to as the ‘cuddle hormone,’ is associated with emotional bonds with others. This makes sense when talking about puppies, your own pets and babies because most people feel a strong bond or connection with them. And when we are with them or think of them, we feel good and when we feel good, we are more likely to smile. Whenever we smile, even more neurotransmitters are fired, increasing the levels of oxytocin in our body.

Puppy proof

Below are some great stories and studies that will clearly support and demonstrate how important puppy love is when it comes to decreasing stress and having less anxiety:

1. There are eight well-known colleges and universities in the United States who have now created “Puppy Rooms” to help students to relieve exam-related stress and have had amazing success with the program.
2. In one study, people were presented with stressful tasks in four different situations —alone, with their spouse, with their pet, or with both their spouse and their pet—they experienced the lowest stress response and the quickest recovery in the situation where they were alone with their pet.
3. In another study, patients who spent a short amount of time with a dog before upcoming treatment operation experienced a 37 percent reduction in their anxiety levels.
4. Researchers at the State University of New York conducted a study with 240 married couples, half of whom owned a cat or dog. Couples without pets had higher blood pressure and heart rates, a strong sign that they were feeling more stress than the pet owners.

Prepping for your interview

The moral of the story—spend time with a puppy or a pet prior to an interview and if that is not possible, look at a photo of your pet and you’ll be reminded of all the love and joy he/she brings you. Your heart will immediately warm thinking about his/her unconditional love and you will be in a much better space when you walk into that interview. It doesn’t hurt to have a photo of your pet or baby on your phone so that’s the last thing you look at before tucking it away. If you don’t have any pets or babies photos at hand, you can always watch a cute puppy or kitten video on YouTube (there are endless options out there and they are adorable).

And if you have multiple interviewers in one day, use this quick technique of thinking of the unconditional love your pet has for you as you are walking down the hall for the next meeting. You will walk into that next office with a warm and happy smile on your face.

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