Enjoying Your Entrepreneurial Successes Is Key to Continuing to Thrive

Owning and running a small business comes with many ups and downs that bring a range of emotions. So it can sometimes be difficult to revel in positive feelings and experiences, especially if you have a tendency to think they won’t last.

Minimizing positive emotions is referred to as “dampening,” according to a study published in the journal Clinical Psychological Science in April 2026. The study suggests that dampening can undermine well-being over time and potentially increase your risk for depression.

The inability to enjoy good things, including savoring small successes or everyday triumphs, can take a toll on small business owners. Here’s what to know about dampening and how to overcome it.

The impact of dampening 

To examine the impact of dampening, researchers used network analyses and machine learning to analyze data from 13 earlier studies that measured the relationship between dampening and depression levels.

They analyzed how phrases, such as “I don’t deserve this,” “This won’t last,” or “My luck will end soon,” potentially predicted depressive symptoms, including negative emotions, pessimism, and negative self-perception.

The researchers found that the phrases were, in fact, predictors of depressive symptoms and that dampening can have long-lasting effects.

How to overcome feelings of dampening

Being more positive is associated with better health, including a greater resistance to illness; better coping skills; an increased lifespan; and a lower risk of depression, heart disease, and other conditions, according to the Mayo Clinic.

But if you tend to deprive yourself of positive feelings because you think they won’t last, there are four ways to change that.

Recognize negative thoughts.

It’s crucial to recognize dampening behavior when it happens, according to the Cleveland Clinic. For instance, do you worry when something good happens or quash positive emotions? This behavior may be a protective mechanism, something you developed as a way to handle adversity. But changing your thinking is good for your health and success as a small business owner.

Reframe your thinking.

It takes practice, but allow yourself to enjoy a positive feeling or experience. It’s a sustainable way to minimize dampening, the new research suggests. Then, turn negative thoughts into positive ones, the Cleveland Clinic says. For example, if you often worry that good times won’t last or that you don’t deserve success, think about how hard you worked to get where you are. Or, recognize that owning a business comes with ups and downs, so it’s important to celebrate wins.

Practice positivity.

Practice replacing negative thinking with being more positive, and it will become a habit over time. Be gentle and encouraging to yourself, the Mayo Clinic suggests, and “don’t say anything to yourself that you wouldn’t say to anyone else.” You likely won’t become an optimist overnight, but you’ll learn to be less critical of yourself and accept and appreciate the positives.

Seek help.

If negative feelings become overwhelming and affect your ability to function daily, talk to a therapist. A counselor can help you get to the root of your emotions and provide strategies and other treatments to help ease the burden of dampening habits.

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