Think about it: negative experiences affect our motivation three times more than positive ones. On the one hand, it is a natural mechanism of self-defense. On the other hand, regular reflection on the difficulties of life only strengthens the negative way of thinking and kills our creativity.
But psychologists assure us: our brain can be trained for conscious positive thinking. And for this, we need to remember the legendary Tetris game.
Stack the figures in a line and your gray matter gets to work. Robert Stickgold, professor of psychiatry at Harvard University, provided evidence for this with his research study.
He presented some students with Tetris and asked them to stay for the night at the lab after playing it. The next morning, two-thirds of participants (even those suffering from amnesia) stated that their minds were still searching during sleep hours for more effective ways to rotate and organize pieces dropped from above.
And in 2009, several major universities in the U.S. and Mexico found that an hour and a half of playing Tetris a week improves cortical development. As a result, we automatically learn how to optimize energy expenditure and time for certain tasks.
In his book “The Happiness Advantage”, Sean Achor, the world’s most successful positive psychology expert, draws a simple conclusion: if we can change the plasticity of the brain with a game of “Tetris,” it is enough to teach it to consciously look for the positive aspects of life instead of the usual “scanning” of dangers and obstacles.
Offering simple steps to reconfigure the brain, Sean Achor said that the basis of the technique is habit and regular exercise.
Train Your Brain for Positive Thinking
Write It Down
Try to make a list of three good things that happened to you, noting exactly what made you happy.
It can be anything: a meeting with an old friend, a compliment from a co-worker, or a beautiful sunset. Don’t forget to celebrate small victories – it’s a proven way to boost motivation and increase your joy in life.
The more time you spend reflecting on positive things, the better you will feel. If you ever feel like your day-to-day issues are too overwhelming to handle, Edu Board company can provide the solution. With its help, you will be able to stay on top of your studies, make a meaningful impact in your life, and feel more positive.
Express Gratitude to Someone on a Daily Basis
The essence of it is to regularly show the people around you that you noticed their efforts. A great way to do this is to send one thank you letter a day.
For example, write to your high school teacher about using his advice in your life.
American Walter Green once spent an entire year traveling around all the people important to him and personally saying Thank you to each person. Not only did this trip change his life, but it also inspired Green to write his book, That Moment.
Practice Mindfulness
Researchers at Harvard University have proven: regular meditation practice affects brain plasticity.
As a result, it increases the density of gray matter in the hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for learning, memory and emotions. But this density, on the contrary, decreases in the amygdala responsible for stress and anxiety.
Any negative thoughts narrow our perception of the world and life situations to the boundaries of a single problem. Once we bring our attention back to the present moment and try to look at what is happening without judgment, we begin to think creatively and find a way to solve difficult issues.
Make Others Happy
Happiness experts assure: absolutely any act of kindness toward others increases our own sense of happiness.
As proof, scientists cited the results of the experiment, obtained in a Spanish business firm. A group of employees experiencing depression were invited to be the “Secret Santa”: anonymously give gifts and prepare pleasant surprises for their colleagues.
As a result, the melancholic participants of the experiment significantly increased their motivation and level of enjoyment of life.
It is not necessary to give gifts: it is enough to make someone laugh or offer a cup of coffee. This will also affect the production of happiness hormones.
Talk to Positive People
Surround yourself with positive people and you’ll notice your mindset change.
Regularly socializing with positive people will help you learn to think positively.
Learn to Forgive
Yes, it doesn’t seem like an easy task. But you must make an effort to learn how to forgive people.
Forgive your abusers, but also don’t forget about yourself. Learn to forgive yourself for your lapses and mistakes. Get it together, shake it off, learn from it, and move forward.
Describe Your Ideal Day
This is an effective exercise to understand what you really want and what you are constantly avoiding.
Imagine your perfect day, think over the important points and try to implement it in the near future.
After analyzing this day, if something did not work out, then re-write all the moments and bring it to life. Then think about the emotions and feelings you have experienced.
Train yourself to live your perfect day as often as possible, and then you will see qualitative changes in yourself after a while.
Congratulations on taking steps to turn your negative thinking into positive thinking. Be happy for yourself. Soon, you will begin to notice how much nicer you are and how much better life is.
About the Author
Mitchell Natalie Mae is a Seo copywriter. She provides cheap writing services for businesses and organizations in need of high-quality content that is optimized for search engines. With her knowledge of SEO techniques, she can help increase visibility and generate more leads.
