Friday, March 2, 2012

Train Your Brain to Think More Positively!

I did something today I haven't done in a VERY long time. I bought a magazine! I know, I know...call me crazy, call me wacky, call me kooky, call me nutso...but it's true...I did! I was in the airport gift shop and saw this BEAUTIFUL cover of Oprah Magazine and I just couldn't help myself. I caved.

You see I used to be a "magazine junkie". I literally could not miss a week buying "People" magazine and I had several subscriptions to fashion, home decorating and gardening magazines. But a couple of years ago I decided I needed to cut back on the time, money and paper that these magazines were taking up in my life and went "cold turkey". 

So now it's a rarity when I actually buy a magazine...but this one made me lose my head a little. First of all, it's mostly pink, which definitely caught my eye. I almost hate to admit it, but I do like PINK. But then I got to looking at the titles of the articles in this issue and I was hooked! Basically the whole issue is about de-cluttering your life...something I am a huge fan of!



To make a long story, even longer...I bought the magazine and I haven't gone through all of it yet...but there was one article I read that really resonated with me and was just what I needed to read right now. It's titled "Learning How to Lighten Up" by Ellen Gibson and I found myself telling the hubster about it and then my sister came over and I had to tell HER all about it. So guess what? You're next. :-)


Oprah.com
Let me start out by saying I am posting this for ME as much as anyone...because I have NO room to talk on this subject. I have a terrible habit of focusing on the negative experiences I have in my life rather than reveling in the positive ones...but I have discovered that I'm not alone! As a matter of fact, did you know it's our NATURE to fixate on bad news? There's even a "technical term" for it that psychologists use. Negativity bias. It apparently goes all the way back to our "hunter-gatherer" days when survival meant always being on the lookout for DANGER. Interesting huh?  The problem is...while this may have served us well WAY back when...today it does us no good...in fact it's harmful.

So...what can we do about it? Well, according to neuropsychologist Rick Hanson, we can actually TRAIN OUR BRAIN to become more alert to good information.


Here's how it works: the next time you notice something positive about yourself or someone else, or something in your environment, try savoring it for at least ten seconds. That's it! For example...you notice that the sun is shining. Instead of just filing that information away in the file cabinet of your brain...DWELL on it for awhile. Instead of just "the sun is shining", allow yourself to savor the beauty of it and how it illuminates different things in your environment, how it feels as it warms your skin, how much lighter your spirit feels on a sunny day vs. a cloudy one. It might seem silly...but do it enough times and the good doctor says you will begin to feel a shift, because new thought patterns can actually change the physiology of our brains.

Well, that's good enough for me! Starting right now....OPERATION TRAIN YOUR BRAIN has commenced.
Who's with me???     :-)


Here's a cute Free Printable I found online to help keep us focused! :-)


Comes in 16 different colors!



Training your brain to FOCUS ON THE POSITIVE is today's.....






12 comments:

  1. Hi Jillee,
    I've been meaning to comment on most of your post. you truly are an inspiration not only to me but to all of your followers. I just want you to know that I love your blog.Please don't stop being an inspiration. Thanks

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  2. You are right -- reflecting on things we are thankful for is soooo important!! I recently read a book called "One Thousand Gifts" by Ann Voskamp. All about recording in a book what we are thankful for. Amazaing book! highly recommended!

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  3. Almost 2000 years ago the Apostle Paul encouraged us to do the same thing. "Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse." Philippians 4:8 The Message
    It is much encouraging focusing on the positive (and I am one who struggles with negative thoughts.)

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  4. Indeed! And to help along, look for small positive things and send a card to those responsible telling them how much you appreciate that small thing that they did! You won't believe how much better the world will be--for you and THEM!!!! :)

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  5. Thank you for this post today. I have so much to be happy about yet lately I've been feeling less than joyful. I can overcome this! You've inspired me.

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  6. Wonderful Blog today! I have found that I used to be negative Nellie...I am always looking for ways to boost the positivity in our house! Thank you for sharing; it is definitely something I will be trying!

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  7. Thanks for the encouraging post! I just found your blog and am hooked. :-)

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  8. I just found your blog and read this. Must be a sign!? I'm also a person who is seeing things too negative instead of trying to see things positive.
    The glass is mostly half empty instead of half full. And I hate it thinking this way. So I centainly will try to train my brain. And who knows....i will turn into a sunny person! People will need sunglasses then when they talk to me because I'll be shining of positivity:) Thanks for sharing this.
    Positive regards from Holland, Agnes

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  9. I just found your blog (via the frozen yogurt dots that have already way to Pinterest!). You have great recipes for natural home solutions, and I am totally going to be makes some, when I am able to.
    About the positive thinking - so true! This is something I have been struggling with recently, and I have to share a book that I found: Mindset by Carol Dweck. She is a psychologist who talks about our potential to change, and how our view of failure has a profound impact on how we think of ourselves and environment. Anyway, that is my "just have to share".

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  10. I started thinking more positively a couple years ago. I had no choice truly my life was fraught with negative experiences everyday (it was a bad time) But I worked really hard to see the small good and to BE IN THE MOMENT (thats important too, to being positive). I can tell you that it definitely works. I'm actually a different person than I was a couple of years ago. Its harder than you'd think but you just got to keep steering your brain to the good that's happening around you and then one day you just don't have to anymore. Its very cool

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  11. I came across a talk about this very thing just the other day! I love the idea of retraining your brain to think more positively. There are so many benefits! Here's a link to the talk I watched about it. (I'm not a spammy troll, I promise! I read your blog all the time & love it.) http://www.ted.com/talks/view/lang///id/1344

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  12. Thanks for sharing, I have that magazine and am going to read that article now!

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Please post a comment if you feel so inclined! I love reading your thoughts and suggestions! And let's just face it....we're a lot smarter collectively...than individually. :-)