Are you the “glass half empty” person in the room? Yeah, I was too. Then I did something that transformed my life.
I changed my psychology! You can too!
The surprising thing was how simple it was. Here’s how.
I became intentional about changing a few small things that returned huge results. I started with three daily habits that seemed pretty insignificant at the time.
Want to try it?
One. As soon as you wake up, even before you get out of bed, think, “I’m going to be glad today!” or “It’s going to be a great day!” or “I’ll find the blessings no matter what this day holds!” Anything that gets your mind going in a positive direction.
A word of caution: I’m not promoting positive thinking because I’m not a fan of it. Slapping a positive statement on a difficult situation can cause cognitive dissonance. That’s when our brain struggles with our thoughts, words, or behaviors that go against what we really believe. It actually causes more harm than good to do this.
For example, If I truly believe I’m ugly but stand in front of a mirror and proclaim that I’m a gorgeous goddess is only going to make me feel like a fake. I could, however, say that I like the color of my eyes, or that my hair is curly, and people say it’s cute.
I am a huge fan of accurate thinking that leans into the positive side of things, though. So, when I wake up and say, “It’s going to be a great day!” I’m not foretelling events that may be out of my control, I am choosing to have a good attitude regardless of whether circumstances are great or not.
Two. Smile often.
Smile every time you see a mirror. Smile while you’re driving. Smile while you’re doing dishes or mowing the lawn. Smile at everyone you pass. Smile while you’re talking to your kids. Smile a hundred times a day.
When we smile, a small amount of dopamine is released in our brain, causing us to feel good. It’s almost impossible to stay gloomy if you smile.
Plus, you improve the lives of everyone you meet, and people will like being around you more! That’s a win for everyone.
Three. When you lie down at night, think of several things that went well throughout the day and several things you are thankful for.
If you are an over achiever, writing it down is even better. The hand-brain connection of writing will increase the effectiveness of this practice, but if you’re like me, this is too much work at bedtime!
The science behind these simple habits is that the neuropathways in our brain can be changed with intentional thought. It’s like ruts in a field that water runs through and get deeper with each rain. Thoughts in our brain can literally be changed from negative to positive if we work at it long enough.
You are actually training your brain search for something specific – that’s why negative people stay negative and positive people stay positive – it’s what they’re looking for. Have you ever gotten a new car and suddenly you see the same model everywhere you go? Your mind was ‘switched on’ to look for it.
At first, our brain resists the effort because it is designed to reserve energy and maintain homeostasis, but if we keep it up, new pathways are created and the old ones fade.
If you are ready to change your psychology and would like someone to walk that path with you, let’s talk!
Thanks for reading!
Remember – those who seek, find! Matthew 7:8
Gen Martinez,
Brain & Mind Health Coach
DISC Personality Trainer
Neuroencoding Specialist
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