Mind
Happiness often comes from within. Learn how to tame negative thoughts and approach every day with optimism.
Conquer Negative Thinking:-
All humans have a tendency to be a bit more like Eeyore than Tigger, to ruminate more on bad experiences than positive ones. Itโs an evolutionary adaptation โ over-learning from the dangerous or hurtful situations we encounter through life (bullying, trauma, betrayal) helps us avoid them in the future and react quickly in a crisis.
But that means you have to work a little harder to train your brain to conquer negative thoughts. Hereโs how:
Donโt try to stop negative thoughts. :-
Telling yourself โI have to stop thinking about this,โ only makes you think about it more. Instead, own your worries. When you are in a negative cycle, acknowledge it. โIโm worrying about money.โ โIโm obsessing about problems at work.โ
Treat yourself like a friend:-
When you are feeling negative about yourself, ask yourself what advice would you give a friend who was down on herself. Now try to apply that advice to you.
Challenge your negative thoughts:-
Socratic questioning is the process of challenging and changing irrational thoughts.ย Studies showย that this method can reduce depression symptoms. The goal is to get you from a negative mindset (โIโm a failure.โ) to a more positive one (โIโve had a lot of success in my career. This is just one setback that doesnโt reflect on me. I can learn from it and be better.โ) Here are some examples of questions you can ask yourself to challenge negative thinking.
First, write down your negative thought, such as โIโm having problems at work and am questioning my abilities.โ
- Then ask yourself: โWhat is the evidence for this thought?โ
- โAm I basing this on facts? Or feelings?โ
- โCould I be misinterpreting the situation?โ
- โHow might other people view the situation differently?
- โHow might I view this situation if it happened to someone else?โWhat is happiness?
It seems like an odd question, but is it? Do you know how to define happiness? Do you think happiness is the same thing to you as it is to others?
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Whatโs the point of it all? Does it even make a difference in our lives?
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In fact, happiness does have a pretty important role in our lives, and it can have a huge impact on the way we live our lives. Although researchers have yet to pin down the definition or an agreed-upon framework for happiness, thereโs a lot we have learned in the last few decades.
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This article will dive into the science of happiness, what it actually is, and why it matters.
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Before you continue, we thought you might like to download our three Positive Psychology Exercises for free. These science-based exercises will explore fundamental aspects of positive psychology including strengths, values, and self-compassion, and will give you the tools to enhance the wellbeing of your clients, students, or employees.
The bottom line: Negative thinking happens to all of us, but if we recognize it and challenge that thinking, we are taking a big step toward a happier life.
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Controlled Breathing
Science is just beginning to provide evidence that the benefits of this ancient practice are real. Studies have found, for example, that breathing practices can help reduce symptoms associated with anxiety, insomnia, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and attention deficit disorder. For centuries yogis have used breath control, or pranayama, to promote concentration and improve vitality. Buddha advocated breath-meditation as a way to reach enlightenment.
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