Train Your Brain

Whenever you visit the animal shelter, it isn't the adult cats that you are dying to buy and take home; it’s usually the kittens. Why? Because we think all things grown are set in their ways and can no longer be trained. This is incorrect.

Scientists and doctors previously thought that once we grew up, our brain was set in stone and there was not much we could do about it. However, over the years we have discovered exciting information about our brain's neuroplasticity. Whenever we think, feel and act in different ways, our brain actually changes and rewires itself. This means we are not stuck with those negative neural pathways for the remainder of our lives!

Dr. Richard Davidson of the University or Wisconsin says that based on what we know of the plasticity of the brain, we can think of things such as happiness and compassion as skills that are no different from learning to play musical instruments or basketball. It is possible to literally train our brains to think happy. Most people are not lucky enough to be born happy, they have had to learn how to become happy by practicing good habits that have supported their happiness.

According to New York Times bestselling author and founder of the Happy 100, Marci Shimoff, there are two factors that lead us to suffering and blocking happiness: the Myth of More and the Myth of I'll-Be-Happy-When....

A brief overview of these:

Myth of More:

•   In America, income has increased more than two and a half times over the past fifty years, but the happiness of these people has remained the same

•   Nearly 40 percent of the people on the Forbes list of wealthiest Americans are less happy than the average American

Advertising is to blame for some of this as it leads people to believe..."Well, if I buy this and have that...I'll definitely be happier."

Billions of dollars are spent yearly on ads telling people they are not good enough the way they are and that they need a certain product in order to fit in. We can sit here and say those commercials don't have any affect on us, but due to recent studies, it is a fact that they do and will continue to do so.

Myth of I'll-Be-Happy-When:

•   "I find the perfect boyfriend/girlfriend"

•   "When I have a better job"

•   "When I have a baby"

•   "When the kids are in school"

•   "When I get more praise and recognition"

•   And the ever so famous, "I'll be happy when I lose 20 more pounds"

And the list goes on and on and on and I’m sure many of you know what I'm talking about.

According to Daniel Gilbert, a well-respected Harvard psychology professor who has been studying happiness, humans overestimate the happiness we will receive from getting what we want. We imagine how great it will feel to get that big promotion or go on that awesome vacation, but when we actually get them, we are typically far less happy than we thought we'd be. We consistently think this great “it” or “thing” is going to make us happy. However, the reality is, we must learn to be happy now, in this moment. In order to do so, one must understand that our happiness does not rest in "bigger, more, and better". The concept of happy for no reason is that happiness exists right now, not later.

I will leave you with one of the three principles we are to try and live by. This way you can think about each one individually:

-What expands you makes you happier-

 As some of you know, we are composed of energy. Everything we say, do and everything we're around either expands our energy or contracts it. When our energy expands, we experience greater happiness and when our energy contracts we experience less happiness.

Sit up straight, put your shoulders back, open your arms wide open, take a deep breath, and just smile. You are probably feeling free, open, relaxed, light, and joyful. This=Expansion. Now, to increase that feeling, think of a loved one or someone you admire and enjoy being with. How do you feel now? If your body was hooked up to a scientific measuring instrument at this moment, you would be able to see the increase in oxygen absorption, dilation of blood vessels, muscle relaxation, the smoothness of your heart rhythms and the increased integration of you brain's functioning. This is the Law of Expansion.

Now, hunch your shoulders, ball up your fists, take short, quick breaths and put a frown on your face. Are you feeling anxious, confined, tight or aggravated? = Contraction. Think of someone you are mad at or don't like. You will more than likely feel unhappy. All of our negative emotions cause us to contract and literally contract the flow of our life energy. Your muscles will tighten, breathing patterns change and your circulation is restricted. The level of your stress hormones rise and this, my friends, is what breaks down your immune system and raises the risk of infection and illness.

Personally, I have always always always always struggled with worrying myself to death. It is something I have been trying to work on for years. I have literally gone through times in my life where I have felt unhealthy due to my stress level. This is truly what has driven me to study and research the medical side of happiness, relaxation and peace. Why the medical side? I am the world's biggest hypochondriac. It is ridiculous. However, I have gotten much better (I like to think) over the years. I no longer think I’m dying when I have a stomach ache or think I have a tumor because I get headaches. Oh, but I still feel sorry for my boyfriend because childbirth is not going to be a walk in the park. My doctor will be summoned to move in with me so I know everything is O.K. at all times.........Yes, I have thought about it.

I hate the word "honestly", but honestly, some of this research has helped me in ways I can't even begin to explain. I hope to share all my favorite findings as I continue to post and hope it helps anyone who has ever needed to hear it. With that being said, I will leave you with one of my favorite quotes.

"I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn't arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I'm going to be happy in it."- Groucho Marx :)