The world can feel pretty full-on sometimes.
There is always something happening – bad news, big problems, people feeling stressed, things changing when you did not expect them to.
It can make your brain feel like it has 37 tabs open at once.
Not ideal.
But that’s where happiness comes in.
Happiness is not about pretending everything is perfect, it’s about learning how to look for the good, even when things feel tricky.
So, how do we find more happiness?
One way is to notice the thoughts going around and around in your brain.
Your brain is very clever, but it also listens to what you keep telling it. If you keep thinking, “Everything is going wrong,” your brain starts looking for more things that are going wrong.
But if you start thinking, “What’s one good thing I can do next?” your brain starts looking for ideas, answers and opportunities.
That is much more helpful.
Basically, positive thoughts can help your brain open up instead of shut down.
Wait, what does that mean?
When you feel worried or grumpy, it can be harder to think clearly. Your brain is busy dealing with the big feelings.
But when you feel calm, happy or hopeful, your brain can think more creatively. You might come up with a better idea, you might solve a problem faster and you might even feel kinder towards the people around you.
That is called an upward spiral.
A small happy thought can lead to a better action – a better action can lead to a better feeling – a better feeling can help you make another good choice.
And up you go.
What can you do to help this upward spiral?
Start by pressing pause on the complaints.
Instead of saying, “today is going to be terrible,” try, “I want to make today better.”
Instead of “nothing good ever happens,” try, “what is one good thing I can notice right now?”
It sounds simple, but simple things can be powerful when you practise them.
The big idea is this: happiness grows when you practise it.
Talk about what you do want – look for the good – do small things that make your day feel brighter.
Your brain will start to notice. www.positivemindsetchallenge.nz
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