In a typical day at work do you see more problems or solutions? Do you notice negative emotions more or positive ones? If you lean towards seeing problems or focusing on negative emotions then welcome to the human race! Our brains are wired to look for problems and dangers. This is a great thing if you live in a super, physically dangerous environment. Not so great when you are sitting safely at work. So what do we do about it? Well, we have to retrain our brains to look for the positive. To focus on solutions rather then problems. The beautiful thing is that retraining starts with a simple question…”What do I love about right now?”
It truly is that simple! Give your Reticular Activating System, that part of your brain that focuses on what you tell it to, a positive question to answer. Start your day with this question, ask it as many times during your work day as you can. Slowly but surely you will build new, positive, resourceful, solution-seeking neuropathways. And that my friends is a pathway to joy.
Have an amazing Monday! (and everyday.)
Leanna Fredrich, Leadership, Career and Stress Management Coach Adv.EFT, Adv. Psych-K
Leanna@amazingmondays.com
PS: Sometimes it’s hard to see the positive when you are high-jacked with negative emotion. I love tapping as a tool to calm the brain and release negative emotion. Here’s a script for you to try…
Karate Chop:
Even though all I can see are problems I love and accept myself anyway.
Even though I feel so negative right now I love and accept myself anyway.
Even though I don’t love anything about right now I accept myself where I am.
Eyebrow: This anger.
Side of Eye: This sadness.
Under Eye: This fear.
Under Nose: Nothing is working out well today.
Chin Point: I’m so frustrated.
Collarbone: I feel trapped in this stress.
Under arm: All this negative feeling.
Top of Head: I don’t feel joyful at all.
Tap through the negative sequence to release until your feeling of negativity is around a 5 or lower on a scale of 1-10. Then you may move to the positive round.
Positive Round
Eyebrow Point: I can see one or two things I love about right now.
Side of Eye: I do love that I am breathing right now. That’s a good thing!
Under Eye: I love that my eyes blink without me thinking about it.
Under Nose: I love that my blood flows through my body without me having to monitor it.
Chin Point: Right now I love ____________________________.
Under Arm: I also love ______________________________.
Top of Head: Rewiring my brain can be fun and easy. I will be gentle with myself as I do it.