Happiness on demand? Here’s a revolutionary brain hack you need to try NOW! [Friday: Mindfulness by Miles]
Miles Everson’s Business Builder Daily speaks to the heart of what great marketers, business leaders, and other professionals need to succeed in advertising, communications, managing their investments, career strategy, and more.
A Note from Miles Everson:
Welcome to today’s edition of “Mindfulness by Miles!”
We’re excited to share with you another interesting and insightful topic.
Each Friday, we talk about different health and mindfulness tips with the hope that these will encourage you to enhance your overall well-being.
… and today, we’ll discuss a few key insights from a particular book. Are you ready?
Read on to know how you can “hardwire” happiness in your life.
Miles Everson
CEO, MBO Partners
Chairman of the Advisory Board, The I Institute
Mindfulness by Miles
Have you ever wondered if you could change the way your brain works?
We’re talking to those of you who frequently overthink or are often stressed out by negative thoughts running in your mind.
If this is you and you’ve ever wished you could be naturally happier, calmer, and more confident, you’re in for a treat!
Dr. Rick Hanson, a psychologist, has a roadmap to your brain’s happiness highway in his book titled, “Hardwiring Happiness: The New Brain Science of Contentment, Calm, and Confidence.”
Photo from Amazon
Rewiring Your Brain for Bliss: Unpacking the Science of “Hardwiring Happiness”
Picture this: Your brain is like a complex tangle of pathways, constantly firing off signals that shape your emotions, thoughts, and reactions.
… but here’s the interesting part: You can actually mold these pathways to create a sunnier disposition! It’s all about understanding the science of neuroplasticity and putting it to work for your mental well-being.
Take a look at these concepts that Hanson discussed in his book…
The Negativity Bias: Why Your Brain is a “Debbie Downer”
[Debbie Downer: A slang term for someone who is constantly making others feel bad or dampening the mood of a group with negative comments.]
Let’s talk about the brain’s natural tendency to lean towards the negative. Have you ever noticed that one criticism can overshadow a dozen compliments?
That’s the brain’s negativity bias at work.
According to Dr. Hanson, our ancestors’ survival instincts favored focusing on threats over rewards… and these instincts have been passed down to us. It’s like our brains are wired to be on the lookout for lions in a garden rather than smelling the roses in front of us.
So… now that you know the brain is a bit of a worrywart, what can you do to rewire it for positivity?
Dr. Hanson lays out a four-step process that goes by the catchy acronym HEAL: Have, Enrich, Absorb, and Link.
- Have: It all begins with having a positive experience, no matter how small. Did your morning coffee make you smile? Did a coworker compliment your work? Did you accomplish your tasks earlier than usual? These little moments are the building blocks of your brain’s happiness.
- Enrich: Spend a few extra seconds soaking in the good vibes; let them sink in. Picture yourself soaking up the sun on a bright day. The more you focus on the good stuff, the more it sticks around.
- Absorb: Imagine you’re a sponge absorbing all the positivity around you. Visualize that emotion flowing through your veins, infusing your cells with joy and tranquility. This will help you rewire your brain for bliss.
- Link: The magic trick is to connect this new positive experience with existing ones. Remember that time you aced a presentation? Now connect that triumph with the taste of your favorite ice cream. Your brain will start associating success with a delightful brain-freeze!
At this point, you might be wondering how to make these practices stick. Here are 2 guidelines Dr. Hanson detailed in his book:
- Mindfulness and Meditation: Ah, the “heavyweights” of mental fitness! Dr. Hanson says these practices strengthen your brain’s happiness muscle, helping you better regulate your emotions and reduce stress. Engaging in such activities is like giving your brain a spa treatment, complete with soothing background music.
- Stronger and More Positive Relationships: “Hardwiring happiness” isn’t just about you and your brain. It’s also about how positive interactions with others boost your well-being. According to Dr. Hanson, cultivating healthy relationships creates a ripple effect of happiness. Suddenly, you’re not just making your brain happier; you’re also making the world a little brighter!
Overall, Dr. Hanson’s “Hardwiring Happiness” book can be your instruction manual for sculpting a happier, calmer, and more confident you. In fact, you can become the “architect of your own brain, rearranging the furniture to let the light in.”
With the HEAL process, mindfulness, and a dash of positivity, you’re on the right track to rewiring your brain for bliss.
Remember: This isn’t an overnight transformation but a journey. So, if you have time, you might want to read Dr. Hanson’s book too and embark on the adventure of a lifetime – the adventure of rewiring your brain for happiness.
We hope you find this book feature helpful and interesting!
(This article is from The Business Builder Daily, a newsletter by The I Institute in collaboration with MBO Partners.)
About The Dynamic Marketing Communiqué’s
“Fridays: Mindfulness by Miles”
High-performance businesses are run by people who think and act differently.
In other words, these are people who are high-performing individuals.
Companies and individuals of this kind have found ways to escape the grind of commoditization and competition by focusing on the RIGHT goals.
High-performing businesses and individuals are also “return driven” businesses and “career driven” individuals. They conscientiously develop unique capabilities and resources that allow them to deliver offerings in ways no other firm or individual can.
Every Friday, we’ll publish tips and insights from MBO Partners and The I Institute’s “The Business Builder Daily” newsletter.
These will help you gain knowledge on the things that Miles Everson, the CEO of MBO Partners, often talks about regarding the future of the workforce.
We’ll also highlight other mindfulness advice on how you can be a high-performing individual both in your career and personal life.
Hope you’ve found this week’s insight interesting and helpful.
Stay tuned for next Friday’s “Mindfulness by Miles!”
Cheers,
Kyle Yu
Head of Marketing
Valens Dynamic Marketing Capabilities
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