The Path To Positivity

Last week I gave a talk to a wonderful group of wise women (between the ages of 55 and 80) based on my book, The Recipe for Real Happiness: Four Simple Ingredients.
 
I was moved by their honesty and vulnerability as they shared various life situations—everything from losing a loved one, to being disappointed by friends, to taking forever to get dressed in the morning because they felt unattractive. 
 
The one thing that always strikes me is that no matter the age of my clients, everyone suffers from insecurities. It is VERY important to understand that we, as human beings, have what is called a negativity bias; we are wired for negativity and it is NOT our fault. We can have up to 60,000 thoughts per day and it is estimated that 80 percent of those thoughts are negative.
 
But…there is good news: Our brains are malleable, and we can create new neural pathways with continuous repetition of positive thoughts and actions! During my talk I shared valuable mental tools and techniques that support the four main ingredients in my book: Love, Gratitude, Mindfulness and Learning.
 
Technique of the week: Be conscious of your thoughts. Stop yourself when you are about to go down that slippery slope of negativity. Say out loud, “I’m not going there.” Bring on the love (for yourself and others), practice your attitude of gratitude, get out of your head and into the moment, and remember that all of life is a classroom for learning!