This article is additional information regarding the personal development exercise proposed for the month of January (Motivation - I choose to have a positive attitude) in our positive affirmations card game .
“Pleasure is gathered, joy is plucked and happiness is cultivated,” said the Buddha, quietly installed under his tree. This millennia-old quote hasn't aged a single bit and it sounds pretty good 😊
Being positive and staying positive is an attitude that costs us a lot of effort!
Since we need a culprit, let's point the finger at him without further delay. A hereditary feature that we have all been carrying around for 400 million years: the primitive brain.
It is the most ancestral part of our brain, which fights with all its strength against letting go since its role is precisely to protect us from danger by making us run away, fight or even play dead. Also called the reptilian brain, it is the author of our pre-programmed behaviors.
Fortunately, the last few decades have seen science highlight the plasticity of our brain. An interesting feature that allows us to recreate new nervous connections and therefore new habits. Phew, we're out of the woods.
Hey, not so fast!
It seems that it takes 21 days to establish a new habit. To learn, the brain needs time and repetition.
Let's remember, however, that learning to be more positive doesn't mean burying your head in the sand or pretending that everything is fine. If something is weighing very heavy on your heart and the mere mention of the word “positive” annoys you, start there.
Over time, our learning to be more positive will make us stronger and more resilient to overcome obstacles.
As for managing the little inconveniences and annoyances of life, the key is to realize that a situation always has several angles of view.
As our friend Seneca said, “Life is not about waiting for storms to pass, it’s about learning how to dance in the rain.”
Cultivating the art of being positive makes us more pleasant to those around us and more attentive to the beauty of life. We therefore offer you these 5 small challenges to take on over the next month to be more positive.
Little challenge n° 1 – Stop comparing
Probably the worst thing that cuts our happiness from under our feet: comparison. AIE Aie Aie.
We'll have to cut it short.
Refocus on yourself and your life.
What you see in others is only what they want you to see.
Decide today to stop ogling your neighbor's pseudo-lush garden. The only positive thing about jealousy is that it can help you identify your desires and inspire you to achieve the desired thing. The rest is trash.
Little challenge #2 – 5 minutes of positivity per day
In a small notebook or on a loose sheet of paper, every day when you wake up, write down 3 things for which you are grateful. Being in good health, having a roof over your head, great friends, a weekend at the seaside,…
Again in the evening, before going to bed, write down 3 positive things that happened during the day: a ray of sunshine during your coffee break, a phone call from a loved one, a relaxing yoga session, etc.
The act of writing “fixes” things and encourages our unconscious to focus on the positive.
Make this exercise a little routine just for you, to start the day off on the right foot and end it in style!
Little challenge #3 – I watch my words
The Chilean psychologist Marcial Francisco Losada developed the idea that the ratio between the positive and negative words that we exchange with others conditions the quality of the relationship. This is the famous Losada ratio.
We therefore invite you to pay particular attention to all the times you express things in a negative way. When you find yourself caught red-handed, try to rephrase what you just said in a positive way.
Little challenge no. 4 – I put things into perspective and find solutions
During the small peaks of stress that spice up our daily lives against our will, going back to basics allows us to put things into perspective: does the earth continue to turn? Am I in danger of death? Do I have a roof to sleep in?
When we realize that our basic needs are not threatened, it is easier to distance ourselves from the rest.
And to counterbalance the sometimes overwhelming feeling of stress, adopt an action plan to deal with the problem. Actively projecting yourself into the solution allows you to get rid of negative emotions.
Little challenge no. 5 – I smile
“Zora smiles, at the sidewalks, at the cars, at the passers-by
To the noise, to the walls, to the bad weather
To his bare face in the wind
To her legs that dance as she walks
To everything that seems obvious to us
She moves forward and blesses every moment
Zora smiles, Zora smiles, Zora smiles »
...sang Celine Dion in the late 90s.
In addition to making you instantly sublime, smiling helps your mind adopt a more positive attitude.
In any case, this is what a group of Australian researchers reveal in a study published in May 2020 in the journal Experimental Psychology .
What if you smiled more, too?
It seems that consuming in a more responsible and ethical way would make us happy. In this post, we explain our eco-design approach in complete transparency!
Practicing yoga every day could be part of your future happiness routine, would you like to take up the challenge?
Being positive attracts the positive. By practicing these little challenges on a daily basis, you will start to attract great events like a magnet! The famous “birds of a feather flock together”.
Discover the personal development exercise proposed for the month of February: Reinvent yourself day by day!
Discover here our eco-responsible yoga outfits made in France from recycled materials, perfectly suited to practicing all types of yoga!
And to not miss any news from Géopélie, subscribe to our newsletter here at the bottom of the page 👇 or here , we only send a maximum of two per month!
Photo credits :
- Aartem Beliaikin
Sources:
- Blog Resources Update
- Wikipedia The triune brain theory
- Website Why Doctor
Leave a comment