It helps to nurture the positive parts of ourselves and make a point of paying attention to experiences that give us pleasure. Our automatic tendencies is to think of the worst case scenario, the unpleasant experiences. Sharon Salzburg in her book Real Happiness writes that it takes a conscious effort to include the positive. This is not intended to be phone positive nor to deny problems. The invitation is to pay attention to pleasant aspects of the day that we may easily overlook or ignore such as noticing a flower, a child’s hug, an acknowledgement from a pet. Then noticing the sensations of the emotion in the body, where and if there are any changing patterns. Also noticing what thoughts may be present as you bring to mind what’s pleasant and positive. Do you have a sense of feeling less confined or less stuck in automatic reactivity? Does the mind try to build stories around certain experiences? Maybe automatic negative thoughts tend to arise and may be hindering you from taking positive action.
A Birthday, by Christina Rossetti
My heart is like a singing bird
Whose nest is in a water’d shoot;
My heart is like an apple-tree
Whose boughs are bent with thickset fruit;
Guide: Noelle Lim
Image credit: Jae Park, Unsplash
Kindermind Center 