Training Your Brain with Positivity
/Greetings in the Name of our Lord,
On April 21, I will begin a series of sermons on creating a positive joyous mindset based on Philippians 4:8. I have been working on the power and influence of positivity in families and the workplace for the past several years. Studies have shown that when organizations and social systems focus on the positive, there is a resulting increase in productivity and deeper, more meaningful relationships.
In my opinion, this was one of the primary messages of Jesus. In the sermon on the mount, Jesus said, “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33). As the gospels tell the story of Jesus, we find the Savior and Lord encouraging and building-up his followers. The Kingdom of God is defined not by the measure of our success but rather by the measure of our devotion to God. Putting ourselves at the disposal of our Lord to be blessed in order to be a blessing. Happiness or life satisfaction is therefore not defined by our measure of success but rather the measure of our relationship with our Lord. The divine relationship exposes the unique, creative, person we are born to be.
Shawn Achor, author and positive psychology researcher, has spent the last several years studying the positive psychology movement. He has taken these positive behavior theories and applied them in organizations across the nation.
Achor says that the common approach to happiness is based on the following: If we work harder, we will be more successful. If I am more successful, then I will be happier. This approach is ingrained in parenting, schools, and work. The problem is that when we achieve “success”, we move the goal post, and therefore never fully achieve life satisfaction and happiness.
The opposite is true. The brain, when positive, grateful, and joyous, performs significantly better than negative, neutral, or stressed. When we start with creating a positive joyous mindset, intelligence, creativity, and energy rise. In organizations that focus on the positive, we find higher work satisfaction, superior productivity, more resilience when challenged, and less burnout. In his studies, there is a 31% increase in productivity when positivity is present.
When we find a way to be positive in the present, it affects not only our spirit but also the way the brain functions. The brain is wired to function better when we focus on the positive. When we experience the positive, the brain is flooded with dopamine. This brain chemical not only creates a sense of happiness and well-being but also turns on the learning centers of the brain. As such, we adapt to the world in a more creative and positive manner.
Achor says that we can train the brain to be more positive. By practicing five simple tasks each day for 21 days we can rewire the brain.
2 minutes – Write down three blessings you have experienced over the past 24 hours. This trains the brain to scan the world for the positive things we often miss in a stressful world.
2 minutes – Journal about one positive, joyous experience. One paragraph. This allows the brain to relive this experience and better sets it in our memory.
20 minutes – Exercise. This teaches the brain that behavior matters.
5 minutes - Take time for silence, prayer, and meditation. This slows down the ADHD that stress can create in our fast-paced, stressful culture. It trains the brain to focus on the task at hand instead of being distracted by the multiple demands of life.
2 minutes - Practice random or conscious acts of kindness. One example would be to write one email a day praising someone in your social network.
We can train the brain like our bodies and become the person God created us to be.
Join me in the next 21 days to reverse the formula for happiness and success. I believe if we practice these things, we can create a ripple of positivity. Let me know if you are willing to join me. I look forward to hearing from you.
Pastor John Allen