What are some of your best tactics for turning an otherwise tragic or horrible day into a positive memory that you  can reach for when surrounded by negativity or sadness? It's been said, positive memories fuel happiness. Do your experiences support this opinion?

 

My experiences support this opinion, but with a caveat. Psychologists and researchers explain that it takes many positive experiences to offset one negative one because the brain is biased toward negativity. So if one has many negative and few positive memories to attach to, feeling positive when faced with negativity is more challenging. But the brain is willing to adapt and change according to whatever we require.

 

According to science, throughout our existence has become conditioned to keeping us aware of danger and in a psychologically "safe zone." In order to keep us feeling safe, it tracks our emotions, flags the extremely negative ones, and is on the lookout when these negative feelings are repeated. When a negative emotion is repeated, the brain stores the information and remembers it. After a few incidents, the brain is able to anticipate this negative emotion and set of "alarms" such as fear, dread or other negative emotions in advance. 

 

As a result of the brain's attention to negative emotions, we experience fear or angst before something terrible really takes place. Because of its ability to warn us of danger, the brain is "biased" toward negativity.This information is based on research and evidence acquired through scientific experiments and studies of how the brain behaves.

 

Using evidence from research and experiments, scientists and psychologists explain that the brain adapts and changes its structure in order to keep us feeling safe and contented, but it is "biased" toward detecting negativity first and foremost. 

 

One example of such research is scientific experiments conducted to determine the extent of our brain's "negative bias."   In one type of experiment, participants were shown pictures of faces or images that led to positive emotions--babies, smiles, or slices of pizza! They were also presented pictures of images that were considered disgusting or grossly negative, like dead animals, garbage, etc. Participants always noticed the negative images first, remembered them more vividly, and remembered them for longer periods of time. This led to further studies and confirmation that the brain has a negative bias (even as it works to keep us happy).

 

Because the brain is also dedicated to our feelings of well-being, it is willing to adapt to our needs, but it takes more work if one has been inundated by negative experiences. My opinion is not scientific, but it is based on years of research on the topic of depression and PTSD. My point is this: In as much as we are told, "Don't worry, be happy" in one way or another, our emotional systems are not created equal, so some of us must work harder to find positive memories that can be used when we feel overwhelmed or challenged by negativity.

 

The key to overcoming negative thoughts and experiences is knowing the brain is willing to do whatever it takes to keep us happy and safe. Finding happiness is easy for some of us; the rest of us have to work hard to create positive moments to fuel positive thinking, but it can be done with a little willpower and willingness to force the brain to change.

It's been said, positive memories fuel happiness. Do you agree?

Starting a discussion:

 

I'm not one to give up when I think something is important, worth repeating, or inspiring, so I continue to share what I learn, but I'd like to know your thoughts as well. What advice would you give to those who face negative feelings day to day? What are some of your best tactics for turning an otherwise tragic or horrible day into a positive memory that you  can reach for when surrounded by negativity or sadness? It's been said, positive memories fuel happiness. Do your experiences support this opinion?

 

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The focus of this blog continues to be emotional strength-building through writing and self-expression, but the focus will be changing to some extent. In the future, when I blog (about once a week),  I will sometimes offer writing prompts to encourage self-expression and reflection. I will continue sharing stories of survival, asking questions, and offering what I have learned but I will also be relying on you to share ideas on this blog site or privately via email (published only at your request). If you would like a response to your writing, I am also qualified and able to offer a free and confidential response by request at http://www.emomastery.com. 

Hide or die? -   II

When faced with emotional challenges, many people hide their symptoms, mask their emotions, or choose prescription drugs and other "quick-fix" solutions, but self-medicating practices do not address the underlying emotional stress. Psychologists agree, emotions must be expressed, and talk therapy is best. However, writing/reflection is another way to express thoughts and feelings and come out of hiding.

Emotional turmoil and unexpressed emotions can fuel negative thoughts that lead to emotional disorders like PTSD and depression. Emotional disorders are caused by a combination of factors interacting together and they rarely disappear on their own, so some type of intervention is usually necessary. Keeping a journal of thoughts and feelings provides valuable information for determining symptoms and treatment, but the act of writing also allows for self-expression and emotional strength-building.The purpose of this blog is to provide a space for sharing thoughts and information about how to overcome negativity and build emotional competence. 

 

The focus of this blog continues to be emotional strength-building through writing and discussion, but the focus will be changing to some extent. In the future, when I blog (about once a week),  I will sometimes offer writing prompts to encourage self-expression and reflection. I will continue sharing stories of survival, asking questions, and relying on you to share ideas on this site or via email. By your request, I am also able to provide confidential commentary on your writings at http://www.emomastery.com. 

 

Thanks for following this blog site! Feel free to explore this site and reread any earlier entries. If you so desire, please share your thoughts on any present or prior blog post or topic and let me know if you would like your commentary publicized. I offer commentary via email and will publicize your commentary ONLY by your request. Your privacy is assured. I also look forward to hearing about challenges you faced and overcame or have yet to overcome.

About me: Unless otherwise indicated, all entries on this blog site are authored by Emme H. Johnson.  For the sake of your privacy, I only follow your blogs if you follow mine. I am a poet/writer, workshop developer,  licensed secondary education teacher, and prior college instructor with more than 20 years full-time teaching experience. I am certified in emotional intelligence learning systems. More important, I am a survivor of post-traumatic-stress disorder (PTSD). I once thought 9/11 would be the end of all joy and happiness, but despite our tremendous loss, it became a new place to begin.

 

For more information, you can send me a private email via http://www.emomastery.com. Leave a phone number if you wish to be phoned. I look forward to hearing from you. Follow me @emomastery or @survivingaday. Thanks for stopping by. Thanks for following!

Emme H. Johnson