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Count Your Blessings: How to Train a Thankful Brain

“Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.” - Winston Churchill 

An appreciative outlook can make a life-changing difference on physical and emotional health. Unfortunately, life’s ups and downs can make it easy for people to put up a “mental guard” and train their brains toward negativity. The good news is, with the right attitudes and efforts, we can rewire our brains toward positivity in as little as 8 weeks.

So how can you make “grateful” your brain’s default setting? Take our positivity challenge by giving these tips a try:

1. Make time for mindfulness

“There is something wonderfully bold and liberating about saying yes to our entire imperfect and messy life.” – Tara Brach

Life can bombard us with negativity - bad news, breakups, conflicts, and obligations. Mindfulness can help you mentally escape the sorrows of the past and stresses of the future. Practice mindfulness by focusing each of your senses on the present moment. Listen to the birds singing. Feel the soft texture of a blanket. Gaze at the intricate design of a leaf. Smell the crisp air around you. Savor the taste of your coffee. Simply having the ability to touch, see, smell, taste and hear is an incredible gift. When you recognize that, you can’t help but be grateful.

Click here for more tips on becoming a mindfulness master

2. Put positives on paper

“Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.”- Confucius

Journaling your gratitude not only allows you to focus on the good, but it also provides a way to revisit positive moments you “collect” throughout your life. Every evening, take a moment to reflect on your day and jot down 3-5 positive things that you’re grateful for. Focus on:

  • Important people 

  • Personal qualities

  • Health & basic needs

  • Favorite moments

3. “Eat” daily affirmations

“Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see a shadow.” –Helen Keller

If you start your day with a veggie omelet, you’ll probably feel better than if you hit up the local all-you-can-eat waffle buffet. Similarly, your thoughts reflect what you feed your mind. If you start your day by feeding it positivity, you’ll build mental strength and develop a healthier belief system. Invest in a calendar with uplifting messages or subscribe to a daily email. Affirmations can re-program your subconscious to think optimistically and heal past wounds.

4. Be a “Do-Gooder”

“The thing that lies at the foundation of positive change, the way I see it, is a service to a fellow human being.”-Lee Lacocca

Sometimes the best way to fill your own heart with joy is to share joy with others. Make an effort to carry out random acts of kindness, such as buying a stranger coffee, bringing a meal to a grieving friend, or volunteering in your community.

5. Make time for “Me-Time”

“You can’t make positive choices for the rest of your life without an environment that makes those choices easy, natural, and enjoyable.”-Deepak Chopra

In the hustle and bustle of our lives, it can be hard to make “me-time,” but it’s critical to regularly carve out time for activities that bring you fulfillment and joy. Whether it’s engaging in a creative hobby, reading the latest page-turner, or breaking a sweat at the gym, designate time each week for whatever gets your endorphins flowing. 

Is negativity getting in the way of living your best life? Schedule your free 15-minute consultation to learn how our psychological testing services can help

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6. Find value in hard times

“I always like to look on the optimistic side of life, but I am realistic enough to know life is a complex matter.” –Walt Disney

We often save our appreciation for things that turn out perfectly. However, contrasting the good with the bad can lead to a more grateful outlook. Recognizing how tough times have shaped you to be wiser and stronger can help you appreciate those trials and minimize their negative impact on your life. Reflect on ways that challenges have developed your character or paved the way for “blessings in disguise.” This mindset will strengthen your ability to maintain a positive outlook through future challenges.  

Example:

Instead of, “I’m frustrated my daughter placed 6th in the gymnastics meet. She’s trained so hard and we’ve spent so much time and money on this. She should have been in the top 3.”

Tell yourself, “I am so grateful that my daughter can participate in this sport and build work ethic, resiliency, and friendships.”

7. Put your emotions in motion

“I firmly believe that when I am positive, it not only makes me better, but it also makes those around me better.” -Harvey Mackay

Smile often, say thank you, and tell your loved ones what they mean to you – heck, tell anyone. Servers, postal carriers, cashiers. Not only will this make them feel great, but it can make you happier. Positivity is contagious, and these motions of gratitude will inspire others to continue spreading the positive vibes.

8. Hold yourself accountable

“Make your optimism come true.”-Christian D. Larson

As you approach your goal to develop a positive mindset, be honest with yourself about where you’re starting. Begin by quietly observing your thoughts for 10 minutes and pay attention to where your mind goes. This will help you identify where negative thoughts are coming from so you can work on releasing them. Keep yourself accountable by writing down your goals to practice gratitude and stop negative thinking, and post them somewhere visible.

9. Seek support

Sometimes our negativity can be caused by an underlying issue such as depression, anxiety, or learning differences that can damage our self-esteem and bring us down. If you or someone you love struggles with negativity, our Doctors can evaluate for a diagnosis and provide guidance on the next steps toward mental wellness. 

So you know you need help, but aren’t sure how to find the right help?

Picking a therapist or type of therapy can be confusing, and “trial and error” with the wrong therapist can cause many families to feel overwhelmed and give up on seeking help. 

If a loved one has a learning difference or other condition that impacts their mental health and education, you may feel lost in determining the best ways to support them. 

Our Diagnosticians can provide psychological testing to remove the guess-work and guide your family on the best path toward mental health, emotional wellness, and academic success.


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More about Variations Psychology

Variations Psychology is a group practice specializing in diagnostic testing to identify psychological conditions.

Our comprehensive evaluations test for conditions that impact mental health and development such as ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, depression, anxiety, learning disorders, and developmental delays. 

In addition to diagnostic services, we offer Independent Educational Evaluations of K-12 students to assess needs for accommodations in school and determine their appropriate placements. IEEs provide an objective second opinion on existing IEP and 504 Plans.

For K-12 and post-secondary students, we offer evaluations to assess needs for accommodations on standardized tests, college entrance exams (e.g. - SAT, ACT, AP Exams), and graduate and professional licensing exams (e.g. - MCAT, LSAT, GRE, CBEST, NCLEX, GMAT, CA Cosmetology Exam,
CA Contractors State Licensing Exam, CA Bar Exam).


Schedule your free 15-minute consultation below to learn how our diagnostic services can support you and your family. 

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Variations Psychology is located in Newport Beach, CA and provides psychological testing to residents throughout Orange County and its surrounding areas including Newport Beach, Newport Coast, Irvine, Shady Canyon, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Coto de Caza, Corona del Mar, Costa Mesa, Yorba Linda, Dana Point, Laguna Niguel, Aliso Viejo, Mission Viejo, Pelican Hill, Crystal Cove, Rancho Santa Margarita, San Clemente, Lake Forest, Huntington Beach, Sunset Beach, Seal Beach, and more.

References:

Bono . (2012, August 5). Growing Up Grateful Gives Teens Multiple Mental Health 

Benefits, New Research Shows. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2012/08/health-benefits

Emmons, R. (2010, November 17). 10 Ways to Become More Grateful. Retrieved from 

https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/ten_ways_to_become_more_grateful1

Miller, J. (2016, July 8). 8 Ways To Have More Gratitude Every Day. Retrieved from 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.forbes.com/sites/womensmedia/2016/07/08/8-ways-to-have-more-gratitude-every-day/amp/

Rampton, J. (2019, May 24). 15 Uplifting Quotes for Positive Vibes. Retrieved from 

https://www.success.com/15-uplifting-quotes-for-positive-vibes/

Shinn. M.M. (2019). How Can My Family Master Mindfulness? Psychologically Speaking. [Variations Psychology blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.variationspsychology.com/blogs/how-can-my-family-master-mindfulness

Shinn. M.M. (2019). 8 Secrets for Sticking to Your New Year’s Resolution. Psychologically Speaking. [Variations Psychology blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.variationspsychology.com/blogs/8-secrets-for-sticking-to-your-new-years-resolution

Sliwa , J. (2015, April 9). A Grateful Heart is a Healthier Heart. Retrieved from 

https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2015/04/grateful-heart

How to Cite This Blog Article:

Shinn. M.M. (2019). Count Your Blessings: How to Train a Thankful Brain in Just 8 Weeks.Psychologically Speaking. [Variations Psychology blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.variationspsychology.com/test-blog/count-your-blessings-how-to-train-a-thankful-brain