I just found out about this book called Hardwiring Happiness by Dr. Rick Hanson. In his book, grounded in neuroscience, he explains how we can rewire our brains to strengthen the parts of our brain that feel happiness and positivity just the same way we can strengthen our muscles with exercise. He suggests taking about 20 seconds several times a day to stop and soak in the positive feelings that a…re available to us in our every day experiences. When our child gives us a hug, when we get a nice compliment, when someone lets us in in traffic, when we finish a project, when we complete a workout, send a friend a nice card in the mail, hold the door for someone, the list can go on and on. He suggests using these every day experiences as gifts; to move slower through our days and with more mindfulness, so that we are really present in the moments of our lives and then take that extra step to feel all those positive feelings these everyday experiences can give us (gratitude, joy, relief, pride, love, compassion, etc.). What awesome advice.I am realizing that this is how I instinctively live my life. Just this morning, someone let me in in the car line to drop my son off at school. The woman waved me in, and I smiled and waved back. But even 100 yards down the street, I still felt the warm feelings of this simple but kind gesture this stranger showed to me. I can say without a doubt that this really works. My whole life people have told me how positive and upbeat I am and how I can look at any situation and find the good in it. I feel like this book finally gives some scientific explanation for what I have been doing all this time.Take a moment now and think about your day so far. Can you think of a kind thing that someone else has done for you or a kind thing that you have done for someone else that you can sit back for 20 seconds right now and bask in the good feelings that experience can give to you?
How did it feel?
