Years ago as I started learning more about our brains, I was fascinated by the negativity bias concept. If our brains are wired to focus and hold onto the negative, we have to work extra hard to point out and hold onto the positives. Seems easy enough, right? Well if you are like most of us, the struggle often shows up in our lives in the form of negative self-talk. We are our own worst enemy which is why I love this TedX Talk A Simple Trick to Improve Positive Thinking. In it, Alison Ledgerwood explains what happens in our brains when we focus on the negative as well as the overall benefits of focusing on the upside.
This is such a great reminder this month as we focus on the disposition: positive self-perception. Resilient people have a positive self-perception. As Elena shares Chapter 6 of Onward: Resilient people aren’t overly critical of themselves, don’t strive for perfection, and set boundaries: This is what it means to have high self-esteem. Self-acceptance and self-love must be aspirations if you want strong resilience muscles. With positive self-perception, we take responsibility for our choices, actions, and mistakes. We accept ourselves as we are and forgive ourselves for mistakes.
What tricks will you use to focus on the upside?