How To Hack Your Brain To Be Positive

“B+” is another way of saying “Be Positive.” Although this phrase has turned into a cliché that people throw around like it is the easiest thing on earth, it actually doesn’t only require will power but also requires the person to hack their own brain!

To “B+” isn’t something that comes naturally as human beings are built to be negative more than positive. In science, this phenomena is called ‘Negative Bias’ which means that humans pay more attention to negative things than positive ones.

Science has proven that the positive and negative experiences are in fact stored in two different sides of the brain. The left side stores positive memories whereas the right side focuses on the negative experience. It has also been proven that the human brain stores negative experiences in the long term memory immediately where as it takes 12 seconds to move positive experiences from the short term memory to the long term memory. This is why people remember more details about the negative experiences and less about positive ones.

Human beings also have something called ‘Selective attention’ which means that humans can only focus on one message at any given time. The downside of this is that when it comes to positive or negative messages or experiences, human beings naturally focus on the negative.

Another research shows that the minute someone hears bad news, there is a part in the human brain that uses two-thirds of its neurons to search for other negative experiences. In other words, it is not bad enough that someone just heard bad news, the human brain will make it worse by looking for other bad news stored in that person’s memory.

It is important for people to know these scientific facts about their own body. Only when a person understands how their brain functions will they be able to hack into their own brains and change their reactions to what they are experiencing.

Here are some ways to hack into your brain and “B+”:

• The brain needs 12 seconds to move positive experiences from short term memory to long term memory. When you are having a positive experience, hold the thought and that feeling in your head for as long as you can for it to completely register in your long term memory. For example, if you receive a text message that made you happy, think about it for as long as you can, it will register better in your memory.
• Now that you understand that the brain reacts to negative experience by digging in your memory for other negative experiences, make it stop right then and there. The saying ‘it is all in your head’ applies perfectly here. It is true that the negative experience you are facing now is not ‘in your head’, but don’t let your brain trick you into thinking of all the other negative experiences you went through. For example: If you had a strong discussion with a colleague at work, don’t let your brain trick you into remembering all the horrible things that happened between the two of you. Focus on the issue at hand and solve it rationally.
• Surround yourself with positive thoughts, whether it is a phrase, a book, a person or a personal effect that has positive memories attached to it. For example: have some sticky notes of your favorite quotes around you, or better yet, create your own customized monthly or weekly calendar with your favorite positive thoughts.

Every person has their own way to “B+”, the important thing is to remember how.

Dictionary:

• Be Positive:  Fully assured; confident certain
• Hack: Breaking into something