How to Train Your Brain to Be More Positive

Our thoughts and feelings influence our moods.

We know this.

When our moods are more negative, we project negativity out into the world and it influences everything around us. When we’re feeling good, things are a bit more rosy.

But can we have more control over how we feel? Is it possible to change our moods and thus change our relationship with our work and the people we treat?

The answer is yes.

However, we know that the mind is wired with a natural negativity bias. Thus, we must learn to overcome this natural state and reprogram the mind. We must learn to cultivate more positive states.

Why are we so negative?

From an evolutionary standpoint, it served us well to look for the negative. We are programmed for survival and when we were out hunting in the jungle it was important for us to look out for potential threats. Thus, we naturally look for things that might harm us.

But our lives have evolved a lot quicker than our brains have. In our modern world, we have eliminated most of our acute threats. However, it seems that our minds are still adapted to look for negative patterns and cling to them.

Even one negative interaction can affect us much more than several positive ones.

I know for me, I can be having a great shift when one negative interaction with a patient – someone yells at me – and it ruins the rest of my day. A “shift ruiner” is what I call those moments.

Even if the rest of the shift goes well, there’s a tendency to take those negative feelings and bring it to the rest of my day. Long after the threat or negative situation is over.

I might play the situation over and over again in my mind. Could I have done something different? How could someone be such a jerk?

This ends up amplifying and prolonging the feelings and provides me little to no benefit.

 

What are our minds doing?

It’s estimated that 80% of our thoughts are negatives ones. And that 95% of our thoughts are repetitive ones.

Think about that. In our minds we’re repeating the same negative chatter over and over.

This can affect us greatly. The more we repeat negative statements the stronger we strengthen those connections. As well, we know that when we’re more negative it can influence our productivity, creativity and decision-making abilities.

Yet we’re stuck doing it anyway. It’s our baseline state. Is there anything we can do about it?

 

System 1 and System 2

Are you aware of system 1 and system 2 thinking? The concept comes from the work of Daniel Kahneman, a Nobel Prize winning psychologist. I couldn’t recommend his work, Thinking Fast and Slow enough.

The brain is wired to function more efficiently and easily. As we repeat patterns in similar situations we no longer have to rely on conscious processing and fall into patterns. This is System 1.

It’s why after some practice you can learn to drive a car or ride a bike without thinking. It’s also that little voice that tells experienced physicians that a patient is “sick” before it registers in your awareness.

Unfortunately, when we repeat negative patterns of thought or action they can also start occurring automatically. We might be going through a work day and our minds will be registering thoughts like “this sucks” or “I hate this” multiple times per day without us even knowing. Imagine how that might influence how we feel about our days. Perhaps how we respond to situations.

The key to change is to take advantage of our System 2 processing. This is where we consciously and deliberately process our thoughts and direct our actions. We can take a moment to generate and create more useful thoughts and actions, and not fall back into our more negatively wired patterns.

We have to learn to do this.

To start, catch yourself when you’re falling into negative patterns.

Stop yourself and try and input more useful patterns of thought and behavior.

Over time those more useful patterns become our default. System 2 positivity becomes System 1. We are riding the positivity bike through our days and it’s just our new baseline.

Of course, it’s not that easy. Any change takes consistent effort and time. But start implementing small changes in your day and you might notice that over time you’ll have a significant change in how you think and feel.

 

How?

Start you shift (or day) with a simple question

Can I find three moments of positivity in my day today?

Or – I challenge myself to find three awesome things in my work day?!

It’s a simple task. But just by setting an intention to look for positive moments, you’re training your attention to search for positivity. When you start looking for the good moments in your day you’ll begin to realize how many small joyful moments actually occur.

It doesn’t have to be complicated.

Feeling the sun on my face on my drive. A smile with a patient. A thank you. That sip of coffee at the beginning of my shift. Or anything else that you find awesome can be useful.

 

Pay attention to your thoughts

We are often so distracted throughout are days that we aren’t even aware that there are negative thoughts permeating our consciousness. Can you pay closer attention to what’s going through your head? Perhaps stop yourself and check in two or three times a day.

Ask yourself.

What am I thinking about right now?

Are those thoughts helping me?

Redirect those thoughts

When I pay attention to my thinking patterns, it’s clear to me that I’ve got a few “greatest hits”. They are recurrent thoughts or voices that keep coming up. When I notice that I’m caught in one of my greatest hits. – I try and stop myself.

Take a moment. And attempt to input a more accurate thought. Or a positive lens on what is an automatic negative thought.

For instance – while doing something difficult or unpleasant at work I might say to myself “This sucks!”

When I catch myself here I stop myself. Next, mentally I might say

“Sure sometimes my job is hard, but I am lucky to do this for a living. ER is still the best.”

It’s amazing how inputting that thought changes how I approach challenges at work.

It sounds cheesy. But it works!

I like the analogy of taking weeds out of my garden and planting some flowers. No matter how well I take the weeds (negative thoughts) out one season, I’ve got to be on the looking for future weeds to grow. When I find new ones I have to try and rid my garden of them as soon as possible and try and plant some flowers (positive thoughts) in their place. This continues for life.

In my experience, persistent disciplined practice over time can create amazing results.

 

Positive actions

As much as we are ruled by our thoughts, we are also condition by our actions.

Can you try and condition yourself to act more positively in your day?

Try and do two or three positive actions that you might not normally do. Smile a little more. Compliment someone. Buy a coffee for a colleague.

Acting in a more positive way can actually retrain our minds to also think more positively as well. The more positive actions you take, the more the brain is conditioned to think that this is what you do. Be a person of positive action and find yourself feeling more positive throughout your days.

 

End of shift (or day) review

At the end of your work day, shift, or before going to bed at night, take a moment and review the events of your day.

A colleague of mine asks residents at the end of their shift

“What surprised you today? What inspired you? What touched you?”

Residents find that follow up really amazing. Rarely do we focus on the positives in our days.

I suggest reviewing three awesome moments that you had in your day. Play them over in your mind. Sometimes I do this on the drive home. How did it feel in the moment? Remind yourself how lucky you were to experience them.

I guarantee that if you commit to this for a month you’ll have a significant change in how you feel.

 

What if you’re stuck?

If all of this sounds too hard and you find yourself stuck in a web of negativity. Start with some other ways to break the cycle of thinking.

Exercise

Take out those negative feelings and thoughts out on the treadmill, punching bag or weight rack after work. Make yourself feel better in the moment. Release a few endorphins. Feel good and perhaps try and look for the positive in just that moment.

Get outside

Nature makes us feel better. If you’re able, get some fresh air and embrace the beauty of the outdoors.

Do something you love

It doesn’t matter what it is. Read your favourite book, eat something you love. Watch a great movie. Call an old friend.

Breathe

Even one deep, slow breath, a few times a day can help break a negative thought pattern or emotion.

Give yourself a break

It’s hard to be in medicine sometimes. We have a difficulty job and you’re trying your best. You don’t have to be so hard on yourself.

 

In summary

You are what you repeatedly do. Learn to train yourself in positivity. Intend to look for positivity in your day.

Even a 1 % improvement in your thinking patterns can significantly improve your experience.

Catch negative thoughts and consciously input more positive ones in their place.

Look for those weeds. Do something nice for someone. Or just get out and have a good time.

Change is possible. Best of luck!