Haven’t posted in a while as things have been super busy, but thought I’d quickly share something I read this week to send a little positive energy your way!

Jane Brody of the New York Times wrote this article back in May.  The piece explained some of the personal success she’s experienced in life by having an optimistic outlook, while also summarizing the research of University of Kentucky psychology professor Suzanne Segerstrom - who has studied how optimism impacts health.  

Ms. Brody apparently received a lot of comments on her initial article, and wrote this follow-up article as a result.  It shares an amazing story about the value of optimism submitted by a reader, and highlights some tips from Elaine Fox, a psychologist with the University of Essex, England, on how to “strengthen the sunny brain and weaken the rainy brain.”

Here’s an excerpt from the article recapping Dr. Fox’s recommendations on how to retrain your brain:

• Face your fears head on. Step outside your comfort zone to help eliminate fear, anxiety and negative thoughts that can stand in the way of success.
• Re-evaluate events in your everyday life. Tell yourself that maybe things aren’t so bad.
• Practice mindful meditation. Allow feelings and thoughts to pass through your mind without judging or reacting to them; that helps create a sense of detachment from negative experiences.
• Take control over how you feel instead of letting feelings control you. A sense that you control your destiny can help you bounce back from setbacks and maximize your enjoyment of life.
• Laugh. Use positive feelings to counter negative ones.
• Be fully engaged. Get involved in activities that are meaningful to you, whether it’s a career, hobby, sport or volunteering. Do it, as Bill Richmond says. Then learn how.