The art of thinking well to live better

Thinking well, having greater control over the flow of our thoughts is investing in quality of life. Because whoever controls the rumor of negativity is able to directly influence their emotions. Because whoever thinks and feels better influences their behavior, their body and even their own health. After all, happiness comes from what happens inside us, not outside.

Although we are all clear about these principles, In our daily lives, that critical voice that loves negativity continues to weigh excessively.. It is she who reminds us of yesterday’s failures. It is that presence that pulls us to the threshold of anxiety, anticipating what may or may not happen if we do not do this or that. Far from despairing about this style of thinking that often characterizes us, it is worth being clear about one aspect.

Neuroscientists remind us that the human brain is programmed to focus on the negative. It is not a curse or a punishment imprinted in our DNA. It is our survival mechanism. By anticipating dangers (even if they are not real) we prepare our body to defend ourselves against them. Dimensions such as worry, restlessness or anxiety instantly release various chemicals such as cortisol, to allow us to always be “alert”.

On the other hand, something that neuropsychologists also point out to us is that Negative thoughts act like tobacco smoke. They not only impact our health and well-being. Often, they remain imprinted in our environments, affecting our families, friends, co-workers… Because the brain of those who listen to us also changes, they also end up feeling nervous and irritable…

Let us therefore learn to think better, let us invest in quality of life by entering the style of our thoughts.

Think well to train your brain towards well-being

Barbara Fredrickson is a well-known scientist at Stanford University, famous for her studies on positive psychology. As she explains to us in her work, Overcoming the bias of negativity is a challenge that, when achieved, becomes a profitable investment. More than an art, thinking well is the result of continuous training with which to change the “factory” programming of our brain.

As we already know, the natural inclination of our mind is to focus on the negative to guarantee our survival. Therefore, we must be able to include in ourselves another route plan, another more sophisticated program with which to invest not only in avoiding risks, but also in well-being, in happiness. After all, good thinking generates clarity, balance and direction. It means stopping getting lost in the marshes of fear to be more proactive, more sure of ourselves.

Let’s see below how we can train our brain to learn to think well, to think positively.

1. Train your attention to focus on the present

Daniel Goleman reminds us in his book “Focus” the importance of training our attention. We must see it almost as a muscle, an entity that we put at our service, and not at the service of an erratic mind. The objective is that this basic psychological process is more controlled by us than by external stimuli or anarchic thinking.

As a curiosity, it is worth remembering that The thought circuit extends throughout the posterior cingulate gyrus and the medial prefrontal cortex. Our reasoning flows through these brain structures. Sometimes, this highway of cells, connections and neurons is so hyperactivated that it is difficult to have control over it. Soon exhaustion, stress, apathy, negativity appear… One way to have control over thinking is by controlling our attention. To achieve this, there is nothing better than “disconnecting” that flow of thoughts. Let’s try for at least 15 minutes, not to think about anything. Imagine the surface of a lake silent and smooth as a mirror. Everything is balance, there are no sounds. Just calm down. Once we manage to silence the murmur of thoughts, we will focus our attention on what surrounds us. In the present moment.

2. Thinking well, the art of having a purpose

Thinking well requires having a purpose. Negativity and all that noise of invalidating thoughts is like a directionless cyclone that catches everything. Therefore, to break this unproductive mental bias, it is necessary to define our purpose.

I want to feel good, I want to be calm, I want to achieve my goals, I want to be good with myself…

All these goals have a direction, a clear meaning. Thus, and once we have our attention focused on the present moment, what we will do is state all our purposes one by one with conviction. Setting goals is key to well-being, it is giving meaning to life, it is getting excited and letting those positive emotions influence our behavior.

3. Train your brain’s ability to work with positive information

Thinking well not only requires good focus, adequate attention, purpose and will. Requires in turn extend networks in our brain to remind it of the importance of working with positive information. What do we mean by this? Basically, sometimes, even though we say to ourselves “I have a goal to accomplish,” our minds sometimes continue to be positioned in old mechanisms, in negative and disabling routes of action.

To work with positive information we must break down our limiting attitudes. Likewise, you have to shape a more relaxed self, open to experience and optimistic. We must put aside the mistakes of yesterday to see the opportunities of the present. Likewise, it will be very useful for us to learn to put filters to keep only the useful information, the one that helps, the one that stimulates and not the one that puts us in trouble once again. in our comfort zone.

To conclude, we know that thinking well undoubtedly allows us to live better and enjoy adequate inner balance. However, “good thinking” in turn requires deep personal work. We must reconcile with our present “I” to feel worthy of something better. Only in this way will our future “self” be consolidated as someone who is stronger, more creative and kinder to himself.

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