Science-Backed Ways To Be More Positive In 2017
2016 was full of
negativity. Adopting these 10 habits can help guard against bringing that bad
energy into the new year.
For a variety of reasons ranging from sorrow over the deaths of
some beloved cultural icons to the bitter acrimony that characterized much of
the political scene, a fair number of people were happy to say "so
long" to 2016 when the ball dropped on December 31.
But the reality is that New Year’s Eve is just a day on the
calendar—there’s no firewall that prevents some of its negativity from drifting
onto our shiny new 12-month slate. Being more positive in the new year requires
an active choice—and a range of new habits. Here are 10 ways to start now.
You may know that deep breathing
can improve your mood and outlook, but did you know there’s a "right"
way to do it? Jeffery A. Martin, cofounder of the Transformative Technology Lab at Sofia
University, says there are specific numerical patterns in breathing rhythm that
work better than others. The first is to breathe in for five seconds and out
for five seconds. The other is to breathe in for five and out for seven.
Such modulated breathing is an
effective way to stimulate the vagus nerve—part of your parasympathetic nervous
system that affects your heart, lungs, and digestive track. Regular deep breathing can have
significant health benefits, including reducing your stress levels, Martin says.
Many people give to charitable
organizations at the end of the year, but giving your time has positive mental
and even physical health benefits. A 2013 study by United
Health found that 94% of people who volunteered in the 12 months
prior to the study said that doing so improved their mood. In addition, 76%
said it made them feel healthier. A study published in the June 2013 issue ofPsychology
and Aging found that those who had volunteered at least 200 hours over
a one-year period were less likely to develop hypertension than non-volunteers.
If you are constantly burning the
candle at both ends, it can be difficult to feel positive, says clinical
therapist and yoga instructor Jenny Giblin. Schedule time
for relaxation and doing the things you love to do—and protect that time like
you would an important appointment, she says.
"Many of us feel guilty
internally for taking time for ourselves, or we just feel like it's already too
overwhelming and scheduling something in to relax would be counterproductive
because it's adding more to our list that's already too busy," she
says. Taking breaks can make
you more productive, even if it means time away from the office. So do it.
Visualization—picturing the outcome
you want—can be an effective
practice to create change in your life. If you want to be more positive, you
can use a visualization practice to help you do so. But, you might want to
think about your "why"—the reason you really want to change—first.
One study found that health-related behaviors can
change even more when subjects affirmed their core values, also
called "self-affirmation." In other words, when they reflected on
things that were important to them prior to hearing messages about improving
their health that may ordinarily make them defensive. When study participants
reflected on the health-related issues that were important to them prior to
receiving the information about their health, they were more likely to see it
as relevant to themselves and change their behavior.
Gratitude journals are nothing new.
Executive coach and speaker Dawn D. Mitchell, chief executive adviser of The Corporate Couch, a workplace consultancy, says incorporating gratitude
into every area of your life will have a more dramatic effect on your outlook—and many other aspects of your
work and personal lives.
In addition to a daily practice of writing down five things for
which you’re grateful, she advises regularly thanking co-workers, supervisors,
and others in your life. Look for a reason to be thankful or positive, even in
troubling or challenging situations. Is there potential for positive change? Is
there something good that could come out of the situation? "Gratitude
combats anxiety and sets the stage for peace to follow," she says.
"There is always a reason to be thankful. Always."
While you may bristle when someone
tells you to smile, just the act of moving your facial muscles may help your
mood—even if you’re not feeling it. A 2012 study by
University of Kansas researchers published in Psychological
Science found that people who smiled, even when the smile was caused
by manipulating their facial muscles, have lower heart rates after completing a
series of stressful tasks than those with neutral expressions.
The positive effects of meditation
on mood and other areas are well documented. Martin says you
can even get started at your desk during the workday. He offers three
"hacks" to get started:
1.
In the morning, repeat a mantra, such as "love,"
"peace," or another word you choose that will set the tone for your
day. Think of the word, then as its impact fades, repeat it out loud or in your
mind. (In your mind might be better if you’re in the workplace.) When your mind
drifts, focus on the word again.
2.
Focus on how your breath feels flowing in and out of your nostrils
or on the rise and fall of your chest while you breathe.
3.
After exercise, your brain has increased neuroplasticity. Schedule
some time for meditation immediately after you exercise for maximum effect.
Mitchell says that
"feeding" your brain by reading material that helps you think more
positively or inspires you can also improve your outlook. Exactly what type of
reading does that for you will vary from person to person. But, reading for
pleasure has a host of benefits ranging
from helping to fight off stress, depression, and dementia to leading to
stronger feelings of overall well-being.
If you’re harboring feelings of bitterness, betrayal, anger, or
other negative emotions, find a way to work through or resolve them or let them
go in the new year. Those feelings do damage to your overall outlook and
well-being and don’t serve a purpose, she says.
Mitchell takes a page from author
Marianne Williamson’s Course in Miracles. When a betrayal or
grievance occurs, then we should "pray for the happiness and well-being of
the person who we perceive has caused the grievance for 30 days," she
says. If you’re not particularly prayerful, you can engage in a practice of
actively forgiving or thinking positive thoughts about the person. She says
that when she engages in this practice—even when she’s angry—she begins to have
more insight about the person and their humanity.
"This works because if you decide to hold on to toxic
feelings, it doesn't hurt the ‘offender’—it only disrupts your peace. Vow this
year to release grievances faster through practicing forgiveness," she
advises.
GWEN MORAN
https://www.fastcompany.com/3066879
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