Except taken from Dr. Andrea’s weekly show the BrainShape Podcast.

 Gratitude Practice

A practice of gratitude actually helps rewire your brain, because if you express gratitude on a regular basis you start to prime yourself to look for moments throughout the day that are positive and that make you feel warm and fuzzy. Small moments (e.g., a warm cup of coffee in the morning or a quiet morning walk) are extra powerful because we can find these glimmers of gratitude throughout the day. Noticing these positive occurrences that happen throughout the day can shift the way that your brain is wired, because now you're seeking out these moments of gratitude. Your brain is now more attuned to these positive occurrences that are happening throughout the day. In contrast, if you’re constantly thinking negatively – you are essentially blind to the positive things that happen because we're not paying attention to them.

Confirmation Bias

The social psychology term “confirmation bias” is a type of cognitive bias that involves favouring information that confirms your previously existing beliefs or biases. You favour perceiving information that confirms your previously held beliefs. So, if you have a positive bias, you’ll “see” more positivity and joy. In contrast, if you have a negative bias, you’ll “see” more gloom, disappointment and sadness. Gratitude teaches your brain to look for the good, positive and joyful. A gratitude practice rewires your brain towards a bias of happiness and positivity. Any research study on the correlation between gratitude and happiness that Dr. Karin has seen shows a relationship between gratitude and happiness such that the more happy I am, the more grateful I am and vise versa.

Episode 57: Love, Life, & Relationships with guest Dr. Karin Anderson Abrell - To Listen CLICK HERE