Tag: negativity bias

Julia's Vision Board In Response to Her Year in Review

You may have already moved on from 2023, so why bother doing a “Year in Review”? Especially when the first thing that comes to mind might be either that “nothing happened” or “it was a horrible year!” So why bother? 1) Because we quickly forget our lives 2) Because when we do remember, the negativity bias is likely to highlight …

Year In Review 2023: How To Do The Review and Why Bother Click to Read Post »

It’s difficult to call for “Gratitude” practices when we have such critical things happening in the world right now. But it is also important that we not give in to hopelessness and overwhelm when things are so bad. The negativity bias, our unconscious tendency to notice negative things over positive ones, will make it seem like there is nothing but …

Attending to the Good to Overcome Hopelessness/Why Gratitude Matters Click to Read Post »

Fish Lips Overlaid by the Black Video Screen on Rebecca's Computer

Seeing More “Reality” When we write our newsletters we always try to find a photo or piece of art to illustrate whatever topic we’re exploring. This month we’d decided to write about shifting perceptions but hadn’t yet found a fitting image. Right after tabling that task, as Rebecca closed the photoshop program on her computer to open a word doc, …

Realize/Real Eyes: Shifting Perceptions Click to Read Post »

We know being grateful makes people happier—it also makes them healthier, more resilient, and more connected to others.  But how do we actually build the gratitude muscle?  Gratitude journals?  Gratitude lists?  Counting your blessings and good fortune? Attending to the GoodThose are good ways to start, but we may grow immune to their benefits if our lists get repetitive to …

Attending to the Good versus Gratitude/How to Actually Get Grateful Click to Read Post »

Rebecca Yoga, Coffee and Comfort, and Planning Schedule

Rebecca–Three Good Things–Structure, Health, Comfort, Yoga If you do nothing else for your wellbeing today, do the “three good things” exercise:  Write down three things that have gone well in your day, big or small. Why?  Because it makes you happier.  Even if you write just one thing that you feel good about, it helps overcome the negativity bias which, …

If You Do Nothing Else, Do This: The Three Good Things Exercise Click to Read Post »

Tabitha-Things I Enjoy Last month, we talked about the negativity bias and the “Broaden and Build Theory of Positive Emotions.”  The Broaden and Build Theory refers to the broadening effect that positive emotions and experiences have on what we perceive about ourselves and our lives.  When we are feeling better we not only notice more of what is happening in …

Micro-Moments of Positivity Click to Read Post »

Jenny–Heart Warmth Gioia and Rebecca often joke that despite the fact that they share the exact same profile on the Myers-Briggs–they are both heavily weighed on the scale of extroverted, feeling, and intuitive perceivers–they are opposites in their natural dispositions. Gioia is generally light, energetic, and buoyant while Rebecca is more frequently anxious, moody, and easily fatigued. Because they are …

How Feeling Good Changes Your Mind Click to Read Post »

Annie–Failure Continuing with our summer “Youth Series” we asked Annabel, Gioia’s 16 year-old daughter, to do artwork in response to some of the directives we often give to our clients. We wanted a teenager’s perspective on those themes.  She chose “Attending to the Good/Negativity Bias”, an exercise designed to address the natural tendency for negative experiences and perceptions to command our attention …

Expression = Relief Click to Read Post »

Gioia–Altoid Shrine Think about three things that have gone well thus far in your day. Find a piece of paper and write them down. If the list gets longer as you’re writing, go ahead and add more When we start our workshops with this simple exercise, what we usually hear are comment such as “I got to work without running …

The Magic In Small Things Click to Read Post »