The power of fostering positivity through overcoming negativity is no small triumph. Did you know the human brain is extremely suspectable to negativity where a 3:1 ratio of positive emotions is needed to feel happy? In this blog we will discuss some techniques that may assist you in feeling more positive.

Finding Positive Meaning

The most important tool to increase positivity is to establish positive meaning in your life. As the goal is not to decrease negativity, the aim is to boost our positivity through learned optimism. Simply put, this can be finding a positive out a negative situation. The example of the glass being half empty vs half full can really make an important difference in your positivity as this skill is all about reshaping our perception. By fostering positive interpretations of negative events, we can create a ripple effect of positive emotions in our daily lives.

Savouring Goodness

Another great tool in your arsenal is the ability to savour goodness in the activities we do and the people we spend time with. Essentially, we should aim to prolong, intensify, and even generate appreciation of the events that we love. Doing this can lead to more positive experiences in the future. For me, this would be remembering some of the concerts I’ve been to, reaching the summit of Mount Kosciusko on my first hike, or even the feeling of finishing my last school assessment. By remembering these events and revelling in the positive emotions we experienced, savouring these positive feelings can become easier as you become more proficient with this skill.

Apply your Strengths and Follow Your Passions

One more tool for increasing positivity is the ability to learn and apply your strengths to the world around you. This is important as people who do what they want to do in life have been shown to flourish. As such, people who engage in activities and occupations that are attuned to them will provide a sense of gratification and self-satisfaction. Studies have shown that when people can implement their strengths and abilities into their lives or occupations, they can increase their positive emotions with more lasting effects.

Open your Mind and Heart

The last tool I would recommend is to open your mind and heart by using meditation. While meditation is not for everyone, it’s great for fostering self-awareness, compassion, and acceptance within ourselves therefore flooding the brain with positivity. This is supported by the fact that meditation has been shown to increase brain activation in our left hemisphere which has been linked to positivity. Furthermore, meditation can foster relationships with others as the skill builds feelings of warmth and compassion within ourselves and the people we interact with.

Conclusion

Well, these are some basic everyday skills which you can use to start thriving. Whether it be finding positivity through the power of learned optimism, savouring positive emotions from positive events, using our greatest strengths, or even meditating, we can improve our positivity. As positivity cannot be achieved in just one day, doing some of the skills we discussed can put you on the path to start changing your life through the power of positivity.

A question we often get asked is whether we offer tutoring.

Speech pathology is a healthcare profession. As a result, we offer a full service to determine a child’s speech pathology needs, including language, fluency, voice, literacy, and speech, as well as other issues that can impact a child’s learning, such as oral habits, oral motor skills and breathing tendencies.

There can often be more going on than simply spelling and/or reading issues, and literacy delay can sometimes be a symptom rather than a cause.

Intervention can include phonics and reading instruction, based on gold-standard evidence, but may not be limited to this, as our speech pathologists are experienced in more than just literacy. At the heart of it, they are healthcare professionals, just like psychologists, doctors and physiotherapists, and they have an holistic approach to care.

 As a result, we don’t offer ‘tutoring’ per se, but a full, tailored assessment and intervention strategy specific to each child. This is more in depth than tutoring can ever offer.

Our speech pathology and psychology clinic is located in Braddon, ACT, in Canberra’s CBD. Call us on 5117 4890 or email reception@inpositivehealth.com to get in touch.

In Positive Health, Canberra. Nel MacBean Speech Pathologist Canberra. Campbell MacBean Psychologist Canberra. Sally Arthur, Psychologist Canberra. Brent Holgate, Psychologist Canberra. 

A text I often return too is ‘The Myth of Sisyphus’ by Albert Camus. This beautiful essay delves into the human experience of absurdity. Camus presents the Greek myth of Sisyphus, condemned to eternally roll a boulder uphill, only to see it roll down again, as a metaphor for life’s inherent meaninglessness. I often return to this essay as it offers valuable insights for living in the complexities of modern life.

Embracing the Absurd – In a world often marked by chaos, uncertainty, and competing philosophies, Camus encourages us to confront the absurdity of life. Acknowledging that existence lacks inherent meaning can free us from the pressure to find universal truths. This helps us adapt to the ambiguity and fluidity of modern life.

Choosing Rebellion – Camus invites us to rebel against the absurd by actively creating our own meaning and values. In the modern world, this means we have the autonomy to shape our lives, make choices aligned with our authentic selves, and resist conformity or societal pressures.

Resilience and Meaning – Sisyphus’s ceaseless task symbolizes life’s repetitive and sometimes disheartening nature. In modern society, where routines can become mundane, Camus encourages us to find meaning even in the most routine or challenging tasks. This resilience can help us navigate the demands of contemporary life.

Existential Reflection – Camus promotes self-reflection on life’s meaning. In a fast-paced, technology-driven world, taking time to contemplate our existence and values becomes even more essential. This can lead to a deeper understanding of our motivations and goals.

Mindful Living – The philosophy of “The Myth of Sisyphus” emphasizes living in the present moment. In an age of distraction, this can help us focus on what truly matters and experience life more fully.

Carl Jung is often attributed to stating, “The greatest burden a child must bear is the unlived life of the parents.” Jung is suggesting that parents often carry unresolved psychological conflicts, unfulfilled dreams, or unaddressed issues from their own lives. These unresolved matters can influence their behaviour, attitudes, and interactions with their children. Children, in turn, can inherit or internalise these unresolved issues, whether consciously or unconsciously, and they may carry the emotional burden of their parents’ unlived lives.

Imagine a father who had dreams of becoming a doctor but never pursued it. Instead, he ends up in a job he dislikes. As his child grows, the father may unconsciously push them to follow his abandoned dream, urging them to become a doctor, even if it’s not the child’s passion.

This quote emphasises the unintended weight that parents’ unfinished aspirations can impose on their children. When parents project their own unfulfilled ambitions onto their kids, it can stifle the child’s ability to explore their authentic desires and paths.

Jung’s quote serves as a reminder of the complex interplay between generations and the importance of self-awareness and personal growth for parents. It suggests that parents should strive to resolve their own unresolved issues and live authentically, not only for their own well-being but also to prevent passing on the burdens of unlived lives to their children.

The solution lies in parents nurturing their children’s unique interests and aspirations. Encourage them to pursue their dreams, not yours. Guide and support them in discovering their true passions.

Conversely, children should acknowledge their parents’ unmet dreams with empathy. Understand the source of their desires but strive to lead your own life. Parents’ dreams can be a valuable source of inspiration, but they should never become chains that limit one’s potential.

In essence, Jung’s quote teaches us the importance of striking a balance between honouring our parents’ past while allowing our children to create their futures unburdened by our unrealised dreams.

In the realm of psychology, few theories have captured our fascination and understanding of human behaviour as vividly as Leon Festinger’s Cognitive Dissonance Theory. First introduced in 1957, this theory has had a profound impact on our comprehension of why people make decisions, how they react to inconsistencies in their beliefs, and the lengths they go to maintain a sense of cognitive harmony.

At its core, Cognitive Dissonance Theory posits that when individuals hold two or more conflicting beliefs or attitudes, they experience psychological discomfort, known as cognitive dissonance. This discomfort acts as a powerful motivator, driving people to reduce the dissonance and restore internal consistency.

1. Belief Discrepancy:

Cognitive dissonance begins when a person encounters a situation that conflicts with their existing beliefs, values, or attitudes. This could manifest in various ways, such as a smoker recognizing the health risks associated with smoking or a person advocating for environmental conservation while frequently using single-use plastics.

2. Psychological Discomfort:

Experiencing cognitive dissonance is uncomfortable. Individuals feel tension, anxiety, or guilt because their actions or beliefs are at odds with each other. This discomfort serves as a powerful motivator for change.

3. Reducing Dissonance:

Festinger’s theory suggests that individuals are motivated to reduce cognitive dissonance by either changing their beliefs, altering their behaviours, or seeking out information that justifies their current stance. This reduction in dissonance brings psychological relief.

Cognitive Dissonance Theory has far-reaching implications and is readily observed in everyday life. It explains why people resist changing long-held beliefs, why we justify our actions even when they contradict our values, and how we seek out information that confirms our pre-existing beliefs, creating echo chambers in the age of the internet.

Leon Festinger’s Cognitive Dissonance Theory provides a compelling framework for understanding the complex interplay between beliefs, actions, and the human psyche. It reminds us that our decisions and behaviours are influenced not only by external factors but also by our inner need for cognitive harmony. Recognising this theory’s role in our lives can lead to greater self-awareness and an understanding of why people sometimes act in seemingly irrational ways. As we navigate the complexities of human behaviour, Festinger’s theory continues to be a guiding light in the field of psychology.