The Power of Positive Thinking

I know, I know. The title… *cringe*.. but hear me out. I’m not going to sit here and try to convince you to jump on the toxic positivity train and bypass all of the ugly stuff that life can throw your way. That’s unrealistic and also, not helpful.  I am, however, going to try to help you understand why more realistic, evidence based thinking and positive affirmations can help rewire your brain. It’s not woo-woo, it’s Science. I promise!

Still with me? Great. So first, let’s get a better understanding of the brain. Our brains are, and have pretty much always been, wired with a negativity bias. At one point, it helped the species survive. Now, it’s just really annoying. There is a whole lot of science behind this but let’s just keep it simple. If I wrote down 100 math problems and 99 of them were correct, but one was wrong, which one do you think everyone would focus on? Yup, you guessed it, the wrong one. So when you hear 99 positive things about yourself, but 1 negative… which one does your brain focus on? That big ol negative that’s telling you something like “I’m not good enough”, “I am a failure”, or “I am a bad person”, just to name a few.

Now, let’s talk about the RAS or reticular activating system. It’s a pencil sized bundle of nerve at the base of your brain that is basically the gateway between the subconscious and conscious mind. The RAS is where all of your senses enter, except smell. We intake a TON of sensory information on a daily basis, and we couldn’t possibly process it all, which is where the RAS comes in. Your RAS filters out the information that can be safely ignored. There are certain bits of information that we are hardwired to deem as important, like your name being called or a threat to safety. Otherwise, we set the agenda. Sometimes consciously, but often what gets through is based on subconscious deeper belief systems. Let’s say you want to buy a car and you decide you really want a red corvette. Suddenly, you start seeing red corvettes everywhere! They have always been there, but you woke up your RAS and told it to start letting this information through.

“How the heck can all this mumbo jumbo help me?”, you might ask. Well, I’ll tell you. Alert your RAS to what you want. Tell it what you intend for your life. Train your brain to see the positives and not immediately focus on the negatives. They both exist. It is the duality of man. It is inevitable that life will throw curve balls your way. My point is not to tell you to ignore them. My point is, don’t live there. There is still positive all around you, your RAS just won’t let you see it. This doesn’t make your trauma or negative experiences any less valid. The trauma is not and never was your fault. But you CAN heal.

Through trauma, and just life, we all have developed negative core beliefs about ourselves, others, and the world around us that have become the lens that we view the world through. These beliefs are telling the bouncer in your brain (The RAS) who to let into the club and usually, it’s not benefitting us. I use a combination of EMDR and CBT with my clients to help clear out those beliefs and reprogram your RAS.

Thankfully, you don’t need us to utilize some simples techniques on your own. I recommend a daily practice of gratitude and affirmations to get yourself started. On your own or with the help of your therapist, identify some negative core beliefs and some positive affirmations to utilize to challenge those beliefs. Once it becomes a habit, you’ll see a difference. (Thanks RAS!).  

Example: I am not good enough —> I am enough, I am good enough, I am more than enough

Try it for yourself!

Written by: Grace Williamson, MA, LPCC, BCN