DAY 3 - Social/Emotional

If you haven’t realized that we live in a negative world, then you my friend, are not paying attention. I don’t believe there is a person alive who could say they’ve completely eluded the ever-present rampages of negativity often seen on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. Sickness, unpleasant jobs, financial woes, marriage difficulties— you’ve likely absorbed a portion of someone's negativity (and maybe your own) through the social media screen.

Words can be dangerous. In fact, if you were to sit inside an MRI scanner and have the word “NO” flashed in front of your face for less than a second, there would be an an immediate release of stress hormones and neurotransmitters that would light up that screen. These neurological messengers interrupt normal brain function— impairing logic, processing and reason. A depressed person who views a list of negative words for just a few seconds will feel worse. If they continue to ponder on these words, their appetite, sleep and ability to experience satisfaction will all be adversely affected.

What happens if you then vocalize the words you’ve seen? Or react with a frown? Not only will your brain continue to release damaging stress chemicals but this same phenomenon will also occur in any listener’s brain as well. Listeners of negativity experience anxiety and irritability, often causing mistrust and prejudice towards others. This is why you may notice that negative people tend to be with other… well, other negative people. There’s a mutual exchange of natural reactions occurring between the two bodies’ stress systems and it is controlling their ability to be positive.

So how do we stop this car of pessimism from careening out of control? Repetitive and conscious positive affirmations. In plain English: three positive thoughts. This is the minimum required to overcome one negative expression. It doesn’t matter whether these words of positivity are real or rational. So tell yourself you’d be one fantastic unicorn. they still activate the motivational centers of brain that lead to happiness and satisfaction.

The decision is yours- which words will you pick and project? You may choose the message but the resulting bodily reaction is out of your control. So follow the old adage and “choose your words wisely”— they may be the most powerful thing you put out into the world today.

Daily Challenge

As a wise man once told me, “Look for the beautiful and you will find it.” Find something beautiful about your day, job, partner or life and post it on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. (Use the hashtag #loveumentary so we can see it!) Feel good knowing that not only are you increasing your own positivity but someone else’s brain is also instinctively turning towards the warmth that your small ray of social media sunlight put into the world today.

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[jbox title="About the Author:" border="5" radius="15"] Megan is a Doctor of Audiology, Holistic Nutritionist, wife, yoga-lover and ever-evolving health aspirer. Having transformed her own health, she’s eager to help you transform yours. She believes in power in its purest form: FOOD. Whole foods, to be precise. So pick up a fork and join her in a revolution of habits, health and happiness. A WHOLE new life awaits! Read more about her reformation of health and wellness at My Whole Food Habit.[/jbox]