"BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE BRILLIANT"

The definition of brilliance is an intense bright light, or a vivid and bright color, or extreme intelligence or excellence. The light given off by a 100-watt bulb is an example of brilliance. A deep, rich and vibrant red color is an example of brilliance.

Ways to be brilliant every day

Do inspirational quotes inspire you to rage and motivational posters make you want to give up? If so, it's safe to say you're not a fan of the fuzzy, feel-good world of self-help literature.

And yet, according to a Red C poll, only two in every five Irish people consider themselves to be happy – a statistic that suggests many of us could do with a bit of guidance in turning that frown upside down.

So what to do if you're a down-in-the-dumps cynic who longs to be a bit more chipper but loathes the thought of cheesy American phrases like "breakdowns can create breakthroughs" or "teamwork makes the dream work"?

Well, a new book might just have the answer. Be Brilliant Every Day by Andy Cope and Andy Whittaker is a new genre of self-help book that offers sound psychological guidance with a healthy dose of caustic wit and self-deprecating humour.

"We've devoured every personal development book on the planet, so you don't have to," they proudly declare, meaning there's no need for self-help-phobes to worry about any 'chicken soup for the soul' chit-chat or weighty academic lingo.

Between them, Cope, who has 10 years of experience studying positive psychology, and Whittaker, a certified trainer in neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), reckon that, with a few tweaks to how we think, we can all be more brilliant versions of ourselves – or, as they put it, a little less Eeyore, a little more Tigger.

In simple steps and easy-to-digest language, they guide readers through a wealth of psychological know-how. But when all's said and done, their core message is simple: The secret to happiness lies within. . . they'd just never dream of uttering such a twee soundbite without warning readers to reach for the sick bag first.

Say bye-bye to 'busyness'

• Sales of grated cheese and pre-boiled eggs are up, but shoppers are snubbing oranges because they take too long to peel. "You're living life fast, but are you living it well?" Cope asks. "Busyness has got a grip of us to the point that we're not immersed in life, we're skimming the surface of it." This autopilot of busyness is a huge impediment to happiness. Stop and hit control, alt, delete to re-establish what really makes you tick.

Accept that you can't control events – only your reactions to them

• It's a misconception that it's bad drivers, traffic jams or computer viruses that make you angry. You decide to be angry when you react to them. It's a choice and, hard as it may be, you can choose to react differently. "If you change your internal world, your external world changes, or at least your experience of the external world will change," says Cope.

Steer clear of 'vipassana vendettas' This is when you magnify tiny irritations into full-blown hate campaigns – someone doesn't acknowledge you let them out in traffic, so you become convinced they're your sworn enemy sent to irk you. We all tend to construct stories around events – know when you're doing it and recognise it for what it is: energy-zapping nonsense.

• Beware the Four Horsemen of Negativity
• It's very easy to fall into the trap of being a bit of a moaner, but constantly wallowing in boredom, sameness, drizzle and tiredness can lead to what Cope and Whittaker dub Irritable B*****d Syndrome. "Often our whingeing isn't amusing or warranted, merely habitual," says Cope. "Negative self-talk can rob you of energy and confidence and put the boot into your happiness." Get out of the negativity rut.

Ditch the stone-age thinking

• To change how your mind works, you need to understand why it works the way it does. We're all programmed to place greater importance on bad things over good. It's why, even when there are 1,000 positive reviews on TripAdvisor, the sole one-star write-up about a pubic hair in the bed will still play on our minds. This is called 'negativity bias' and comes down to the simple fact that it was being cautious and paying attention to bad stuff that ensured our ancient ancestors survived. Canny cavemen knew it was fear that saved your life – happiness merely enriched it.
• "Worrying is the brain's default position," explains Cope – but we're not in the cave now and need to recognise that sometimes fear holds us back rather than keeping us safe.

 Take pleasure in the 'beautiful ordinary' and get off the 'hedonic treadmill'

• Robert Holden, bestselling author of Happiness Now! and director of The Happiness Project, is a strong advocate of taking pleasure in the little things. If we stop thinking "I'll be happy when. . ." and enjoy the now, or what he dubs the 'beautiful ordinary', we'll find we actually are happy. Paradoxically it's aiming for happiness that stops us being content. If you're always saying "I'll be happy when I get that promotion/pass that exam/ lose that extra stone", you're on the 'hedonic treadmill', going nowhere and keeping happiness at arm's length because there will always be something else to achieve.

Mind your mindset

• Psychologist and author Carol Dweck has done extensive research into the power of mindset and found there are two types: fixed, whereby the individual's attitude is "I better not try that in case I fail", and growth, where they reckon "I'll give it a go". What mindset you are makes a big difference to what you achieve and how happy you are. "If you have a pessimistic exploratory style and/or a fixed mindset, there's a big fat chance that you will live down to your own expectations," warns Cope.

Remember the 'why'

• In work especially, we can get fixated on what we do and how we do it – but it's the why that fuels our passion for any task.

You only need four minutes to be brilliant

"It takes four minutes for other people to 'catch' your feelings. So if you're upbeat, passionate and positive for four minutes, the people around you will have almost no choice but to feel good, too," say the authors. The added good news is that if you can manage four minutes of cheer (and, really, who can't slap a smile on for a mere four minutes?), the positive feedback from those around you and the endorphins it generates in you will make you want to do it again.

Characteristics Of Brilliant People And How To Become One

To take it a step further, some would say that writing life-changing content has to do with an innate brilliance. Some are just born “better” than others.

Forget about it. Brilliance may not be what you think. And it’s within your grasp.

Just the other day a friend of mine complimented me by saying I was “brilliant”. My knee-jerk reaction, was, “Why, thank you. Anything else you have to say?”

Then I thought, “I’m definitely NOT brilliant. Matter of fact, I’ve got to be the furthest apple from the brilliance tree.”

I kinda sucked on my SAT’s. I’m not really that creative or inventive. The only brilliance I possess has to do with the amount of food I can consume and still not be fat. And I digress…

“Brilliance” is a word reserved for 75 year old, wise men with white hair, or Seth Godin, or those who have a massive catalog of inventions.

What makes someone brilliant?

That got me thinking. What makes someone “brilliant?”

Can it be scientifically quantified or is it a vague generalization? Is it a high IQ score or inventing something or just wearing really thick glasses and refusing to comb your hair?

What is it about a person that makes them brilliant in our eyes?

I believe brilliance is attainable. Matter of fact, you can be brilliant.

Brilliant people have certain qualities; certain habits. You don’t need to be the smartest. You don’t need to ace your SAT. You don’t need to have white hair and thick glasses.

But you do need to do a few things.

Brilliant people solve problems

When you come up with a solution to something that others couldn’t figure out, you are seen as brilliant.

It doesn’t have to be on the scale of solving world hunger. It can be finding a new route that skips traffic or a better way to save money.

Brilliant people solve problems. They don’t just complain about the problems around them. They are solution-oriented. They recognize the problem and don’t speak until they’ve figured it out.

Brilliant people are helpful

Do you add value to people’s lives? When people spend time with you do they feel encouraged? If you want to be brilliant, start helping people.

Don’t just criticize and loft your opinion whenever you get the chance. Enhance the lives of others. Invest in people.

Brilliant people do the work

They put in the time. They show up consistently and fight laziness.

It’s not that they aren’t naturally lazy. They most likely are. But they fight it. They don’t give into what is easy. They work hard, show up every day, and make a difference.

Brilliant people are generous

They aren’t self absorbed. They live for a cause greater than themselves. They are making a difference beyond their own bank accounts.

They have a vision beyond themselves. They give and they give and they give. They recognize that life is more about what you give away than what you consume.

Brilliant people take risks

You could just stay put on the sidelines. You could just think about doing something great.

But if you want to be brilliant, you need to take the leap. Do what others only dream of. Step out and take risks. Brilliant people fail often because they don’t attempt what is safe. What sets them apart from the pack is that they keep going.

Brilliant people shine a light beyond themselves

By definition the word brilliant refers to a a striking, distinctive brightness. Brilliant people are those who stand for something larger than themselves.

They reflect the greatness and creativity of God.

Brilliant people don’t fit in a box

Truth is, brilliance is subjective. What’s brilliant to me may not be brilliant to you. What speaks to me may not speak to you.

That’s the beauty of art, the beauty of God’s creation. There is a place for your art, your creativity, and your unique perspective. While it may not be “brilliant” to everyone, it is brilliant to some.

SIMPLE WAYS TO HAVE BRILLIANT BRAIN

SLEEP

Sleep rejuvenates the brain and without it we can become psychotic. People who get fewer than six hours a night have decreased blood flow to the brain and have trouble thinking clearly during the day.

Shift workers, those suffering from jet lag and teens who have their sleep schedules out of kilter are all at risk of poor brain function.

The sleep-deprived score worse on memory and maths tests and are more at risk of road accidents.

Try to get seven or eight hours sleep a night.

EXERCISE

No matter what your age being a physical sloth is bad for your brain.

Eating a healthy balanced diet provides the nutrients and fuel to drive optimal brain function

Exercise boosts blood flow to the brain which helps supply oxygen, glucose and nutrients.

If the deep areas of the brain are starved of healthy blood flow it leads to problems with co-ordination and processing complex thoughts. Research on rats shows exercise generates new brain cells in the areas of judgment and memory which die unless they are stimulated.

The best exercises combine aerobic elements with some form of co-ordination as this activates the cerebellum that enhances thinking, cognitive flexibility and processing speed. Dancing is perfect.

DRINK LESS COFFEE

Caffeine which is found in coffee, tea, dark fizzy drinks and chocolate, constricts blood flow to the brain, disrupts sleep and is dehydrating.

A little coffee a day is not a problem but more than a cup or two can be.

The brain is 80 per cent water and anything that dehydrates us such as caffeine, makes it harder to think. Caffeine also blocks adenosine, a chemical that tells us to go to sleep and sleep is essential for brain function.

EAT WELL

Even though the brain consists of only about two per cent of our body’s weight it uses about 25 per cent of the calories we consume.

Eating a healthy balanced diet provides the nutrients and fuel to drive optimal brain function.

Lean protein such as fish and chicken help build neurons which are cells that transmit information.

Healthy fats found in avocados and nuts maintain nerve cell membranes and myelin, the protective sheath around the nerve system.

DON’T WORRY

Stress hurts the brain. In studies reported in the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology, researchers looked at the effects of the stress hormone cortisol.

Older adults with continuously high levels performed worse on memory tests than adults with moderate or low levels.

Techniques to counteract stress include daily relaxation, meditation and exercise.

TURN OFF THE TELEVISION (AND THE COMPUTER)

Our brains were not developed for today’s rapid change in technology.

Parents hoping to give their children an edge by using infant educational videos are holding them back, according to a report in the Journal of Pediatrics.

For every hour a day babies aged eight to 16 months were shown videos they knew six to eight fewer words than those of the same age.

Glenn Wilson, a psychologist from London University who carried out 80 clinical trials on e-mail, found a compulsion to reply to each new message led to constant changes of direction which tired and slowed down the brain.

DRINK LESS ALCOHOL

Alcohol lowers overall blood flow and activity in the brain which is why it calms anxiety and lessens inhibitions.

It blocks oxygen from entering the cell’s energy centres and reduces the effectiveness of different types of neurotransmitters, especially those involved in learning and remembering.

And who wants to try and please everyone?

You can be brilliant. Start with a grand vision of your life and the world. You are here to make a difference, as cliched as that sounds. Stop watching, criticizing, complaining, wandering, and being lazy.

Apply these characteristics. And go, do something brilliant today.