Positive mindset, stimulating our happy chemicals

In addition to the Anxiety Release MethodTM course, I enjoyed last week an inspiring webinar by Dr Loretta Breuning, author of “The Habits of a Happy Brain”, brought to us by Joan Hoexum from Vitality Solutions.

I learnt a lot, in particular about our “happy chemicals” and how to increase them.

We have in effect two brains:

- our modern human brain, the Cortex, also called verbal brain which does not control our chemicals and our

- inner mammal brain which we inherited from the mammals we come down from.

Our brain evolved to promote survival, not pleasure. We are programmed to scan for threats, learn from them, avoid them, and looks for rewards. As I mentioned in my last blog anxiety surrounding perceived threats or anticipation of threats unleashes cortisol which creates a full sense of alarm lasting about one hour. This was very useful in the life and death situations our ancestors dealt with, but less so in our modern age filled with an incredible amount of “threats” such as not being good enough, time constraints, career…

We can counteract this by focusing on rewards instead, focussing on the path ahead and our goals and can stimulate our positive chemicals such as dopamine, oxytocin, endorphin and serotonin by creating new neural pathways built from our individual past experience. We have so many more options than those we automatically revert to with our old habits.

Each step closer to a reward, releases dopamine which creates energy. Dopamine is called the “motivation molecule” and gives us that sense of achievement and fulfilment we enjoy so much There are many way to boost it naturally such as certain food types, exercise, meditation, listening to music but my tip for the week is to think of a goal you would like to achieve, one which will make you grow and feel proud. This can be in any section of your life, from trying a new recipe or tidying out a cupboard to starting a new study, writing an ebook or getting a new job! The important thing is to focus on it, determine small steps and set out. We get most excited about meeting unmet needs, so the trick is to advance in small steps.

Good luck, here is to happier lives, one step at a time

Want to control your anxiety?  Check out the coaching on ANXIETY RELEASE on my website www.thekennedyconnection.com

Want to train as an Anxiety Release practitioner? Then visit: https://www.adele-marie.co.uk/anxiety-release-coaching-course

Looking for inspiring webinars, then check out Vitality solutions: https://vitality-solutions.com/

#letsmakeithappen, #rise&shine, @youdeserveto be heard