Enriching Psychology™: Brain Favours an Optimistic Outlook

Friday 6 April 2018

Brain Favours an Optimistic Outlook

There are many studies that point to the health benefits of having a positive disposition, and I’ve read that up to 80% of people tend towards being positive in life. (I’ll try to find the links and cross reference.)

A study in England in 2011 reported that most of us have a bias towards positivity.

“When the news was positive, all people had more activity in the brain's frontal lobes, which are associated with processing errors. With negative information, the most optimistic people had the least activity in the frontal lobes, while the least optimistic had the most.”

"And despite how sophisticated these neural networks are, it is illuminating to see how the brain sometimes comes up with wrong and overly optimistic answers despite the evidence."

http://www.bbc.com/news/health-15214080

Danny Enright has over 20 years experience in Adult Education and 15 years in supervision and management. As a past board member of the British Columbia Organizational Development Network, and a student in the Langley Institute's "Diploma in Positive Psychology" program, Danny is fascinated by real-world, applicable insights into what makes individuals and groups successful, and how scientifically validated studies in positive psychology can enrich lives. Danny's efforts to understand his Tourette Syndrome has sparked his curiosity into the workings of the human mind, which have lead him to explore and apply revelations about neural-plasticity, positive habit formation, behavioural intervention techniques, self-awareness practices, and strengths analysis and utilization. Danny has moonlighted as an improv comedian and comedy writer, but for good reason, he has not given up his passion for his day job, and studying (and sharing) how to live an enriched life.

Words and Concepts

Acareability™... a combination of the words "Accountability" and "Care". It's when your friends family and colleagues lovingly hold you to the commitments you made. They have no vested interest in the results; only in your ultimate happiness and flourishing.

Talkwondo™... a "verbal martial arts" strategy that involves doing all you can to reduce friction in dialogue, and like other martial arts, provides ways to respond if the previous level of intervention did not work. Ends with strong verbal words that remain calm, but put you in control of the conversation.

Enriching Psychology™ is a reframing of the study of Positive Psychology, as well as the wisdom of timeless philosophers, ancient mystics and modern sciences. Sometimes our greatest selves evolve when faced with great challenges or strong questions, which enrich us and our circles to move to our next greatest selves.