Feelings
Throughout the day, humans experience different feelings based on what is going on inside and outside of them. If your brain is looping through a scenario that has a negative twist, the bad stuff spins over and over. The speed of revolution makes it difficult for anything good to pierce the cycle. Without new input, it is unlikely that many options will be created to deal with the issue. It is like being trapped on a ride at the amusement park that you don’t like. You can’t think of anything but getting away from the swirling metal. If your brain is looping through something pleasant, the ride ends too quickly.
Practice Feelings
What we practice, we get good at. Remember those piano lessons? You would have been able to play the piano now if you had just kept plunking along on the keys. But when we start to learn a subject, we focus more on what we don’t know. And we remain in high alert when hearing all those incorrect notes we hit. We knew what would have sounded right but couldn’t stop paying attention to the errors. Humans don’t like to endure being wrong over and over even when it is the only road to right. Our feelings need some practice at times.
Practice Feeling Good
There are times throughout every day when life is pleasant. It is easy to take these for granted because they already meet our expectations. What is missing is appreciation for them. If you can become more aware of these moments and practice holding onto them, you will notice how remarkable they are. As a reminder to pause, place your hand on your heart every time you feel good. This gentle connection of your feeling and your physical heart will help you associate the subtle beauty of the moment. They don’t last long but deserve recognition. They are the tender times given to us to help us remember that life isn’t always difficult.
Good to Feel
When you instruct your brain to look for your good feelings, you will automatically notice more. Acknowledging what is good in life elevates the easier outlook of gloom and doom. If you can tell yourself that you feel good with your hand on your heart, you may notice a subtle change in your tender understanding of your life in a week. Associating good feelings with yourself is the perfect place to start to eventually see good in others. Your brain will start to react to the complimentary set of neural pathways under construction. The outlook shifts from what is wrong to what is right with practice.
Can you feel your own goodness? What can you practice more of to recognize your own pleasantness? How would you feel off high alert?
