rewire brain for positive thinking

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

So your philosophy is - why bother? No reason to even think about being the change you want to see. Cool.

Well, yes, the most important thing is that you feel bad. Feeling bad is the mark of the righteous. It doesn't matter if you actually do things to try and make it better, as long as you feel appropriately bad.

In my experience it is easier to be altruistic if you feel good. For one thing if you feel shitty, that means it is easier for your ego to get wrapped up in your attempts to do good. If you otherwise feel good, it is easier to leave your ego at the door and not just make it about you.

 

[EJCC]

There’s a lot of science behind the gratitude thing. But also, you’ve got to be realistic.

I like this model of gratitude (which I haven’t used myself but have been considering): The Opposite of Toxic Positivity

 

[Frosty]

I think this could be helpful if your brain is already somewhat regulated. If you have a clear mental disorder that needs to be stabilized first and throwing out “just be grateful” can be demoralizing and dismissive

 

[prplchknz]

I think this could be helpful if your brain is already somewhat regulated. If you have a clear mental disorder that needs to be stabilized first and throwing out “just be grateful” can be demoralizing and dismissive

i look at pain like this, yes some people can handle more, but take little kids a scrape on the knee is terrible to them, because it's the worse pain they over felt, but as they get older they'll feel more pain and learn how not to cry when they feel either physical or emotional pain, over time a scrape on a knee isn't so bad. and you might've felt way more pain than them in your life but their pain is still valid and you shouldn't ignore pain because someone's pain is worse than yours.

 

[EJCC]

I think this could be helpful if your brain is already somewhat regulated. If you have a clear mental disorder that needs to be stabilized first and throwing out “just be grateful” can be demoralizing and dismissive

Toxic positivity is garbage, "just be grateful" is garbage AND discriminatory (ableist in this context), and you're completely right.

Part of why I like the model in that link I shared earlier (not to be the "don't make me tap the sign" person) is that it really emphasizes gratitude as 1. a practice, not a bullshit life philosophy, and 2. something you do alongside of accepting - and often grieving - what's going on around you.

In general, even though I'm not currently doing DBT, I'm a big fan of that model of processing and acknowledging the reality of the contradictions in your life, particularly the emotional ones. And I say this as someone who also has a clear mental disorder and struggles enormously with emotional processing as a result.

AND YET: I would not necessarily call myself "stabilized" yet, which is probably why I'm over here soapboxing in favor of something that I don't even do.

(This has been: EJCC holding multiple truths at once??)

 

[prplchknz]

Toxic positivity is garbage, "just be grateful" is garbage AND discriminatory (ableist in this context), and you're completely right.

Part of why I like the model in that link I shared earlier (not to be the "don't make me tap the sign" person) is that it really emphasizes gratitude as 1. a practice, not a bullshit life philosophy, and 2. something you do alongside of accepting - and often grieving - what's going on around you.

In general, even though I'm not currently doing DBT, I'm a big fan of that model of processing and acknowledging the reality of the contradictions in your life, particularly the emotional ones. And I say this as someone who also has a clear mental disorder and struggles enormously with emotional processing as a result.

AND YET: I would not necessarily call myself "stabilized" yet, which is probably why I'm over here soapboxing in favor of something that I don't even do.

(This has been: EJCC holding multiple truths at once??)

you know i didn't realize how abelist people are until the pandemic and now it's everywhere. probably was before but the pandemic has magnified it

 

[EJCC]

you know i didn't realize how abelist people are until the pandemic and now it's everywhere. probably was before but the pandemic has magnified it

It's definitely encouraged people to say the quiet part out loud, yeah.

 

[Indigo Rodent]

you know i didn't realize how abelist people are until the pandemic and now it's everywhere. probably was before but the pandemic has magnified it

I knew it at least since 2008. Was talking about it a lot at least since 2015.

Toxic positivity is garbage, "just be grateful" is garbage AND discriminatory (ableist in this context), and you're completely right.

Part of why I like the model in that link I shared earlier (not to be the "don't make me tap the sign" person) is that it really emphasizes gratitude as 1. a practice, not a bullshit life philosophy, and 2. something you do alongside of accepting - and often grieving - what's going on around you.

In general, even though I'm not currently doing DBT, I'm a big fan of that model of processing and acknowledging the reality of the contradictions in your life, particularly the emotional ones. And I say this as someone who also has a clear mental disorder and struggles enormously with emotional processing as a result.

AND YET: I would not necessarily call myself "stabilized" yet, which is probably why I'm over here soapboxing in favor of something that I don't even do.

(This has been: EJCC holding multiple truths at once??)

I would also add just judging some things as good/appreciation. I generally don't feel comfortable with the concept of gratitude because it reminds me of how fragile and conditional everything is.
Like remembering to judge good things as good.

 

[junathan]

Does anyone know if there is any validity to the claim that if you do an exercise wherein you write down three things for which you are grategful/three positive things about your life, for 21 days, that it will "rewire" your thinking from positive to negative?

I saw this in an instagram and wondered if there was anything to it or if it was an invention of social media.

Interestingly enough, I think our ability to change and adjust our perspectives on things, may ultimately contribute to how we view happiness and the problems we have in our life.

For instance, you are born gay, and that being gay has been tiring and that it does not bring benefit to yourself. In fact, you will naturally have a harder life because you can't openly admit that part of yours to the public and that coming out will only cause more trouble.

However, if you rewire your brain/ bring in new perspectives in your life, you may start to view that as a blessing or a certain reward god has blessed you to help your family and the people around you. Hence, I do think it's possible and with enough practice, we can certainly reach that level of mindset.

 

[Muladara]

Does anyone know if there is any validity to the claim that if you do an exercise wherein you write down three things for which you are grategful/three positive things about your life, for 21 days, that it will "rewire" your thinking from positive to negative?

I saw this in an instagram and wondered if there was anything to it or if it was an invention of social media.

Try it out yourself, see if it works for you.

Gratitude doesn’t work for me.