hardwiring happiness - rick hanson

[...]... neural circuits in your brain You are hardwiring happiness Experience-Dependent Neuroplasticity The brain is the organ that learns, so it is designed to be changed by your experiences It still amazes me but it’s true: Whatever we repeatedly sense and feel and want and think is slowly but surely sculpting neural structure As you read this, in the five cups of tofu-like tissue inside your head, nested... experience, it probably does not get converted into neural structure, stored in implicit memory Unless they’re million-dollar moments, positive experiences use standard-issue memory systems, in which new information must be held in short-term buffers long enough for it to transfer to long-term storage “Long enough” depends on the experience and the person, but loosely speaking it’s at least a few seconds,... bottom we are fighters and flee-ers, greedy and addictive, and envious and mean-spirited, then we need to be kept in line by powerful authority figures, strict rules, and heavy guilt and shame On the other hand, if underneath it all we are even-keeled, grateful, and warmhearted, then we can live more freely, more guided by our own conscience and caring Until recently, fact-based answers to fundamental... cope with the hard things in life, recover from stress, heal old pain, maintain your well-being, get things done at home and work, and be patient and caring toward others • Most of your inner strengths are developed over time This book is about growing inner strengths through positive experiences, which is hardwiring happiness • Simply observing your mind is extremely useful, but you also need to decrease... hippocampus The almond-sized amygdala does respond to positive events and feelings, but in most people it is activated more by negative ones Think about a time that someone—perhaps your parent, partner, or a coworker—got angry with you and you felt anxious about it The other person’s anger activated your amygdala somewhat like a charging lion would have a million years ago To begin a fight-or-flight response,... response, self-esteem, distress tolerance, self-regulation, resilience, and executive functions I’m using the word strength broadly to include positive feelings such as calm, contentment, and caring, as well as skills, useful perspectives and inclinations, and embodied qualities such as vitality or relaxation Unlike fleeting mental states, inner strengths are stable traits, an enduring source of well-being,... positive ones • While the negativity bias is good for survival in harsh conditions, it’s lousy for quality of life, fulfilling relationships, personal growth, and long-term health It makes us over-learn from bad experiences and under-learn from good ones • The best way to compensate for the negativity bias is to regularly take in the good Chapter 3 Green Brain, Red Brain Humans have long wondered... by hardwiring happiness. ” Inner Strengths I’ve hiked a lot and have often had to depend on what was in my pack Inner strengths are the supplies you’ve got in your pack as you make your way down the twisting and often hard road of life They include a positive mood, common sense, integrity, inner peace, determination, and a warm heart Researchers have identified other strengths as well, such as self-compassion,... critical boss would be intensified by a person’s vulnerability to anxiety, but he or she could cope by calling on inner strengths of self-soothing and feeling respected by others We all have vulnerabilities Personally, I wish it were not so easy for me to become worried and self-critical And life has no end of challenges, from minor hassles like dropped cell phone calls to old age, disease, and death You need... resilience, well-being, and life satisfaction Positive emotions encourage the pursuit of opportunities, create positive cycles, and promote success They also strengthen your immune system, protect your heart, and foster a healthier and longer life On average, about a third of a person’s strengths are innate, built into his or her genetically based temperament, talents, mood, and personality The other two-thirds . Random House LLC. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available upon request. ISBN 97 8-0 -3 8 5-3 473 1-0 eBook ISBN 97 8-0 -3 8 5-3 473 2-7 Jacket design by Base Art Co. v3.1 For Laurel. dozen seconds at a time,’ as Rick Hanson shows us in this game-changing book. Hardwiring Happiness is an essential guide to finding peace and joy in our busy modern world— happiness that is not dependent. cultivate greater happiness and well-being in our lives.” —Shauna L. Shapiro, Ph.D., professor, Santa Clara University, and coauthor of The Art and Science of Mindfulness “In Hardwiring Happiness, Dr. Rick Hanson