The Scientifically Proven Method to Banish Negative Thought

24.12.2024 - 14:25

Did you know that your brain is naturally wired to focus on negativity? But there’s good news—neuroscientist Rick Hanson has developed a transformative technique called “installation” that helps turn fleeting positive moments into lasting mental strength. By simply noticing, savoring, and deeply feeling joyful experiences, you can train your brain to shift its focus from negativity to positivity. Not only can this method make your days brighter, but it can also pave the way for long-term happiness and peace of mind. Curious to know how it works? Let’s explore the steps to break free from negative thought patterns!

Living with constant negative thoughts in our minds makes life much harder.

Advice from others like 'Just believe in yourself' often doesn't help. However, a brain training expert recently shared a method called 'installation' to help rid the brain of negative thoughts.

First, it’s important to remember that the human brain tends to focus more on negative thoughts than positive ones.

This phenomenon might sound familiar to those who fixate on a single piece of criticism in an otherwise positive work review or repeatedly replay an embarrassing moment from the past, no matter how much time has passed.

From an evolutionary perspective, focusing on the negative makes sense.

After all, it’s how we learned to avoid danger. But in today’s world, this often results in overreacting to minor problems, which can lead to pessimism and unhappiness.

The method frequently used by brain training expert Leyes is a technique called “installation,” developed by neuropsychologist Rick Hanson.

According to Dr. Hanson, the learning process has two stages: Activation and Installation. During the activation stage, we experience an event, whether good or bad. In the installation stage, we “install” the memory of this experience in the brain. Hanson explains that if this installation doesn’t happen—if the experience doesn’t transfer from short-term to long-term memory—positive experiences merely create a fleeting sense of pleasure without any lasting impact. “In that case, there’s no learning, no growth, and no healing,” he says.

On the other hand, negative experiences are evolutionarily hardwired to install automatically.

That’s why it takes conscious effort to install positive experiences. Hanson suggests dwelling on these positive feelings for five to ten seconds or even longer. “The longer and more intensely these neurons fire together, the more strongly you’ll embed this inner strength into your brain,” says Hanson. By practicing this technique, not only do you feel more positive in the moment, but you also train your brain to focus on positive things in the future.