DAY TWO: Scanning for Positive Experiences

 

Our bodies respond differently to positive stimuli than they do to negative stimuli. The problem is, we are wired to survive so we pay more attention to the negative than we do to the positive. If we focus on the negative we manage to survive one more day. Focusing on the positive will not help us from a survival perspective.

However, this is not helpful to our peace of mind. Dr. Rick Hanson, in his book Hardwiring Happiness, does a phenomenal job of informing us of how detrimental it is to our health and well-being to live in a negative-focused body. We must cultivate shifting our focus to the positive in order to change our brains and the chemical balance within our bodies. Scanning for the positive helps us fuel our Inner Well so we are resourced to parent our child or children.

INTENTION: First thing in the morning, set the intention to scan for five positive experiences today. Write your intention in your Self-Care Notebook. We will add to this, but if you are not used to looking for the positive, it may be a challenge to notice how many positive things are occurring in your life. Conversely,  there might be many more positive things happening then you previously thought.

EXERCISE: Write down your positive experiences as you notice them during the day or in the evening before bed in your Gratitude Notebook. I keep my Gratitude Notebook right next to my bed and try to write at least one thing every night so that I go to sleep with gratitude in my heart. Usually I get on a roll and write more things than I expected. 

SUMMARY of self-care routine so far:

• When you get up in the morning, check in with your body and ask, “What do you need from me today?” Listen. Write it in your Self-Care Notebook, and follow the guidance you receive.
• Notice 5 positive things happening in your day. Write about them during the day and tonight before going to bed.

If you started out with an empty Inner Well, we imagine that you are starting to feel more resourced. If your Inner Well is not beginning to fill, ask your body what it needs to feel more resourced and write what comes to you in your Self-Care Notebook. 

EXERCISE: Draw a picture of your Inner Well at the bottom of the page on your Self-Care notebook. How full is your inner well now compared to the first day?