How to Hardwire Your Brain for Happiness By slowing down and enjoying the good times, you can help reinforce positive brain waves.

By Lewis Howes Edited by Dan Bova

This story originally appeared on Lewis Howes

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The more I learn about the brain, the more fascinated I am by it.

Things I used to think were just a mystery (like what makes us happy and what makes us sad), I'm now learning are totally controllable.

So, I was really excited to talk to one of the leading neuroscience psychologists in the field today.

Dr. Rick Hanson has written multiple bestselling books about how to actually hardwire our brains to stay in the positive side of thought and feeling, which is something I'm always looking to bring to The School of Greatness.

In our conversation, I kept asking him questions related to my own experiences with emotional intelligence, positive thought, and the power we have to shift ourselves out of negative emotions and thought patterns.

Everything Rick shared with me confirmed my own experience and what I've learned from other experts.

What I especially loved learning was how important it is to slow down and consciously enjoy the good times (something I have struggled with in the past), because it actually helps reinforce those positive brain waves in the hardwiring of our brains.

This is just one gem I picked up from my fascinating interview with brain genius Dr. Rick Hanson in Episode 207.

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In this episode, you will learn:

  • How the hard wiring of our brains affects us
  • Why having good experiences constantly in romantic relationships is so important to keep them healthy
  • The enjoy-ability of an experience is an important signal to your brain to slow down and value the good
  • What causes lasting change in behavior and mindset
  • We can learn certain important things only through negative experiences
  • The importance of acknowledging the good in your life (and not just the bad)
  • The feeling of a reward is much more powerful than just the idea of one
Lewis Howes

New York Times Bestselling Author, Entrepreneur, Coach

Lewis Howes is a New York Times bestselling author of The School of Greatness and The Mask of Masculinity. He is a lifestyle entrepreneur, high performance business coach and keynote speaker. A former professional football player and two-sport All-American, he is a current USA Men’s National Handball Team athlete. He hosts a top 100 iTunes ranked Apple podcast, The School of Greatness. Howes was recognized by the White House and President Obama as one of the top 100 entrepreneurs in the country under 30. Details magazine called him one of “5 Internet Guru’s that can Make You Rich.”  Howes has been featured on Ellen, Good Morning America, The Today Show, The New York Times, People, ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Men’s Health and other major media outlets.

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