Body By Choice Blog had an interesting article recently on Positive Psychology.

People who seed their life with frequent moments of positive emotions increase their resilience against challenges, according to a new study by a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill psychologist and colleagues.

“This study shows that if happiness is something you want out of life, then focusing daily on the small moments and cultivating positive emotions is the way to go,” said Barbara Fredrickson, Ph.D., Kenan Distinguished Professor of Psychology in UNC’s College of Arts and Sciences and the principal investigator of the Positive Emotions and Psychophysiology Laboratory. “Those small moments let positive emotions blossom, and that helps us become more open. That openness then helps us build resources that can help us rebound better from adversity and stress, ward off depression and continue to grow.” (more…)

Connect:
Connect with the people around you – family, friends, colleagues and neighbors. Regard these people as the foundation of your life and spend time in developing these relationships. These connections will support and enrich you in your daily life.
Be active:
Get your body moving in any way – go for a walk or run, go cycle, dance, play a game, etc. Exercise makes one feel good and grants you vitality. Which exercise? It is important to find a physical activity that suits your level of mobility and fitness, and that it’s one you really enjoy.
Take notice:
Be curious and aware of the world around you and of what you are feeling. Keep an eye out for the beautiful, observe the unusual, and catch sight of the surprising. Notice the changing seasons. Relish every moment, no matter whether you are walking to work, eating, or talking to friends. Reflecting on your own experiences will help you realize what matters to you.
Keep learning:
Try something new or come back to an old interest, and challenge yourself with an aspiration that you will enjoy achieving – learn to play an instrument or to cook your favorite dishes. Sign up for a course that you are interested in, or take on a different responsibility at work. Learning new things is fun while boosting confidence.
Give:
Do something nice for a friend, or even a stranger. Thank someone who has done you a favor. Smile at others. Devote your time to community and voluntary work. Look out, as well as in. See yourself and your happiness. Linking to the wider community could be extremely rewarding and could help form bonding with the people around you.

Cognitive Hypnotherapy can help with many conditions both physical and mental such as IBS.
This article appeared on the BBC website and The Telegraph on the 18th March.

Greater use of hypnotherapy to ease the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome would help sufferers and might save money, says a gastroenterologist.

Dr Roland Valori, editor of Frontline Gastroenterology, said of the first 100 of his patients treated, symptoms improved significantly for nine in 10. (more…)

1. Keep a gratitude journal
Sit down, daily, and write about the things for which you are grateful. Start with whatever springs to mind and work from there. Try not to write the same thing every day but explore your gratefulness.

2. Remember the bad
The way things are now may seem better in the light of bad memories. Don’t forget the bad things that have happened, the contrast may encourage gratefulness

3. Ask yourself three questions
Choose someone you know, then first consider what you have received from them, second what you have given to them and thirdly what trouble you have caused them. This may lead to discovering you owe others more than you thought. (more…)