One of the easiest ways to weave self-care into your week is by making time to engage in a favorite hobby.
Why?
Immersing yourself in something that brings you joy — and really absorbing those feel-good moments — changes the way your brain processes information.
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I’m learning about the ‘negativity bias‘ right now as I read Dr. Rick Hanson’s Hardwiring Happiness book and am doing everything I can to savor and install positive moments into my brain.
“A key aspect of the negativity bias is the special power of fear. We routinely overestimate threats and underestimate opportunities and resources. At the same time, negative experiences sensitize the brain to the negative, making it easier to have even more negative experiences in a vicious cycle,” Hanson explains. “The best way to compensate for the negativity bias is to regularly take in the good.”
Dr. Hanson developed the HEAL method to ingrain positive experiences into our implicit memory. (Read about it briefly here or snag his book to learn the full process.)
So, what’s your hobby? Are you doing it often to boost your happiness?
Me? There are so many active, artsy things I enjoy tackling including yoga, painting, music and walking, but one thing that always tops the list is photography.
Throughout this post are a few images I’ve snapped using my cellphone’s camera app on my most recent walking meditations. I’m drawn to the vibrant colors and textures found in nature.
Can you make time today to do something that makes you laugh, smile or shed tears of joy? Feel free to share your number one hobby in the comments below!
Until next time,
Choose healthy!
Angela
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