djmilestones: TRAIN YOUR BRAIN

TRAIN YOUR BRAIN

There really is a way to train our brains to help whenever we find ourselves becoming increasingly frustrated when things go wrong. Because, let's face it. "STUFF" happens. It can be as simple as spilling coffee over our white shirt to our flights being delayed or even canceled. There actually are some ways to work on training our brains to cope better when difficult things happen.

Reading about some of the coping strategies helped to make me more aware of what I was already using, as well as some new things to go about coping. One new way in particular was called the 'Rule of 12.' Dr. Daniel shared this trick when things don't go as planned. The trick is to remember to write down on paper or jot it down in the notes on your phone each thing that irritates you as it happens. Where the trick comes in to play is that you express anger only after the 13th event happened. That way we are saving ourselves from the exhaustion of constant frustration. This helps us to stay psychologically healthy and mentally strong. The very fact of knowing that we have the power to change our negative thoughts by being aware of them rather than consumed by them.

If you think about it, just a ten mile drive to work can cause things that irritate us. That guy who is honking his horn because you did not start up the very second the light turned green, or the guy who butted in front of you on the interstate with barely enough room between you and the car in front of you...the list can go on and on. Not to mention things at work or going in the grocery store, or completing tasks on the computer. We all come across frustrating events. The trick is to get the right mindset to deal with these events. Taking a step back and asking ourselves what exactly is going through our minds at the time that we felt that emotion. Asking ourselves what would a specific, positive friend say in response to the situation and then ask whether it will really matter that much in a day, a week, a month or even in a year.

Challenging our negative thoughts, rather than accepting them is a way to work on training our brains. I, for one, must remember that it may just be my perception rather than reality. Our brains get in the habit for looking for the bad in each day, so we need to look for the good instead. Looking for opportunities instead of seeing frustration always seem to help my thought patterns. Believe and Hope were my words to live by in 2022 and 2023. This year it is Imagine.

This helps me use the right vocabulary to get through my days with less frustration. Instead of saying, "Get through my days," I like to think of it as being able to choose what I give my attention to and set my own boundaries. Choosing what is really important and what I can just let go of.