The human brain naturally focusses on what’s wrong – this is a survival mechanism, so we can stay clear of danger. This phenomenon is known as 'negativity bias'. But we can train our brain to look for the good around us. Our brains are adaptable, and we can create and strengthen pathways through repetition – it’s called neuroplasticity – in the same way that we learn to ride a bike and it gets easier with practice.

By building and strengthening pathways in the brain, we can ‘learn’ to be more positive, and it gets easier the more we do it. If we’re always focussed on negatives, it’s the easiest pathway for our brain – it’s easy to see things that are wrong when you’re always looking for what’s wrong. But if we take the time to focus on what’s good – we start to build and strengthen these pathways. It’s easier to find things that are good, when we’re always looking for what’s good. Focussing on the good increases our happiness.

Studies showed that simply reflecting and writing down three good things that we experienced over the course of the day (however small), for seven days, boosted how happy people felt and reduced feeling down. But not just for that week, not just that month, but incredibly this impact lasted as long as six months – for just one week of positivity! Imagine what would happen if we focussed on positives all the time.

“…whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” (Philippians, 4:8 NIV)