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Zusammenfassung von Hardwiring Happiness

Name: Hardwiring Happiness
Rating: 4.4 (253 reviews)
Author: Rick Hanson

Rick Hanson

The New Brain Science of Contentment, Calm, and Confidence

4.4 (253 Bewertungen)

18 Min.

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Self-Help Happiness

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Hardwiring Happiness
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What’s in it for me? Learn about your negativity bias and how to overcome it.

Did you ever notice that, on the evening news, hardly any positive information is presented? Why is that? The bleak truth is, we like to hear bad news; we have what is called a negativity bias. Since the dawn of humanity, we’ve always been drawn to negative information. But worry not! We can overcome this bias and learn to be happy.

In these blinks, you will learn about your inbuilt tendency to pay attention to everything that bothers you and to ignore everything that makes you smile. You will learn how the structure of your brain can make for happy or sad thoughts, and how applying some simple techniques can foster positive thinking and reinforce happiness.

You’ll also learn

why positive feedback is unlikely to stick in your mind;
that our brain functions as if it’s being pursued by a ferocious predator; and
how recollecting the taste of chocolate can bring you up when you’re down.

Having happy or sad thoughts depends on the structure of your brain, but people tend to focus on the “bad.”

When you were growing up, did you get along with everyone and easily fit in? Or were you constantly on the sidelines, getting teased and retreating further inward? Even if you were popular on the schoolyard, you probably share some common traits with those who easily feel rejected.

This is because bad experiences trigger stronger and more memorable emotions than good ones.

For example, think of the last job evaluation you received: It may have been brimming with compliments and positive feedback. But if it contained one small criticism, you probably ended up fixating on it, instead of all that praise.

That’s how it is for most people, because humans have a built-in tendency to focus on the negative rather than the positive.

In fact, in 2001, psychologist Roy Baumeister found that people pay more attention to angry faces than to happy ones. So, when someone glares at you, your subconscious immediately picks up on the hostility.

All that said, your tendency to focus on happy or sad thoughts depends on a certain part of your brain. Some people have what scientists call a “happy amygdala,” the amygdala being the part of the brain that’s in charge of emotional responses.

Research shows that a happy amygdala heavily stimulates the nucleus accumbens – the part of the brain that drives us to fulfill our goals. People with happy amygdalas tend to be optimistic, focusing on opportunities rather than difficulties. In turn, these positive thoughts can strengthen our desire to take action and achieve our goals, thereby creating happy experiences and generating positive feedback to the brain.

Unfortunately, the majority of people have a “sad amygdala.” This leads to fear-based reactions that release cortisol and adrenaline in the bloodstream and make us feel anxious and edgy.

In the next blink, we’ll take a closer look at this gloomier brain type and learn what can turn a frown upside-down.

The human brain is constantly evolving and can change for the better – or for the worse.

Chances are you’ve seen pictures of a human brain: It’s that spongy organ in our head that sort of resembles a weird cauliflower. As you undoubtedly know, this odd-looking thing is extremely complex, constantly learning and developing.

Far from a static entity, the brain is changing all the time. In fact, it changes with each experience we have.

Evolution has created a brain that zooms in on all the small stressors of modern life.

If you were ever the last one chosen for a game of soccer during school recess, then you may be familiar with what happens as a result: The bloodstream gets flooded with stress hormones, the heart races and it feels like it’s a matter of life or death, not a childish popularity contest.

Such overblown human reactions actually date back to when feelings of panic often did save lives.

Human beings have a negativity bias that strongly affects them, but happiness can bring relaxation.

So far we’ve learned a lot about how and why our brain focuses on the negative aspects of life.

But this tendency is actually so common that it has a name. It’s called the negativity bias.

There are ways to be consciously on the lookout for the positive aspects of life.

Have you ever found yourself enjoying a rare moment of happiness and noticing things you hadn’t before? You might suddenly notice that the birds are chirping, the flowers blooming, and life seems all right again. Well, such pleasant moments needn’t be so rare.

Bringing positive input into your everyday life can actually be done quickly and with ease.

We can counter our negativity bias by strengthening our positive experiences.

Have you ever looked out over a beautiful landscape or admired a stunning sunset and felt the desire to pause time, to sustain that moment forever? Well, you should! Indeed, we can do exactly this with all our positive experiences, even the smallest ones.

While positive thinking isn’t a new idea, recent research suggests that we can rewire our brain’s negativity bias into a positivity bias by strengthening our positive experiences.

Happiness can heal past traumas and ameliorate feelings of pain and grief.

Let’s face it: life can be harsh. A difficult childhood or the traumatic loss of a loved one – these are painful experiences to live with. But there is hope. Even a small moment spent with a beloved pet can help heal old wounds.

Trite but true: new positive experiences help us overcome old traumas – even ones that have haunted us since childhood.

By creating new positive experiences your life will be happier and much more fun.

Contrary to the opinion of some, happiness is not in short supply. Truth is, there is no limit to the amount of positive experiences you can create for yourself to help rewire your mind toward happiness.

If you need a positive experience to strengthen, you could create one by imagining yourself in a place you’ve always wanted to visit or surfing the perfect ocean wave. Or you could increase the chances of having a new experience by walking a path you’ve never taken and noticing new things.

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Worum geht es in Hardwiring Happiness?

Hardwiring Happiness (2013) isn’t just another self-help book singing the praises of positive thinking. It presents the latest research behind the neuroscience of happiness and explains how you can reprogram your brain to focus on the good, rather than obsessing over the bad.

Bestes Zitat aus Hardwiring Happiness

The negativity bias doesnt mean you cant be happy. But if youre happy, youre happy in spite of it.

—Rick Hanson

Wer Hardwiring Happiness lesen sollte

People who tend to focus on the negative
Optimists who want to find more effective ways of thinking positively
Students of neuroscience and biology

Über den Autor

Rick Hanson is the bestselling author of Just One Thing, Buddha’s Brain and Mother Nurture. He holds a PhD in psychology and delights readers with his direct and personal style. He is also a beloved speaker and coach, sharing his knowledge on how the brain can make human beings happier and better.

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