Here’s the thing–  I’m kinda geeky in certain ways and I can’t help my love of learning.  So when I hear a neuroscientist has ideas that line up with my own I kinda get all warm and fuzzy inside.

So why is it so hard to be happy sometimes?  Why do we so easily go into self-judgment and reach for the mental paddle so quickly? 

We know the drill– Be happy, think positive thoughts to raise our vibration and manifesting our desires will be a “snap”– right?!  So we try to put on a happy face, try not to judge ourselves,  try not to worry and yet sometimes we just can’t get with the friggin’ program.  TRYING to be happy when you’re not feelin’ it doesn’t do the trick– No vibes movin’ up the chart there! 

But why is that?

Turns out there’s a really cool reason (cool cuz once we know the reason we can often shift it!) and that’s where neuroscience comes in. 

According to UCLA neuroscience researcher Alex Korb, guilt and shame actually light up the brain’s reward centers. 

What?!  Yup!  Crazy, right? 

So when we make ourselves wrong and conclude we’re a loser it gives our brain a nice little tickle.   And what brain doesn’t want to be tickled?  If negative emotion creates satisfaction in our brain doesn’t it make sense that it can be hard to get happy? 

But never fear, all is not lost.  There are things we can do to flip the switch and get our happy on. 

One of the most effective ways to satisfy, tickle and light up those same reward centers in your brain in a way that supports you is….. drum roll please— Gratitude!  In fact, they’ve found that the simple act of gratitude does the same thing as the antidepressant Wellbutrin (boosts dopamine, the happy hormone) and the same thing as Prozac (boosts serotonin, thought to be a mood regulator).  Cool beans! 

But (the dreaded but…) what if we don’t FEEL grateful? What if we’re so mired in the muck and yuck that our attempts at gratitude are at best an emotionless, rote ritual?

Stand back cuz I got some solutions for that one too!  Ok, don’t be too surprised here but tapping can flip that around.  So can other mind/body/spirit techniques!  Check out my blog “Gratitude Shmatitude” from November 2014  for a tap-along video (Click to tap) and/or run some of these Access Consciousness processes below:

*Everywhere my head is stuck in guilt, shame and judgment of me and I can’t get to the feeling of gratitude, will I uncreate and destroy all that is now? (just say yes, the energy will do the rest!)

*Everywhere I’m resisting feeling happy in a way that supports me instead of keeping me out of joy will I release it? (yes!)

*Wherever I’ve judged I just can’t feel happy or grateful right now am I willing to release, renounce and delete it now? (yes!)

*What would it take for me to notice all I have to be grateful for right now?

And now for a little help from the department of Woo:

Remember you are not your situation– You are not your money nor your debt, you are not your business, you are not your struggle, you are not your feelings…. Step outside yourself– Take a deep breath, close your eyes and actually step out and ABOVE yourself and tap into that Higher You that’s so intimate with the Divine.  Look at yourself from the perspective of the Divine– From Source’s eyes see what a miraculous creation you are– and if that’s too close to home and throws up resistance, look through those same eyes at your children, your pet or the intricacies of a flower.  Allow gratitude to rise from your soul and let it tickle and reward your brain… and You!

If you’re interested in reading the fascinating article that sparked this blog (which includes other happiness tips)  Click away! 🙂