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Your experiences change your brain.

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Lazar, et al. 2005.

Meditation

experience is

associated

with increased

cortical thickness.

Neuroreport, 16,

1893-1897.

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You can use your mind

To change your brain

To change your mind for the better

To benefit yourself and others.

5Inner Strengths Are Built From Brain Structure

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Inner Strengths Include

Capabilities

Positive emotions

Attitudes

Virtues

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Inner strengths are grown from

experiences of them that are

turned into neural structure.

Good traits come from good states.

Growing Inner Strengths

Have It, Enjoy It

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But There’s a Problem

Your brain is good at learning from the bad.

But bad at learning from the good.

Even though learning from the good

is the primary way to get the good stuff

Into your brain and your life.

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Velcro for Bad, Teflon for Good

11The Negativity Bias

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We can deliberately use the mind

to change the brain for the better.

Take in the Good

Have a Good Experience

Enrich It

Absorb It

Link Positive and Negative Material

Have a positive experience.Enrich it. Absorb it.Link positive and negative material. (optional)

HEAL Yourself

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Growing Gratitude

Take in gratitude: Have the experience – Think about some of the

good facts in your life . . . Food in the fridge, people you love, flowers blooming, chocolate . . . Open to a growing feeling of gratitude . . .

Enrich it – Help it last . . . Feel it in your body . . .

Absorb it – Sense it sinking into you . . . Let it land inside you . . . Receive it like a sponge . . .

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Be mindful of the difference between:

an idea and an experience, and

having an experience and internalizing it.

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Over time,

lots of little good things

add up to big good things inside you.

The Law of Little Things

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Think not lightly of good, saying, "It will not come to me.”

Drop by drop is the water pot filled.

Likewise, the wise one, gathering it little by little,

fills oneself with good.

Dhammapada 9.122

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People who like you

Feeling caring

Getting stuff done

Beauty

Music

Food

Relaxing

Cozy pleasures

Spiritual moments

Seeing the good in yourself

Times to Take in the Good

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Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun

Find good facts?

Have good experiences?

Takethemin?

Have It, Enjoy It