Happy New Year friends,
As 2023 comes to a close and 2024 rumbles to life, let’s learn to look back with appreciation and forward with enthusiasm!
It’s easy to look back and see all the bad things that happened. As humans, we suffer from Negativity Bias, which makes our bad memories stand out and positive events generally have less sticking power. This bias helps to keep us safe because we learn to avoid danger, but it can also damages our ability to feel gratitude, optimism and enthusiasm.
Awareness and intention are the solutions to this psychological dilemma.
First, we need to recognize that negative bias happens to all of us. Next we need to intentionally recall and appreciate the good moments in our lives. Art helps with this, especially sketching because I can look back through my sketchbook and remember all the wonderful moments I spent on vacation or sitting in a sunlit spot in the studio, appreciating a flower my son gave me for Mothers Day or watching the water sparkle at Singing Beach.
We can all look back and search for the positive moments. Try it! What will you miss from 2023? When did you laugh loudest? What moments are you grateful for? What people do you want to thank?
To make this easier next year, start collecting positive memories now. It’s simple and really effective!
Just put a pen and a stack of post-its by your bed. As you relax on Sunday evenings, recall a positive moment from the week and write it down! It can be a big or small moment. The note can be long or short. Size doesn’t matter. It just matters that you save the post-its (a mason jar works great). Then next December 31st, open the jar and you will have all the evidence you need to combat negativity bias!
If you need more help creating positive memories, just stop by Slow River Studio. Positivity is our specialty and we would love to share some of our joy with you!
How Do We Define JOY?
I like this definition: Nostalgia for the moment you are currently in!
