Dr. Rick Hanson on How to Make Great Relationships & Hardwire Your Mind for Positivity

How can you set yourself up to feel good and appreciate the present? Dr. Rick Hanson, PhD, psychologist, expert on positive neuroplasticity, founder of the Global Compassion Coalition and the Wellspring Institute for Neuroscience and Contemplative Wisdom, NYT bestselling author, and podcast host, learned how to overcome his negative thoughts and feelings by recognizing positive experiences and implementing them in his mind. He shares how to stand up for yourself in relationships, how you can still experience joy when there's issues in the world, why you need to slow down and celebrate your accomplishments, and how to turn everyday experiences into a powerful sense of lasting wellbeing.

- Come to Cathy's retreat in Florida, June 25-27th! Cathyheller.com/retreat
- Follow Cathy on Cameo! Cathyheller.com/cameo

- Get Rick's new book, Making Great Relationships https://bit.ly/3LCUnXb
- Sign up for Rick's newsletter & get his other books at https://www.rickhanson.net/
- Listen to Rick's podcast, Being Well with Forrest Hanson and Dr. Rick Hanson wherever you listen to podcasts

- Follow Rick on Instagram @rickhansonphd

TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE:

1. The first step to less suffering is to care about your own suffering.
2. Be loyal to yourself. Get on your own side.
3. Your mind is like a garden. You can witness it mindfully, you can pull weeds, and you can plant flowers. Our brain is fertile for weeds and stony ground for flowers. So we need to tilt to the authentic flowers and give them time to root inside our brain so they can leave lasting traces there.
4. You have the most power over who you're going to be tomorrow.
5. As you go through your day, slow down a handful of times for a breath or two or three. Take in the good. You are literally hardwiring happiness into your innermost being.
6. You can reach for the stars while feeling content with the present.
7. When you actually accomplish something, feel it for 2, 3, 4, 5 seconds in a row, before you race onto the next thing. Slow it down. Let it land. If you're aware of the fullness and the balance in the present, you don't have to be driven by craving.
8. The sweet spot is aspiration without attachment. You're going for it full on, but you can be peaceful with the results, no matter what.

Thank you so much for listening!

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