--- title: What Are the Three Ways to Train Your Brain to Be Happy? description: Is there a way to get your mind out of these negative loops? Yes canonical: https://time.com/3476138/three-ways-train-your-brain-be-happy/ author: Eric Barker article:opinion: true article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-10-09T04:01:25.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-05-11T04:49:47.254Z article:section: Ideas og:title: What Are the Three Ways to Train Your Brain to Be Happy? og:description: Is there a way to get your mind out of these negative loops? Yes og:url: https://time.com/3476138/three-ways-train-your-brain-be-happy/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2afc6d0cafad1f44/6986a73ad0b6f260b9306827/happy-brain.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: Happy brain og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: What Are the Three Ways to Train Your Brain to Be Happy? twitter:description: Is there a way to get your mind out of these negative loops? Yes twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2afc6d0cafad1f44/6986a73ad0b6f260b9306827/happy-brain.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # What Are the Three Ways to Train Your Brain to Be Happy? ## Video: Inside The Operating Room During Awake Surgery [Watch (HLS stream): Inside The Operating Room During Awake Surgery](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/lyJruvm0.m3u8) (4:57)  _Published 2015-03-02. Brittany Capone is having a benign tumor removed from her brain and because it is so close to her speech center, surgeons will keep her awake and talk to her during the procedure_ by [Eric Barker](/author/eric-barker/) ## Eric Barker Oct 9, 2014 4:01 AM CUT  Happy man with lit up fairy lights inside of head Happy man with lit up fairy lights inside of headDerek Bacon—Getty Images/Ikon Images by [Eric Barker](/author/eric-barker/) ## Eric Barker Oct 9, 2014 4:01 AM CUT You can train your mind to be unhappy and you can train it to be happy. Training your mind to look for errors and problems (as happens in careers like accounting and law) can lead you toward a pervasive pessimism that carries over into your personal life. Via [One Day University Presents: Positive Psychology: The Science of Happiness (Harvard’s Most Popular Course)](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0049B2G1M/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0049B2G1M&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20 "undefined"): --- > “” --- Why are lawyers 3.6 times more likely to suffer from depression and more likely to end up divorced? Martin Seligman, psychology professor at UPenn and author of [Authentic Happiness](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0743222989/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&tag=spacforrent-20 "undefined"), explains they have trained their minds to seek out the bad in life because [pessimists excel at law](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/why-are-lawyers-so-unhappy-and-how-can-we-use "undefined"): --- > “” --- Is there a way to get your mind out of these negative loops? Yes. Here’s how. **Three Blessings** You must teach your brain to seek out the good things in life. Research shows merely listing three things you are thankful for each day can make a big difference. Via [Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-being](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1439190763/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&tag=spacforrent-20 "undefined"): --- > “” --- This technique has been proven [again](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/was-grandmom-right-about-counting-your-blessi "undefined") and [again](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/what-are-quick-little-things-you-can-do-to-in "undefined") and [again](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/does-any-of-this-make-yourself-happier-stuff "undefined"). One of the reasons old people are happier is because [they remember the good and forget the bad](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/why-are-older-people-happier "undefined"). **Social Comparison** People probably encourage you to not compare yourself to others. Research shows it’s not necessarily harmful — but only compare yourself [to those worse off than you](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/is-there-a-quick-and-easy-way-to-overcome-dis "undefined"): --- > “” --- **Tell Yourself the Right Stories** When your vision of your life story is inadequate, depression can result. Psychotherapists actually help “rewrite” that story and this process is as, if not more, effective than medication. Via [The Storytelling Animal: How Stories Make Us Human](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0547391404/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0547391404&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20 "undefined"): --- > “” --- “Retrospective judgment” means reevaluating events and putting a positive spin on them. Naturally happy people do it automatically, but it’s something you can teach yourself. Via [Happiness: Unlocking the Mysteries of Psychological Wealth](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1405146613/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&tag=spacforrent-20 "undefined"): --- > “” --- Timothy Wilson, author of [Redirect: The Surprising New Science of Psychological Change](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316051888/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&tag=spacforrent-20 "undefined"), has [talked about](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/are-stories-the-secret-to-changing-our-lives "undefined") how the process of “story-editing” can help us improve our lives: --- > “” --- And when it comes to the future, be [optimistic](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/10/optimists-vs-pessimists-right/ "undefined"). Optimism [can make you happier](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/what-are-two-easy-things-you-can-do-to-be-hap "undefined"). So, to sum up: --- > “” --- What else can make you happier? The things proven to help are [here](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/08/here-are-the-things-that-are-proven-to-make-y/ "undefined"). **_This piece originally appeared on_** [**_Barking Up the Wrong Tree_**](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/12/train-brain-happy/ "undefined")**_._** **Join 25K+ readers.** Get a free weekly update via email [here](http://eepurl.com/o6uAD "undefined"). Related posts: [Can one word sum up everything you need to do to be happier?](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/12/word-sum-happier/ "undefined") [What 10 things should you do every day to improve your life?](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/05/what-10-things-should-you-do-every-day-to-imp/ "undefined") [Here are the things that are proven to make you happier](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/08/here-are-the-things-that-are-proven-to-make-y/ "undefined") ### You Asked: Your Top 10 Health Questions Answered  You Asked: Are Cleanses Healthy? 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