Rewire Your Brain for Joy

Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Philippians 4:8

“If it bleeds, it leads,” is a common phrase in journalism. It points out that bad news is sadly, more interesting than good.

Neuroscientists have found that our brains have a “negativity bias,” meaning we naturally focus on problems more than positives. Pessimism often feels like self-protection, but in reality, it trains our minds to expect failure. When we focus on what’s wrong, we stop noticing what’s right. Lukas had always considered himself a realist. He thought it was wise to anticipate problems. But after years of bracing for the worst, he realized that he barely noticed when things actually did go well. A compliment, a kind gesture, even moments of joy were brushed aside because he had trained himself to see what was missing instead of what was present.

The good news is, we can retrain our minds. Studies show that practicing gratitude rewires the brain, making us more resilient and aware of life’s blessings.[1] The Bible tells us that our thoughts shape our lives. It urges, “Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable” (Philippians 4:8). This doesn’t mean ignoring hardship, but it does mean intentionally noticing the good.

If negativity has taken over your thinking, try this: For every complaint or worry, challenge yourself to name one thing that’s going right. Instead of, “Nothing ever works out for me,” say, “God is always working, even when I don’t see it.”

What would change if you started seeing the good that’s already there? Gratitude is how we open the eyes of our hearts to see God at work doing wonderful things right now. This is the only path to discovering a life you love.

[1] Hanson, Rick, and Richard Mendius. Hardwiring Happiness: The New Brain Science of Contentment, Calm, and Confidence. Harmony, 2013.