By Victor Perton
Meditation enhances your optimism. Meditations on optimism and related topics can strengthen your optimism even more.
The scientific evidence is that meditation practice results in long-lasting positive psychological effects. The research using brain scanning and other measures show meditation alters the structure of the brain, fostering a brighter more optimistic outlook and increased empathy. Over time, meditation thickens the bilateral, prefrontal right-insular region of the brain, the area responsible for optimism and a sense of well-being, spaciousness, and possibility. This area is also associated with creativity and an increased sense of curiosity, as well as the ability to be reflective and observe how your mind works. Regular sessions of meditation have a calming effect on the amygdala, the brain’s emotion processor and reduce impulsive reactions to stressful or negative thoughts.
In other words, meditation practice gives you the much-needed rest to start afresh. Meditation will make you feel recharged and raring to go. You will be full of optimism and positivity. A Canadian study showed “Giving children mindfulness attention training in combination with opportunities to practice optimism, gratitude, perspective-taking, and kindness to others can not only improve cognitive skills but also lead to significant increases in social and emotional competence and well-being in the real-world setting of regular elementary classrooms.”
There are many different ways to meditate, such as using a mantra (a word or phrase repeated), looking at an object, or focusing on the breath. It can be done sitting still or moving around while maintaining self-awareness.
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