As was foretold by Smash Mouth, the years come, and, well, they keep coming.
What was not mentioned, however, was exactly how stressful those years were going to be.
The number of Americans who frequently experience stress has steadily climbed since 2003, with recent data putting it at 49%.
As we know, chronic stress is really, really, really bad for us, so we’re always looking for ways to reduce it in our lives. The latest trick we learned comes from neuroscientist Dr. Wendy Suzuki in Masterclass’ brain health series.
It’s called “joy conditioning,” a term coined by Dr. Suzuki herself. Turns out, we can actually condition our brains to find joy in order to relieve stress. “Emotions are not built into your brain. They are built by your brain,” Dr. Suzuki says.
“Think about [the memories you hold dear], reenact them, and all those positive emotions that are stored with those joyful memories will come out,” she says.
For example, “I think of a joyful memory of laughing with my cousin, and it was just a silly moment when we were just laughing uncontrollably together. Thinking about those types of memories will bring more joy into your life. That’s what I try and practice in my own life,” Dr. Suzuki explains.
And think about more than a basic summary of what happened. Go through all the details—who, what, when, where, and why.
“This technique works because recalling all those joyous memories not only strengthens them, but it allows you to re-experience the joy,” Dr. Suzuki says here. “In that way, you’re building a personal history filled with all of the most joyous memories you’ve ever experienced.”
This “mental sunshine” can help counteract anxiety in the short and long term.
What’s a joyous memory that comes to mind? Three, two, one, go!
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