Let's all just admit it...being a human is hard sometimes. Sometimes it is okay if the only thing you did today was breathe. People direct their attention on negative emotions more than the positive; this is because positive and negative thoughts are handled in two different hemispheres of our brain. Negative emotions generally involve more thinking and contemplating, typically leaving a deeper impression on our hearts. It is human nature to let negative thoughts get the best of us sometimes. Thank you, brain.

I was reading an article the other day and it really got me thinking. Professor Baumesiter of Florida State conducted a research study on positive vs. negative thoughts. Participants' emotions and thoughts were recorded on the effects of losing $50 or gaining $50. It was recorded that the distress of losing money was much more significant on the participant than the delight from gaining the same amount.

For instance, imagine you are walking in an open field in the Savannah and before you can grasp the idea, you are being chased by a lion. (Yes, this is a bit silly but bear with me). In that moment, your brain solely focuses on the 500 pound lion lunging toward you at increasing speeds. The rest of the world around you seems to become out of focus. Your fear creates this focus and means of escape. At this time, your other accomplishments or problems don't seem so much of a big deal. Thus, negative emotions and actions overwhelm your brain, narrowing it to that one concentration...being chased by a lion that seemingly came out of nowhere. While being chased by a lion is not a common occurrence, it clearly describes the dramatic focus our brains place on negative emotions. No wonder a stubbed-toe-swearing rampage consumes us in those few moments before the pain subsides. It is so easy to drown in your overwhelming schedule as you stare at your list of things that seem impossible to complete by tomorrow. Panic mode sets in and the brain's attention narrows. It is your survival instinct, as your brain shuts off everything except for those six assignments due in a few hours.

This got me thinking of how easy it is to remember our bad past events in comparison to the good. I remember when my parents pulled me out of school early one day, took me to the park across the street, and told me my best-friend of an aunt had passed away. About 10 years later, I can still feel my heart break in my chest just remembering it. But the blissful memory of playing hooky one day during the same age, does not have the same effect on my memory. The effects of good memories dissipate quickly, while bad memories resonate. Negativity eats away at the brain and consumes internal thoughts whether we like it or not. Nobody is clinically diagnosed for a mental illness of "happiness", but the numbers for depression are increasingly growing.

This information is by no means to bring anybody's emotions down, but rather to provide a greater understanding as to why negative emotions seem to be a haunting constant reminder of past bad events. Recognizing this information can help us better ourselves and understand why our experiences have so much of an impact. Bad events are inevitable, but the ability for them to control our happiness is a choice and a developed learning process. Practicing resilience and acceptance of these feelings can help the human brain lessen the effects of those negative moments and result in a happier attitude.

Throughout time, a big emphasis has been placed on bad feelings for means of survival. While a person who ignores positive possibilities may accumulate regret...ignoring potential bad situations or danger may result in physical harm or death. Don't blame yourself, blame evolution.