You are magnificent

Tips to Grow Younger

It’s time to give your brain a new job. Instead of being your biggest critic (which we often are), be your biggest cheerleader. It will change your life.

You are magnificent, and it’s important to tell yourself that. Smile and say to yourself: I am magnificent!

Review aspects of yourself that you admire—that you think are pretty darn good.

Perhaps you have a winning smile. Or you might have a great sense of humor. Or a warm, generous heart. Or people rave about your chocolate cake.

Begin with your best characteristics and gradually add others. As often as you can remember, love yourself and tell yourself how magnificent you are. And use your newfound cheerleader to remind others of how magnificent they are, too.

When you can really feel the emotion of love, it affects everybody you interact with. This has been scientifically proven. In his bestseller, “Social Intelligence: The Revolutionary New Science of Human Relationships,” Dr. Daniel Goleman shares that neuroscientists have discovered a neural bridge between people.

We affect the brain – and the body – of everyone with whom we interact. And their brain has a neural bridge that affects our brain and body.

He goes on to say that research studies show we can catch another person’s emotions as we can catch a cold or flu. Like the flu, those emotional reactions have a biological influence; emotions launch surges of hormones that can harm or support our body. So, your thoughts and emotions affect not only your health, but also the health of those around you and vice versa.

Think of a group situation, perhaps a business or town meeting, or a card game, book club or other social event. When you enter the room, you get some sense of the mood of the group. You may or may not be consciously aware of it, but on some level, you perceive the dominant emotional frequency in the room.

Let’s suppose the dominant emotion comes from those who are complaining about a project you’ve gathered to discuss or grumbling about the so-called negative things that weave in and out of their lives. When you and others “catch” this frequency, you will be affected both emotionally and physically, and you’ll experience the stress response. Surges of hormones, especially cortisol, will be launched, and they can harm your body.

If, on the other hand, you choose to bring forth an emotional frequency of confidence that a solution can always be found, if you focus on expecting the best in every situation and bring humor to the conversation, then the others will “catch” that emotion from you. Dr. Goleman explains that the one who uses their brain’s prefrontal cortex, the one who consciously chooses, is the contagious one. So, go ahead. Choose joy and be contagious.

You are magnificent and I send you love and many blessings during the Christmas season.

Ellen Wood of Questa is an inspirational speaker and awardwinning author of the series, “The Secret Method for Growing Younger.” Her websites are howtogrowyounger.com and ellenwoodspeaks.com. Contact Ellen at ellen@ellenwoodspeaks.com.