“Most folks are as happy as they make their minds to be”
- Abraham Lincoln.
Abraham had the right concept about happiness. It is a process of the mind. Although emotions can translate into your physical being, it is still all controlled in your brain. This is good news! It means that we have the power to control the outcome of our emotions and how we feel. It can be harder for some people than others, but the truth is that everyone has the ability to conquer their emotions in a positive way.
What is an emotion?
We normally define an emotion as a feeling. Although partially right, emotions are not just feelings, but an evolved mechanism we developed for our survival. These emotions have turned us away from danger such as fear and also got us closer to things that benefit us such as love.
There are a few key players that are responsible for this marvelous milieu of “feelings”. Mainly the limbic system and in particular the amygdala, an almond size structure located deep in our temporal lobes process and assess information for significance.
.
by Dr. German Garcia-Fresco
Neuroscientist
Perreault Magazine - 48 -
the SCIENCE OF
HAPPINESS