Heart Rx: The Science of Forgiving One’s Self

Learning how to forgive one’s self has many health benefits. Several medical studies have made a link between forgiveness and boosting the immune system. These studies have found that forgiveness works two ways:

The first is psychological. Forgiveness alleviates any form of mental tension. Often, people report happiness and contentment connected with how they see themselves. This can be hindered when there is even a small amount of self-hatred. Mental health practitioners have seen the devastating effects self-doubt and anger can have on self-esteem and worth. These feelings have a cumulative effect and a childhood trauma may manifest itself in risky or dangerous behaviors in adulthood. Forgiveness, among other things, can help in surmounting this obstacle, leading to a road of self-discovery.

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This improved mental and emotional state, in turn, leads to physical benefits. The thoughts that run through a person’s mind always affect the body. Tension in the mind also stresses the body. Hormones are released to combat the fluctuating hormones in the body – mostly triggering the "fight-or-flight" response.

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These hormones force the body to overwork itself, because it feels it is in a potentially dangerous situation. This response has been wired into humans for te purposes of survival, but it was not intended to be constantly triggered. The continual production of these stress hormones damages the body and weakens the immune system. This means that the person inevitably becomes more prone to sicknesses and diseases. By learning how to relax and forgive, the person allows his or her body to maintain a hormonal equilibrium. The overall result is better health.  

Learn mote techniques on mindfulness and its scientific benefits by following this Robert Channing Twitter account.

The Science Of Motivation

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Learning how to motivate one’s self can now be done through science. Modern techniques and strategies no longer rely on hearsay but are backed by years of research and data. Neurologists and psychologists have studied the science of motivation and how emotions affect and are affected by the different areas of the brain.

An interesting finding is that when the brain has to compete between thought and emotion, it is the latter that usually wins. Research found that fighting one’s feelings makes one even stronger. For example, when people are told something unhappy and are instructed not to feel sad about it, these individuals report feeling worse than people who are not told how to feel about the particular event or situation.

Knowing the unavoidable power of feelings play a crucial role in motivating one’s self. Scientists have found that procrastination usually comes when a person is in a bad mood. Medical studies suggest that negative emotions greatly constrict mood and reasoning. That is, when people feel negative emotions, they are more likely to procrastinate. Happiness, on the other hand, was shown to increase productivity.

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Another helpful strategy is optimism. It was found that this greatly increases motivation and furthers progress. Neurologists suggest monitoring one’s progress and celebrating each milestone – even the little ones. These small steps have been seen to increase optimism, enhance happiness, and improve productivity.

Psychologists assert that these small shifts in thinking significantly impact how a person perceives the world and in turn, how he or she is motivated to do whatever the assigned task.

Robert Channing is a renowned motivational speaker. Learn more when you follow this Twitter account.