Notes from a Psychologist
Dr. Mel Whitehurst

The purpose of Notes from a Psychologist is to encourage and inspire the spread of optimism and hope.  Optimistic thinkers tend to be happier and healthier. Below are a few of ideas.  I'll keep posting new ideas periodically.  Meanwhile....think positive.

           IF YOU WANT TROUBLE, CAUSE SOMEONE TO FEEL BAD

A few experimentally designed research studies have been conducted under controlled conditions with volunteers to determine what happens when persons are led to feel bad about themselves.  These studies found overwhelmingly that the predominant response to being made to feel bad was to return the “favor” sooner or later with a revengeful negative response to make others feel bad.

SOURCES

Influence by Robert Cialdini

Exploring Social Psychology by David Myers

                                   SHARPEN YOUR INTUITION

Intuition is a form of thinking that is not based on deliberate effort.  Intuitive thinking operates unconsciously and cannot be brought to our conscious awareness intentionally.  Intuitive thinking is constantly processing and categorizing information at an unconscious level, and then for some unknown reason making part or all it available to consciousness in one of the following forms:

          -In hunches, gut feelings, and impressions.

          -Feeling that something is wrong or something is lacking in a situation—             things just do not feel right. 

          -A sudden appearance of a solution at an unexpected moment.

          -Sensing of an underlying order in things, a quick pattern recognition                 and synthesis, that is, one can suddenly see the whole picture and how             the parts fit together.

                       SEND POSITIVE THOUGHTS TO OTHERS 

Experimental evidence, while sparse, has shown that healing thoughts from one person to another can be mentally transferred to improve another person’s health.  Distant healing such as prayer and other forms of healing thoughts show a positive treatment effect in a limited number of research studies.  If so, how about silently sending positive thoughts to other individuals?  You may make a difference in someone’s life.

                LETTER TO SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT NOBBY HOPGOOD

DEAR NOBBY:

What do you think would happen if I set out to do one good deed a day?

BRIXHAM BIGGLESWADE

DEAR BRIXHAM:

I don’t know for sure.  People might think you are up to something sneaky, being nice and kind like that.

To adequately answer your question, I would have to first observe other people performing good deeds, and take notes of the good deeds along with how people respond to good deeds.  Over time, that should give me several ideas for good deeds. Then I could set out to do some of them and observe the results. 

After doing this research, I could probably give you a good answer.  Nevertheless, I encourage you to keep doing good deeds when you can because I think nothing but good can result.

GOOD DEED:  Any action that is considerate, kind, or helpful to another.

YOUR FRIEND NOBBY

                           SEARCH FOR A PERSON LIKE THIS

Do you know any person with a generous and kind heart and the rare ability to make you feel as if you were the only one in the room, a person who always has a kind word to say about everyone and is incapable of being unkind to anyone?  Through their actions do you know anyone that shows the importance of forgiveness, and the necessity of loving each other.  Most of all do you know anyone with a compassionate and gentle spirit. 

If you know anyone like this, immediately secure them as your mentor and friend.  Do your best to be imitate them.  If you don’t know anyone like this, keep looking until you find one.

NOTE:  The above is a summary description from a remarkable woman’s obituary that I read in a local newspaper.  In my opinion, we should all aspire to be like her.  Anyone who possess her positivity can change the world.  I think this is a great example of a woman who demonstrated how to be happy.

                                          Note

My friend Nobby Hopgood and I are collecting ideas on spreading optimism and inspiring hope.  If you have an idea that you would be willing to share, send it to me. I will add it to our collection.  Thank you in advance.

                       drmelwhitehurst@gmail.com

            

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