05 Jun The Three Ps

Getting enough ‘Ps’ is something I talk to my clients about all the time.  Most of them are glad to know that I don’t mean the vegetable kind that unobligingly topples off our fork and rolls across the table.  No, I am referring to the three Ps that help us to feel happier in life, namely: positive action, positive interaction and positive thinking.

What does this mean in practice?  Well, when we act, interact and think in a positive way, we trigger the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that is often referred to as ‘the happy chemical’.  Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers within the brain that allow communication between nerve cells.  Messages pass from cell to cell to indicate what we should think or feel – and producing serotonin helps us to feel calmer, more focused and happier.  In fact, serotonin is more than just a ‘happy chemical’.  It’s vital to almost every system in our body, including digestion, appetite, blood clotting and sleep.

However, neurotransmitters don’t hang around for long.  After serotonin is released, it is reabsorbed and recycled by cells in a process called reuptake.  So we need to keep on doing those 3 Ps to ensure a nice, balanced flow.

So let’s have a little look at each of them in turn.

Positive Action:  Quite simply, positive actions are those things that make us feel good.  Of course, these can differ from person to person.  It might be going for a walk in nature, an exercise class, completing a task we’ve been putting off, clearing out our inbox, baking a cake, jet-washing the patio, spending time on a hobby or planning a project.  It can be small things too – enjoying a cup of coffee or listening to the birds sing.

Positive Interaction: This essentially means spending time with people whose company we enjoy.  There is something wonderful about being around those whose presence uplifts, inspires, motivates, comforts or cheers us up.  We humans are designed to work better as a tribe so interacting positively with others is important for our wellbeing.

Positive Thinking: Developing the habit of looking for positives in any situation really helps us to reduce the anxiety and stress that comes from negative thinking.  Over time, focusing our thoughts on what is good rather than dwelling on the downside allows us to become more resilient.  Reframing how we think really can improve how we feel.

The 3Ps are a fundamental part of solution focused hypnotherapy sessions at Inner Spark Hypnotherapy, along with understanding more about how our brains operate and what we can do to feel better.  If you would like to live life in a happier, calmer, more confident way, please get in touch.  We’d love to hear from you.