I committed to doing everything I could to put compassion on the scientific map.
Meditation gives you the wherewithal to pause, observe how easily the mind can exaggerate the severity of a setback, and resist getting drawn into the abyss.
We need a different conception of happiness, more enduring and more genuine, not dependent on external circumstances.
Most people still don’t think of qualities like happiness as being a skill, that can be enhanced through training.
Our brain is continuously being shaped – we can take more responsibility for our own brain by cultivating positive influences.
I think the messiness and embodied nature of modern life just produces an enhanced signal for our attention.
Resilience is the maintenance of high levels of positive affect and well-being in the face of adversity. It is not that resilient individuals never experience negative affect, but rather that the negative affect does not persist.
Mindfulness – moment to moment non-judgemental attention and awareness.
I wouldn’t consider myself a Buddhist or a card-carrying zealot at all. My first commitment is as a scientist to uncover the truth about all this.
We have no idea how the subjective quality of consciousness emerges from the physical stuff of the brain.
Spatial working memory is impaired by stress.
Happiness and well-being are actually best regarded as skills.
The best way I can mentor and lead those around me is to embody these qualities myself.
We can change the brain by changing the mind.
The key to a healthy life is having a healthy mind.