Ian Punnett (Twitter) welcomed clinical psychologist Dr. George Pratt, who offered advice about how to unlock happiness in your life. "I think the most important thing is to learn to appreciate everything and to practice gratitude," Pratt said, noting the body of research that indicates being appreciative actually changes the brain. Appreciating the things in life which give it meaning changes brain chemistry, he explained. It makes one more resilient and not as affected by situational fluctuations, Pratt added. He recommended creating a list of things for which to be thankful. Learning to appreciate and find the best in any situation creates a trait that leads to resilience, Pratt revealed.
Ian spoke to Pratt about seven self-limiting beliefs listed in Code to Joy ( "I am not safe," "I am worthless," "I am powerless," "I am not lovable," "I cannot trust anyone," "I am bad," and "I am alone"), and ways to identify where one is blocked. According to Pratt, the answers lie within the subconscious mind. Only 20 to 40 neurons per second fire in the conscious mind, but at the subconscious level it is 20 to 40 million neurons per second, he reported. This means people can re-train their brains. "When you take that into account you can then do something to clear [blocks] and break that pattern," Pratt said. The subconscious determines the feeling self and if one gets positive input, it will offset self-limiting beliefs and clear the fog of distress, he added.
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Student Loan Reform Update
In the first hour, Alan Collinge commented on student loan reform and debt forgiveness. Federal student loans are the only type of loans stripped of constitutional bankruptcy protections and statutes of limitations, he explained. "What this has created is a big government predatory lending monstrosity the likes of which this country has never before seen," he disclosed. Collinge called the lending system "a national threat," pointing out the federal government owns 85% of all student loan debt — $1.6 trillion portfolio. The average loan indebtedness is $37,000 per person, he added. Collinge expressed his support for adopting bankruptcy protections and statutes of limitations on student loans. He also pointed out the court system would likely struggle under the weight of tens of millions of people declaring bankruptcy to unload their overwhelming student debts.
Above illustration: Getty Images