Search for Meaning , in which he argued that even in the most painful and horrifying situations, our lives and our suffering can have meaning. He wrote, “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”
If people forced into the worst situation ever experienced by humankind can take a breath and choose their reaction—and choose to thrive despite the unspeakable horrors—we all have that power. All human greatness and resilience comes from this place of challenge and growth. What doesn’t kill me makes me stronger. Your Adaptive Response not only helps you heal from injury in the short term, it also improves your body’s future healing potential. With a well-functioning Adaptive Response, you develop greater resistance to stress. Your endocrine system floods you with pleasure hormones, to congratulate you on a job well done. And while all these biochemical reactions to stress are going on, your neurological pathways are changing on a more permanent basis: Healthy choices become ingrained habits; healthy thoughts become empowering attitudes.
The biggest stumbling blocks that have thus far prevented you from entering Positive Feedback are these neural pathways. You must consciously and deliberately choose good habits at first. Making these choices can be a struggle sometimes—especially when you’ve been accumulating a ton of those unhealthy Band-Aids. But eventually, with enough physical and mental practice, they will no longer be choices; they will have become instincts.
To train yourself, rely on structure. Instead of seeing that structure as a jail that confines you, try to view it as a delicious and nourishing recipe for a better life. In order to ensure that your entire being is well cared for, I’ve organized all the self-care techniques of the Positive Feedback program into four categories, based on Dr. Still’s work:
Structure (focus on somatic symptoms via endorphin-boosting grooming, massage, self-healing trigger points, and other self-care)
Function (focus on diet that includes nourishing, anti-inflammatory foods)
Motion (focus on healing exercise that improves circulation and speeds lymphatic drainage)
Emotion (focus on nurturing positive thoughts, feelings, and relationships)
You have to commit to implementing the Positive Feedback program in a systematic way, every day of your life. It almost doesn’t matter what you focus on first, be it positive affirmations, healthy foods, a commitment to rest, or hydration and exercise—each of these habits strengthens your cells, your instincts, and your body’s natural responses.
If you’re just at the beginning of your healthy living journey, consider focusing on one category a day. As you progress and work toward four categories in a day, you’ll see even more dramatic results. Following the program in a committed way ensures that your reactions will become more and more positive, because you’ll develop habits and tools you can use to ensure that health will become your primary instinct.
Monica, a thirty-four-year-old marketing director and self-professed “perfection freak,” describes her experience with the Positive Feedback program this way: “The thing I love about this program is that it takes away my perfectionism. I know I don’t have to do everything perfectly. Every choice has the power to push me back into the positive.” She knows that if she’s been in Positive Feedback for a while, a glass of champagne or a late night isn’t going to throw her back into Negative Feedback. But it does make her realize that each of those choices could be a trigger and could compound with others. She knows she could lose a lot of ground unless she sticks with the program. “But the best part is, I don’t want to go negative,” she says. “I know how good it feels to be in the positive, and how effortless it can be to stay there if I just keep
If people forced into the worst situation ever experienced by humankind can take a breath and choose their reaction—and choose to thrive despite the unspeakable horrors—we all have that power. All human greatness and resilience comes from this place of challenge and growth. What doesn’t kill me makes me stronger. Your Adaptive Response not only helps you heal from injury in the short term, it also improves your body’s future healing potential. With a well-functioning Adaptive Response, you develop greater resistance to stress. Your endocrine system floods you with pleasure hormones, to congratulate you on a job well done. And while all these biochemical reactions to stress are going on, your neurological pathways are changing on a more permanent basis: Healthy choices become ingrained habits; healthy thoughts become empowering attitudes.
The biggest stumbling blocks that have thus far prevented you from entering Positive Feedback are these neural pathways. You must consciously and deliberately choose good habits at first. Making these choices can be a struggle sometimes—especially when you’ve been accumulating a ton of those unhealthy Band-Aids. But eventually, with enough physical and mental practice, they will no longer be choices; they will have become instincts.
To train yourself, rely on structure. Instead of seeing that structure as a jail that confines you, try to view it as a delicious and nourishing recipe for a better life. In order to ensure that your entire being is well cared for, I’ve organized all the self-care techniques of the Positive Feedback program into four categories, based on Dr. Still’s work:
Structure (focus on somatic symptoms via endorphin-boosting grooming, massage, self-healing trigger points, and other self-care)
Function (focus on diet that includes nourishing, anti-inflammatory foods)
Motion (focus on healing exercise that improves circulation and speeds lymphatic drainage)
Emotion (focus on nurturing positive thoughts, feelings, and relationships)
You have to commit to implementing the Positive Feedback program in a systematic way, every day of your life. It almost doesn’t matter what you focus on first, be it positive affirmations, healthy foods, a commitment to rest, or hydration and exercise—each of these habits strengthens your cells, your instincts, and your body’s natural responses.
If you’re just at the beginning of your healthy living journey, consider focusing on one category a day. As you progress and work toward four categories in a day, you’ll see even more dramatic results. Following the program in a committed way ensures that your reactions will become more and more positive, because you’ll develop habits and tools you can use to ensure that health will become your primary instinct.
Monica, a thirty-four-year-old marketing director and self-professed “perfection freak,” describes her experience with the Positive Feedback program this way: “The thing I love about this program is that it takes away my perfectionism. I know I don’t have to do everything perfectly. Every choice has the power to push me back into the positive.” She knows that if she’s been in Positive Feedback for a while, a glass of champagne or a late night isn’t going to throw her back into Negative Feedback. But it does make her realize that each of those choices could be a trigger and could compound with others. She knows she could lose a lot of ground unless she sticks with the program. “But the best part is, I don’t want to go negative,” she says. “I know how good it feels to be in the positive, and how effortless it can be to stay there if I just keep
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