Have you ever noticed how often your thoughts drift toward what might go wrong during an
ordinary day? It happens almost unconsciously: “Did I lock the door when I went out?”, “Better
check the forecast—it might rain,” or “Be careful, that’s too high, you might fall!”
This tendency to anticipate danger is not a personal flaw; it is a deeply ingrained survival
mechanism. Thousands of years ago, when humans roamed forests and plains as hunter-gatherers,
vigilance was essential. We had to remain alert to potential threats—predators, poisonous plants,
sudden weather changes—simply to stay alive. From an evolutionary standpoint, focusing on
potential danger kept us safe.
While our environment has changed dramatically, our brains have not. We no longer need to watch
for bears or hunt for food in the wild, but our genetic wiring still prompts us to scan for risk and
negative possibilities. To a certain extent, this instinct is useful—it helps us make sensible decisions
and avoid harm. However, when this natural caution becomes dominant, particularly in the context
of low mood or depression, it can distort our perception of reality and drain our energy.
When Negativity Takes Over
During periods of low mood, or in chronic conditions such as depression, our natural negativity bias
can intensify. The mind begins to focus exclusively on what is wrong—what is missing, what we
are failing to do, and what feels overwhelming. This narrow focus creates a kind of tunnel vision in
which the positive aspects of life are obscured. The inner dialogue becomes dominated by phrases
like “Nothing’s working,” or “Everything feels pointless.”
When this happens, life appears hopeless and unbalanced. It’s as if the scales of perception have
tipped entirely toward despair. The world feels grey, and energy that would normally come from
moments of joy or connection is nowhere to be found.
Under normal circumstances, we derive energy from pleasurable experiences—social interactions,
personal achievements, sensory delights like the warmth of sunlight, the aroma of coffee, or the
softness of a pet’s fur. When depression sets in, these moments lose their significance or go
unnoticed altogether. We stop attending to what nourishes us emotionally, and as a result, we lose
the energy that positivity brings.
Redirecting the Mind
This is where conscious redirection of focus becomes vital. The principle is simple: where your
focus goes, your energy flows. When all your attention is consumed by negative thoughts, your
emotional energy depletes rapidly. But when you intentionally shift focus—even slightly—toward
what is good, pleasant, or meaningful, your energy begins to flow in that direction.
This doesn’t mean ignoring reality or pretending everything is fine. Life will always contain
difficulties that need to be acknowledged and managed. But by allowing space for both the positive
and the negative, we restore balance. We gain the emotional strength to address challenges more
effectively.
The mind conditioned by depression resists this shift. It will argue that positivity is unrealistic, that
good things don’t matter, that optimism is naïve. But just as the brain can be conditioned into
negativity, it can also be reconditioned through consistent practice and awareness.
Reconditioning the Brain: A Practical Exercise
One simple yet powerful method I often recommend to clients is keeping a “Book of Positives.”
Choose a small notebook—something you enjoy holding and writing in. This will become a
personal space for collecting moments of light.
Each morning, before you dive into the day, write down one thing you’re looking forward to or
that could bring a bit of joy. It might be as simple as “I’ll take the dog for a nice walk,” or “I can
watch another episode of my favourite show.”The point is to begin the day with a thought that
carries positive anticipation rather than starting it with worry or negativity.
Then, each evening before bed, write down ten positive things about your day. These can be small
details or simple observations:
- Look out of the window and try to find a thing of beauty or that surprises/amazes you
- Write down which food or beverage you enjoyed the most today
- Make at least one social interaction and write down what the most enjoyable moment was
- Which act of selfceare was enjoyable: my shower, cooking a healthy meal, meditating…?
- Which thought I had was actually constructive?
- Plan a small exercise, and be proud to have completed it.
- Plan a (simple) chore in your house and be proud to have completed it
- Play a piece of music that you really like and write down the title and performer
- Think about a person that is important in your life and write down why
- Think about a childhood memory that makes you smile and write down why it was
nice,Sequentus is a not-for-profit organisation focused primarily on providing legal advice
and representation in fitness-to-practise (FTP) and regulatory proceedings for healthcare
professionals. Alongside its legal services, Sequentus offers a dedicated mental health
support function which forms a crucial part of its client care model. I am their acting Lead of
the Mental Health team and support therapist in their work witch Sequentus’ clients. The
therapists are trained in supporting healthcare professionals through the FTP process and
bring both legal awareness and therapeutic skills. They work in tandem with the legal team
to ensure clients receive holistic care.
If you can’t reach ten, that’s okay. Write as many as you can, and if you only find eight, your ninth
can be “I found eight positives today.” You can also include things you feel grateful for—gratitude
and positivity reinforce one another.
The Psychology Behind the Practice
At first, this exercise may feel forced or even trivial. But after a couple of weeks, most people
notice a subtle yet profound shift. During the day, you begin to notice positive moments as they
happen. You might find yourself thinking, “I’ll write this down tonight.” That awareness is crucial
—it means you are retraining your brain to look beyond the tunnel of negativity.
Each positive observation stimulates the release of serotonin, one of the brain’s key “feel-good”
neurotransmitters. Serotonin helps regulate mood, reduce anxiety, and enhance emotional balance.
Over time, these microbursts of serotonin create a cumulative effect: you start feeling lighter,
calmer, and more resilient.
The beauty of this approach lies in its simplicity. By consciously redirecting your focus, you begin
to reclaim your energy. The positives don’t have to outweigh the negatives entirely—they just need
to be visible again.
A Step Toward Renewal
Is this a foolproof cure for depression? Probably not. But it’s a beginning—a small, sustainable
practice that can open a window to hope. It creates enough emotional space to consider further
steps, whether that’s therapy, lifestyle adjustments, or reconnecting with others.
Progress in mental health rarely comes from one grand transformation; it comes from a series of
small, intentional actions that gradually restore balance and vitality.
Many of my clients continue writing in their Book of Positives long after therapy ends. It becomes a
nightly ritual—a moment of reflection and self-kindness, a reminder that goodness exists even in
difficult days.
So tonight, before you turn off the light, take a moment to write your ten positives. You might be
surprised at how much light there still is when you choose to look for it.