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Quick, what’s 2+2?

Without any real conscious effort, I bet the number “4” popped into your head.

That’s because your brain is hardwired to find answers to the questions you ask it.

This is great for our survival as a species, but it can also be a double-edged sword.

People talk all the time about the importance of “staying positive,” but we rarely talk about how to do it! Becoming aware of the questions you ask yourself is a great place to start.

For instance, if you ask yourself something like, “Why is this annoying?” or “Why is this so hard?” The answers will probably be a series of complaints.

You might get something back like, “This is so annoying because COVID-19 has me stuck in the house. I can’t go to school. I can’t even go to the gym!”

At worst, the responses can send you into a swirl of self-sabotage. Why is this so hard?

“This is so hard because I’ve never been good at English. And now I’m not even in school! How am I supposed to learn this on Zoom? I can’t do this!”

You asked your brain a question, and it answered it…But the good news is, this trick can easily be flipped to work in your favor!

If you simply change the question to, “How can I make this easier?” think about how different the responses will be!

How can you make this easier? By asking for help, for starters! Boom. Done. No cycle of complaints. No swirl of self-sabotage.

As you deal with the current wave of school closures, or any other problem, keep this trick in mind!

Your brain is an extraordinary tool. For most of human history, it was the most advanced computer in the world. It is capable of solving extraordinarily complex problems, and all those powers will bend towards answering the questions you ask!