This week, when you face a problem or talk to someone who is upset, learn from the bright spots – times when things were better. Ask yourself or others: 

1. “When doesn’t this problem exist, or when is it not as bad?”

2. “What can we learn from these bright spots?”

Your coworker keeps handing in his work to you past deadline. Instead of asking, “Why is he always late,” ask: “What’s different about the times when he meets the deadline or at least isn’t as late?” And: “What can I learn from these times to help him get better?”

Research from a field of psychology called ‘Appreciative Inquiry’ shows that learning from success leads to faster and better problem-solving than learning from failure. Focus on what to do more of vs what not to do. This is hard for our brains because we have a negativity bias. This week, resist the urge to focus on the negative and shine a light on the bright spots.

This Experiment was created by Tania Luna