They were instructed to unwrap the piece, just enough to get a whiff. Then they peeled back some more and were told to take one lick, just to savor.
Then the first bite was taken, and they were advised to listen to the sound against their teeth. They felt the creaminess of the chocolate moving slowly down their throats.
They repeated, listened, felt and smelled to ensure the full satisfaction of this small piece of candy.
This exercise of satisfaction, known as mindful eating, is just one way people can increase positive ?emotions.
This technique, along with exercises related to time management and acts of kindness, were used in IU Health’s “Monday Motivators” session to increase overall mental health for all IU students.
The IU Health Center collaborates with Counseling and Psychological Services to create weekly relaxation and meditation hour-long sessions. All sessions are free and open to all IU students.
The sessions focus on improving the mind-body connection and overall mental health.
Monday afternoon was the first “Monday Motivators: Your Mental Health Track to IU Success” session, which took place in the Indiana Memorial Union. It was the first session in a series of four workshops, all of which focus on a different aspect of mental health.
Monday’s workshop titled “Think Happy!” was based on positive psychology, the psychology field based off of happiness.
“The more we know, the more we can help and motivate people in the right direction,” said Chris Meno, psychologist and outreach coordinator for Counseling and Psychological Services.
The sessions were originally developed in the thinking they could be the first step in getting help that students needed. Additionally, they could act as an add-on for current clients looking to feel better in a ?timelier manner.
The session started with a description of positive psychology and explaining the scientific studies behind increasing overall mental health.
Participants were then encouraged to shout out different words they associated with happiness.
Of these words, ones with the most impact were confidence, inclusion, accepting, satisfaction, relaxation, pride and helping others. All of these words are desired to achieve true happiness.
As the session continued, participants had to rank three circumstances that, once combined, made up overall happiness. Life circumstances, everyday choices and genetics were divided up by percentages.
Most people felt genetics were least important, and then life circumstances and everyday choices were divided evenly after that.
The actual scientific data rated life circumstances at 10 percent, everyday choices at 40 percent and genetics at 50 percent adding to an individual’s overall ?happiness.
Participants were guided to focus on the 40 percent they had the full power to influence in a positive manner. Meno taught the “Three Good Things Technique” to help influence this amount.
The technique is focused on teaching the brain to examine and expand positive events that happen to individuals every day. It is designed to counter the brain’s negative bias by countering one negative event with three positive events of ?happiness.
“If you practice frequently and repeatedly, the brain can be changed,” Meno said. “Sometimes one thing can steer you in a negative direction, and you need to counteract that.”
The session ended with a focus on acts of kindness and developing boosts of confidence from a mutual connection and sense of meaning between two ?people.
The acts were described by the participants as being worthwhile, important and contagious at the same time.
“I hope students can find just one thing that can help them live a more positive life,” Meno said.
The next Monday Motivator event will be 4-5 p.m. Feb. 9. at the IMU room M005. The theme is “Help Me Sleep!” and it is free and open to all IU students.
