How gratitude rewires your brain | Christina Costa | Ted Talks Daily

Intro

In this episode of Ted Talks Daily, Christina Costa shares her personal experience with gratitude and resilience while battling a brain tumor. She rejects the “fight narrative” often associated with cancer and instead embraces gratitude as a practice of living and thriving with her condition.

Main Takeaways

Embracing Gratitude and Rejecting the Fight Narrative

• Christina Costa shares her experience of using gratitude and kissing her brain as a practice of gratitude with her students.
• After being diagnosed with a brain tumor, she found herself in a “fight narrative” and struggled with the pressure to be a “fighter” and the negative connotations associated with cancer-related hashtags.
• Christina realized she had been introduced to the fight narrative, and she rejected the idea of going to war with her brain.
• She embraces the idea of living and thriving with a brain tumor rather than being at war with it.

The Power of Gratitude and Resilience

• The speaker, a neuroscience student, shares her personal experience with gratitude and resilience during her battle with cancer.
• She found traditional “fight narrative” approaches didn’t work for her and instead turned to well-being practices and gratitude exercises.
• Incorporating gratitude practices into her life helped her shift her perspective and find peace in her situation.
• Gratitude has positive psychological and social outcomes, including increased happiness, decreased depression, and stronger relationships.
• FMRI studies show that expressing gratitude activates various parts of the brain, including the medial prefrontal cortex associated with managing negative emotions.
• The more gratitude is practiced, the easier it becomes, thanks to neuroplasticity, which allows the brain to form new neural connections throughout life.

Continuing Gratitude in the Face of Challenges

• The speaker continues to practice gratitude daily, even in the face of ongoing challenges, such as preparing for more rounds of chemo.
• She expresses gratitude for the support and care received during treatment.
• Acknowledges the irony of being a psychology instructor and researcher with a brain tumor.
• Advocates for more awareness and research on brain tumors and cancer.
• Emphasizes the unpredictability of life and the importance of being grateful for unexpected challenges.
• Encourages finding gratitude and empowerment in dealing with adversity.
• Highlights the difficulty of the journey but empowers others to find their own way through it.
• Stresses the importance of loving one’s body unconditionally and practicing gratitude to build resilience.
• Encourages everyone to take a moment to appreciate and thank their own brains.

Summary

Embracing Gratitude and Rejecting the Fight Narrative

Christina Costa shares her personal experience with gratitude and resilience while battling a brain tumor. She rejects the “fight narrative” often associated with cancer and instead embraces gratitude as a practice of living and thriving with her condition. Costa introduces the concept of kissing her brain as a way to express gratitude and appreciation for her own brain. By rejecting the idea of going to war with her brain, she shifts her perspective and focuses on living and thriving rather than fighting.

The Power of Gratitude and Resilience

Costa found that traditional approaches to dealing with cancer, such as the fight narrative, didn’t resonate with her. Instead, she turned to well-being practices and gratitude exercises. Through incorporating gratitude into her life, she experienced positive psychological and social outcomes, including increased happiness, decreased depression, and stronger relationships. FMRI studies show that expressing gratitude activates various parts of the brain, including the medial prefrontal cortex, which helps manage negative emotions. Costa emphasizes the power of neuroplasticity, which allows the brain to form new neural connections throughout life, making gratitude easier to practice over time.

Continuing Gratitude in the Face of Challenges

Despite ongoing challenges, such as preparing for more rounds of chemotherapy, Costa continues to practice gratitude daily. She expresses gratitude for the support and care she has received during her treatment. As a psychology instructor and researcher, she acknowledges the irony of having a brain tumor. Costa advocates for more awareness and research on brain tumors and cancer, highlighting the unpredictability of life and the importance of finding gratitude in unexpected challenges. She encourages others to find empowerment and gratitude in dealing with adversity, emphasizing the importance of loving one’s body unconditionally and building resilience through gratitude.

Conclusion

Christina Costa’s personal journey with gratitude and resilience offers a powerful perspective on living with a brain tumor. By embracing gratitude and rejecting the fight narrative, she finds peace and empowerment in her situation. Her experience highlights the positive psychological and social outcomes of gratitude and the potential for neuroplasticity to make gratitude a natural practice. Despite ongoing challenges, Costa continues to find gratitude and encourages others to appreciate and thank their own brains. Her story serves as a reminder of the importance of resilience, gratitude, and self-love in navigating adversity.