Training Your Attention: The Power of Spotting Hearts

Have you ever noticed how what you focus on can change how you feel? This isn’t about pretending everything is fine or ignoring life’s challenges. It’s about training your brain, by training your attention, to notice what nurtures you — what sparks joy. And yes, sometimes that spark takes the shape of a heart.

🔬 Training Attention Through Your Brain’s Filter: The RAS

Your brain has a built-in filter called the Reticular Activating System (RAS).It’s responsible for sorting the millions of sensory signals you receive every second — colors, sounds, words, textures, emotions — and selecting what reaches your conscious awareness.

Ever bought a red car and suddenly started seeing red cars everywhere?That’s your RAS in action: what you train it to notice, it will keep looking for.

📚 A study in the Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience found that intentionally focusing on positive cues — even symbolic ones like heart shapes — elevates mood, reduces anxiety, and enhances self-perception.

In short: What you seek, shapes how you feel.

💬 A Personal Story: How I Started Training My Attention

There was a time when my mind felt stuck in a loop — tired, critical, and overwhelmed. So I tried a small mental experiment: I started looking for hearts. Just for fun. Just to breathe.

At first, I saw nothing. Then one day, I spotted a heart shape in the foam of my cappuccino. I smiled.

After that, I saw them everywhere: in a leaf on the ground, a reflection on a window, even in a puddle.The world hadn’t changed. My attention had.

📌 A Harvard study confirmed that spending just 10 minutes a day focusing on positive stimuli increases serotonin and lowers cortisol — leading to greater emotional resilience and inner calm.

🧘‍♀️ Try This: The “3 Hearts” Attention Exercise

Ready to experiment?

1. Take a deep breath.

2. Go outside or look around your space.

3. Today, try to find 3 hearts. They can be anywhere — in objects, shadows, reflections, clouds.

4. Each time you spot one, pause. Breathe. Smile.

   
   

💡 That heart isn’t magic. It’s your brain whispering: “I’m learning how to notice what makes you feel good.”

💡 Conclusion

Your brain is programmable — and you get to choose the direction it’s trained to focus on.Start small. Start with a heart.

💬 Let me know in the comments: Where did you find your heart today?

If this article inspired you:

📤 Share it with someone who needs to retrain their mind to notice the beauty around them.

🔗 Follow me on LinkedIn for more insights on neuroscience and emotional wellbeing.🎧 Follow me on Spotify for weekly episodes on how to train your mind with purpose and kindness.