Box up troubles to move on

When trouble strikes we have a tendency to dwell on all facets of the event.  Maybe it's a lost chance for a job or the purchase of a new home we desired.

Interestingly, you can change your outlook on trouble by sticking something related to the disappointment in a box or envelope according to a Rotman School of Management study.  The physical act of putting materials related to an unpleasant experience, even a written recollection of it, improved people's negative views and created closure.

Just telling people to "move on," doesn't work.  "What works is when people enclose materials that are relevant to the negative memories they have," Dilip Soman finds. "It works because people aren't trying to explicitly control their emotions."

People who move on benefit with an optimistic view of the future.  To let go and move on boosts individual's immune systems.  

As individuals shift from a negative to more optimistic view, it enhances activation in the brain's anterior cingulate and amygdala, which often malfunctions in depression.

Physically putting something in a box or envelope goes a step further than merely thinking about it.  I find this a powerful strategy to move past distressing events that might otherwise overwhelm me and stop me in my tracks. 

What works for you to shift gears to move on when trouble comes?