Q. Can the brain be programmed to think more positively?

A. If the brain is not damaged in terms of innate brain functions, yes. The healthy functional brain can be reprogrammed to think more positively. First, whenever possible, choose to avoid situations, movies, environments, and even people that trigger negative thoughts. If you do not think negative thoughts, you do not have to recover from them and from the stress hormones they can trigger. When you do have a negative thought, make an immediate decision about whether you are in danger. If not, think about a positive replacement thought. The more you think positive and empowering thoughts, the less you trigger the automatic stress response. Eventually, this can become a habit. The stress response will still activate and warn you about imminent danger.