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banks, and current research has shown that the amount of attention and significance that we assign to a piece of information actually determines how deeply it is placed within our log-term memory and consciousness. These negative or positive emotions can become ingrained so deeply that our responses to them become unconscious and automatic, and much of the time we are not aware that it is even happening,and is why we must take great care in paying attention to our thoughts and the emotions they are creating in us (Clore & Otoney, 1999). Particularly important are positive emotions because current research has "shown that mild positive affect, of the sort that most people can experience every day, improves creative problem solving, facilitates recall of neutral and positive material, and systematically changes strategies used in decision-making tasks" (Ashby, 1999, p.1).

The way we think about our experiences and the thoughts we have do seem to affect the chemical structures within the brain as well, and produce results specific to their nature. Clark, Beck, and Brown (1989 as found in Carver) found that "depression levels related uniquely to negative thoughts of loss and failure to attain rewards, whereas anxiety levels related uniquely to thoughts of harm and danger (threat)" (p.1). While on the other hand, positive thoughts have the opposite affect, and more important is that the research has found that the basic emotions we experience are in direct relation to the thoughts we have and the structure those thoughts build neural correlates (connections) within our cognitive brain structures (Izard, 1992).

The main preface here is that your thoughts do change your brain structures, create your reality, and in turn your attitudes and behavior, and over prolonged time frames, your character and destiny. They also affect the way you deal with your circumstances and the decisions you make regarding them. If you continually think negatively about your circumstances, your brain chemistry and cognitive structures will be altered and you will experience the negative results of this (attitude, behavior and outcomes). More important is the long lasting affects that can be experienced, such as depression, relationship problems and other mental disorders. When going through a challenging time, it is so important to keep a positive outlook and make sure that your thoughts are on the positive side. If not, we will find that our brains begin to become overloaded with negative

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