Why Our Brain Needs Positive Psychology?

Modern neuroscience confirms what positive psychology has long suggested: our brains can be trained to experience more balance, resilience, and joy. Far from being static, the adult brain remains remarkably plastic — it changes through experience, attention, and emotion. This concept of neuroplasticity has transformed the way we understand mental health and education. It means that, even in adulthood, our neural circuits can rewire themselves in response to new habits, thoughts, and environments.

For decades, scientists believed that the brain’s structure became fixed after childhood. However, recent research has shown that adult neurogenesis — the growth of new neurons — continues throughout life, particularly in the hippocampus, the region linked to memory and emotional balance. Studies published in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) and Frontiers in Psychology confirm that enriched environments, learning, and emotional engagement stimulate this process, promoting adaptability and well-being. In other words, every time we practice mindfulness, gratitude, or empathy, we are physically reshaping our brain.

When we cultivate gratitude or compassion, our neural networks associated with reward, motivation, and emotional regulation become stronger. Functional MRI studies have shown that feelings of gratitude activate the medial prefrontal cortex and the anterior cingulate cortex — areas involved in empathy, moral reasoning, and positive emotion regulation. These findings, shared by researchers like Glenn Fox (Frontiers in Psychology, 2015), suggest that gratitude literally “reprograms” our brain toward prosocial behavior and resilience. Other experiments have found that people who regularly practice gratitude or laughter show reduced cortisol levels (the stress hormone) and increased production of endorphins and oxytocin, creating a neurochemical state of safety and connection.

This is why positive psychology practices are more than motivational tools — they are neuroeducational strategies grounded in evidence. The World Health Organization (WHO) has repeatedly underlined the importance of preventive and educational approaches to mental health, emphasizing that the future of emotional well-being lies not only in treatment but in teaching people how to strengthen their own psychological and biological resilience.

Within Happiness in Practice, this scientific foundation becomes practical and accessible. Through training in Positive Psychology and Laughter Yoga, adults aged 35 to 60 are guided to recognize their strengths, transform stress into growth, and reconnect with their sense of purpose. The project doesn’t promise perpetual happiness — instead, it offers the skills to develop a brain and a mindset capable of recovering faster, adapting better, and relating more meaningfully.

If our brain can change, then our life can change too. Every act of awareness, kindness, or laughter becomes a small act of neuroplasticity — proof that happiness is not a lucky accident, but a practice that can be learned, lived, and shared.