If you've ever wondered why we become depressed or anxious – believe it or not, there is a suggestion that it is in our best interest to feel this way at times. Our human brain is naturally wired to seek the 'bad' or negative in circumstances – as a life-saving strategy. In historical times, for example, it was more conducive to assume that the noise in the bush was a lion rather than a bird - for obvious reasons! The brain is constantly scanning for what might endanger us, sifting through the past to ensure we don't repeat mistakes that caused us pain (physical or otherwise) and attempting to predict the future (otherwise known as 'worry') to save us from entering into a dangerous situation.

However, this way of thinking doesn't always serve us well in the modern world. An overactive mind can contribute to a chronic state of depression or anxiety.

The good news is that we can retrain our brains.

Today I had a Skype call with a few of the participants in the study group of the Science of Happiness course through Edx.

This was my second Skype conference call.

And both times I have come away from these with a profound sense of appreciation.