Oneofthemostpopularself-helpbookseverwrittenondepressionisFeelingGoodbyDr.DavidBurns.Heidentifiesseveralcognitivedistortionsthedepressedsufferfrom.OneofthemisOvergeneralization.Thisisthepracticeof“viewingasinglenegativeeventasanever-endingpatternofdefeat.”Ifyouloseyourjob,suddenlyyouareworthlessandyouwillneveramounttoanything.Ifyoulookatyour401(k)statementandyou’velost35%ofyournestegg,suddenlyyou’llneverbeabletoretireandyou’llhavetobeaWalmartgreeterwhenyou’re85yearsold.Whenthingsarebad,itfeelslikeeverythingisbadandthey’llalwaysbebad. 　　Oneofthesimplest,mostenjoyableandmosteffectivewaystoimproveyouroutlookandriseabovethedepressingheadlinesistodaydream—visualizeabetterlife.InRobertCooper’sbook,GetOutofYourOwnWay,hesays“Brainscansshowthatsimplyimaginingacomplexandcompellinggoalwillactuallyfirethesameneuronsthatwillberequiredtoactuallyachievethegoal.”Daydreamingisdefinitelynotjustforkids.Spendafewminuteseverydayimaginingyourideallife.Youdon’thavetowriteanythingdownifyoudon’twantto,justvisualizeit.Makeitasrealasyoucan. 　　Ifyouwanttogetfancy,IrecommendyouDreamBoard.It’ssomethingI’vewrittenaboutinTheSixDayFinancialMakeoveraswellasmyfreeebook,PlanZ,butIthinkitbearsrepeating.DreamBoardingistheprocessofcreatingavisualscrapbookofyourideallife.Whypictures?Ourmindthinksandremembersinpictures.Werememberfacesbutforgetnames.Whenwereadastory,wecreateavisualimageofthecharactersandthesituation.Thegreatcommunicatorsuselanguagetocreatementalimages.Apicturecancommunicatemuchmorequicklyandefficientlythanawordorathought. 　　InadditiontothinkingabouttakingatriptoFiji,isn’titmorepowerfultoalsolookatapictureofaFijianbeachwithcrystalclearwaterandpalmtrees?Doesthepictureimproveyourmoodmorethanthethoughtsalone?TheaddedbenefitofcreatingacollageofpicturesisthattheycanremindyouofyourideallifeeverytimeyouglanceatyourDreamBoard. 　　Here’showitworks.Asyouimagineyourperfectfuture,jotdownwhatitlookslike.Thencutoutapictureortwofromamagazinethatrepresentsthislife.Takeyourtimefindingpicturesthatgetyourjuicesflowing.IfoneofyourgoalsistoownanewPorsche,buyacarmagazineorvisityourlocaldealershipandpickupabrochure. 　　Yourideallifeshouldn’tjustbefilledwithstuff,either.Itshouldincludethingsyouwanttoaccomplishandideasaboutthepersonyouwanttobe.Whileitiseasiertofindpicturesrepresentingtangiblethingsyouwanttoown,youcanalsolocatepicturesrepresentingwhatyouwanttoaccomplishandwhoyouwanttobe. 　　IfyouwanttoearnaPh.D.,cutoutapictureofadiploma.Ifyouwanttolearnhowtoplaythepiano,cutoutapictureofapianoorofsomeoneplayingthepiano.Ifyouwanttoworkfewerhours,takeapictureofyourofficewithaclockat3:30PMwithyounoticeablyabsent.Youcanfindapictureforalmostanything.Forexample,oneofthethingsIwanttoaccomplishistogoonanAfricanSafari.TherearealotofplacesIcouldhavegonetogetpicturesofAfrica,butIchosetocutoutpicturesfromanadventuretravelbrochurebecausethatwasmoreaccurateformydream. 　　Youcanevenfindpicturesrepresentingthepersonyouwanttobe.Doyouwanttobecomeabetterparent?Cutouta