A negative mentality is profoundly harmful to the the circuitry of the brain.
But no need to respond negatively to that fact. The problem is addressable.
A person who is always sad is like a sad robot. 🤖. They are programmed to be sad all the time. When someone gets used to being negative, the brain normalizes negativity. The conscious brain doesn’t even notice it.
When someone forms a habit, it moves from the part of their brain that is self-aware (the frontal lobes) to deeper parts of their brain that are unconscious and automatic. The more anyone does anything, the less aware they are of it. Thus, negative people are usually not aware of how negative they are.
We have to be very deliberate to become aware of our own negativity.
The good news is that as we become aware of it, our brains become less negative.
Neuro-exercise:
Can you can go an hour without a negative thought or feeling?
Give it a shot
.Â
This includes worries, doubts, fears, disappointments. When you have a negative thought, write it down. It will help you become more aware.
Don’t be surprised if you have as many as 25 negative thoughts or feelings an hour.
The more you do this exercise, the more you’ll see your negativity drop.Â
For even faster progress, enlist your brain’s reward circuitry by promising yourself an indulgence if your negativity substantially drops. This exercise will significantly improve your brain’s performance and enrich your experience of life.
Dive Deeper
Lo, C.S.L., Ho, S.M.Y., Yu, N.K.K. et al. Cogn Ther Res (2014) 38: 389. doi:10.1007/s10608-014-9603-2
2-3X Your
Learning Speed
‘Observe the Heart’ Creates Beautiful Visuals from Meditating Brains
SHI Weili created a new, brain-wave-driven art installation called Observe the Heart. The piece aims to make manifest one’s inner experience
How Shortening Your Meditation Can = Bigger Results
It’s a well-known fact that meditating and being mindful are excellent for your brain. It makes you smarter, healthier and
A Surprising Shortcut for Achieving Flow States
A fascinating discussion with Steven Kotler, Executive Director at the Flow Research Collective, and Jason Silva was released by Shots
The Alchemy of Mixing Senses for a Better Life
“When I arrived at Oxford University back in 1988, psychologists were studying sight in one lab and hearing in another;
