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
A Simple Way to Mind Read
“When I wish to find out how wise, or how stupid, or how good, or how wicked is any one,
How to Transcend and Hack Politics with Insights from Brain Science
Recent studies have revealed a strong correlation between brain characteristics and an individual’s political views. In fact, one study showed researchers could
Can Sex Make You Smarter?
Much to the horror of puritanical rodents, researchers found that when rats become chronic sex fiends, they develop more powerful
Yawning is the Fastest Way to Hack Mental Stress and Focus
Most people think of yawning as just a sign of either being as bored as a sentient statue, or needing
