I find it quite interesting and helpful to be aware that the mind has a "Negative Bias", i.e. absorbs and dwells more on unpleasant thoughts and emotions.
Apparently this is an attribute fundamental for survival: prioritising fear and pain, rather than say joy or relaxation.
However in a relatively safe day-to-day life, it can become increasingly unhelpful (procrastination, frustration, worry about what-ifs.). Left unchecked it is easy to reinforce negative bias and experience it even more frequently: “Neurons that fire together wire together” – ref Rick Hanson.
So next time I prioritise doing something fun, I can say it is to balance out the Negative Bias.
And next time everyone gets on my nerves I can blame evolution.
If you are curious about Negative Bias and ways to reverse it, here is a super interesting book: Hardwiring Happiness by Rick Hanson.
Author: JD
Image by Nicoleta Nastace from Pixabay
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