You Are Not Alone

You Are Not Alone

The Negativity Bias

Like it or not we all have a negativity bias. You’re not the only one focusing on what can go wrong verses what can go right when presented with a new opportunity. Or fixating on that one bit of critical feedback amongst all the positive received. We’ve all been there before, dwelling on a mishap, argument,  an error we made despite having otherwise a seemingly good day. 

Thanks to our ancestors, we are all hard wired to give greater weight to our negative experiences instead of positive. From an evolutionary standpoint, it’s not all our fault, we inherited the genes that predispose us to give special attention to the negative aspects in our lives. Being highly attuned to worst case scenarios is how, in pre-historic times, humans survived natural threats. But let’s face it, the chances of us running into a saber-tooth tiger on the way home from work nowadays is highly unlikely, the time has come to break free from this limiting human default robbing us of greater happiness and success.

Studies prove we can retrain our brains 

 Here’s how we begin defeating the negativity bias….

1.Awareness- Just by simply being mindful of the degree to which our brain is inclined to focus on the negative aspects of things is the first step. Becoming aware of our negative self-talk and thoughts allows us to separate ourselves from them, to challenge and even eliminate them.

2.  Relish Positive Experiences- Researchers have learned that negative experiences are perceived more easily and quickly into our long term memory. Whereas, the positive require a dozen or more seconds to be held in our awareness before it transferred from short term to long-term memory. Taking the time to relish in those  good things that happened throughout our day reinforces positive patterns in our brain. Our brain then learns from these experiences, building new neural pathways, researchers call neuroplasticity, helping keep our brains attuned to positivity.

3.  Crowd Out Negative Thoughts- Do whatever it takes, have an arsenal of go to practices to drown out the negativity. Here’s just a few I use daily…positive mantras affirmations, and quotes, gratitude journal, mediation, be more selective when I listen to the news, workout (kicks up those endorphins), practice the skill of reframing challenges and negative self-talk, seek a glass is half full mentality, surround myself with positive people, get outside as much as possible, build in simple pleasures throughout my the day like nuzzling with my dog, eating a favorite food, getting a manicure, watching a funny, feel good show that makes me laugh or warms my heart. Of course, it’s going to vary for everyone but the objective here is lessen the pull towards the negativity bias in order to gradually rewire our brains for happiness.

 As they say in the neuropsychology field “neurons that fire together wire together”, each time we consciously decide to take in the good will make a difference and over time these little differences will add up retraining our brains to embrace positivity and overcome the negativity bias.

Wishing You Always The Best Of Success

-Holly-

Summer Series-Part V

Summer Series-Part V

What’s Holding You Back?

August 20th 2017 Insights

Concluding the summer series to Keys To Success Insights, we’ll end with exploring the last of the Big 4 energy blocks. Remember, as I have been sharing… when we are not achieving or are having limited success with what it is we want in and for our lives, it’s most likely a result of one of the four energy blocks that’s keeping us stuck. In the past few newsletters, we looked at limiting beliefs – things that you accept about life, about yourself, about your world, or about the people in it, that limit you in some way; assumptions – expectations that, because something has happened in the past, it will happen again; and interpretations – opinions and judgments that you create about an event, situation, person, or experience and believe to be true. It is now time to examine the last, but certainly not the least, of the big four energy blocks. The final block we’ll talk about – the gremlin – is the most difficult to overcome, because it’s the most personal and holds the most energy. (more…)

Summer Series- Part IV

Summer Series- Part IV

What’s Holding You Back?

August 6th 2017 Insights

For those of you just joining into my summer series of Keys to Success Insights, we have been exploring the Big 4 energy blocks that keep us stuck and limit greater success and happiness in our lives. We’ve already explored the concept behind self-fate, limiting beliefs and disempowering assumptions. This month, we move onto the third energy block, interpretations. When we interpret something, we create an opinion about an event, situation, or experience. In essence, we create an explanation and then look for evidence to support its validity. When we make an interpretation, we don’t even see that other explanations exist. But in actuality, an interpretation often only represents one viewpoint among the many that are possible. (more…)

A Matter Of Perspective

A Matter Of Perspective

Big Problem or Huge Opportunity?

September 2016 Insights

A company once sent two shoe salespeople to an area in Africa where they had never sold any shoes. One was their senior, most experienced salesperson, Margo, and they expected big things of her. The other was an optimistic rookie named Cynthia. She didn’t have as much experience, but she had a lot of enthusiasm. They figured she might be able to sell a few pair of shoes. Shortly after their arrival in Africa, Margo, the experienced salesperson emailed the home office saying, “You might as well bring me back. Nobody here wears shoes.” The rookie, Cynthia, wired the home office an urgent message: “Send me all the shoes you’ve got. Nobody here is wearing shoes!” (more…)

Catabolic or Anabolic Choice

Catabolic or Anabolic Choice

CHOOSE TO!

August 2016 Insights

Many of us walk around feeling like we have limited choices in many aspects of our lives. Take notice of how many times in a day you say the words have to, should, and need to. Whenever you feel like you must do something, you’re a prisoner, a victim to your thoughts or circumstances. In fact, when faced with a task or something to do, there are five basic ways you can view them and only one is by full conscious choice. (more…)