Although we were designed to operate optimally with a positive mindset, we also have what scientists call a “negativity bias.” It’s our natural default to drift toward focusing on negatives. And those negative experiences, thoughts, and behaviors tend to have a greater impact on our brains than do positives. Here’s why.
When you have a negative experience or take in otherwise negative information there is a surge in activity in the critical information processing area of your brain. In experiments involving brain activity during which subjects were shown negative, positive, and neutral images, the negative images elicited a much greater degree of brain activity than did the positive and neutral images.
When we experience negatives – whether fear, rejection, criticism, angry responses from others – our bodies produce higher levels of cortisol, the hormone that causes the flight or fight response and lowers our ability to reason. Conversely, positive input – compliments, love, joyous experiences, happy memories, even petting a dog – stimulate the production of oxytocin, a hormone associated with feeling good and enhancing our ability to trust, bond with others, collaborate, and communicate. But oxytocin metabolizes more quickly and is less powerful and long-lasting than cortisol.
It’s been said that it takes several positive inputs to overcome one negative input. Generally speaking, one criticism from someone, especially someone whose opinion matters to you, has a greater negative impact on you than a compliment from that same person. There’s science behind it. But we don’t have to wait for others to feed us positives. We have the choice and ability to do that for ourselves by daily and intentionally focusing on the positives in life that we are all blessed with.
Yes, it’s very easy to drift into negative territory because of that pesky negativity bias, but we also have the ability to rewire our brains toward positive territory where we were meant to operate.
Adapted from the book The Magic of Cultivating Positive Emotions: Four Powerful Secrets Mentalists Use to Influence Thoughts and How You Can Use Them to Improve Your Emotional Health. Available at www.TucsonMagician.com/books.
Rod Robison is a Tucson, Arizona based author, mentalist, and magician who provides entertainment, inspirational speaking, and sales training for corporations and organizations. Learn more at www.TucsonMentalist.comod Robison’s magic and mentalism shows, inspirational seminars, and sales training at www.TucsonMentalist.com
