When atrocities incur that stun and shock us, as we are all feeling about the recent terror acts in the UK and around the world, our brains respond with a chemical reaction too…
I thought I would share my views on this to help us thrive during the aftermath of such terrible and life changing acts.
Our brains are such amazing pieces of kit, they help us thrive, and survive. The brain is split into three key areas, one of which we will call “The Survival” brain.
As humans, we like this brain, it keeps us safe from harm, and drives up our instinct to keep us alert and protect us should difficult situations arise. We (as like the UK Security level) is always on HIGH ALERT. Our subconscious is always scanning for threat, every second, so we can be ready to respond should anything happen.
Because of this “Survival” brain, we have what is know as a “Negativity Bias” we are always looking for what is not good, not safe, not nice, not right….we are always using our judgement to support the ‘scanning’. This even applies when you get up on a morning and look in the mirror…how many of you make a “negative bias” thought towards what is looking back?
When an event such as the terror attacks of Manchester and London happen, our fantastic Survival brain goes into overdrive, whether you were there or not, and our ‘negative bias’ kicks in even more than normal…
We then look for more evidence to confirm our survival brain is correct, we start talking to one another and become really good at connecting into our “negative bias”.
We are all inspired by “one love Manchester” I can see this in social media and the news…this is a brilliant and inspired way to drive us all over the hump of “negative bias” and get our brains back to joy, love, goodness, kindness and hope. It takes effort and energy to drive our thinking through to a ‘positive bias’ and to fight the scaremongering I see and hear in the news.
Recognise that the “positivity” will breed positivity, the “negativity” will breed negativity… which would you rather choose?
Our Survival brain will ALWAYS be there to look after us, trust it.
Notice your thoughts and notice where the negative bias is at play…work harder to send positivity out into the world, and we can, together, overcome the hatred we see and feel.
(In memory of those that the UK has lost #onelove)
Ali – Purple Pebble People Ltd