Today, 95% of our thoughts are thinking and “digesting” situations that have occurred in the recent past. We scroll through such moments unconsciously, constantly returning to our emotions, and more often focus on the negative. However, it is important to remember that the human brain perceives the memories already experienced as truth, turning the past into the present and then into the future. This means that we must control our own thoughts more carefully. Psychologist talked about how to “switch the channel” and why people are programmed to scroll the negative.
Why is the human brain initially programmed for the bad
People’s tendency to concentrate mainly on bad moments is the result of evolution. By focusing on dangerous and negative moments, a person could survive in a harsh environment by reacting to certain signals in time. People who were susceptible to alarm bells were saved, the rest were doomed. Nothing has changed for a long time. Despite the fact that modern people no longer need to be in a state of constant combat readiness, such installations continue to manifest themselves just as vividly. Bias against negativity, which is expressed in concentration on the bad, has not gone away.
Indeed, the human brain is charged with negative moments. He likes to generate and “chew” the negative, quickly forgetting about the good. In practice, this behavior is manifested in the fact that even an ideal working day (by your own admission) can be absolutely spoiled by one offensive remark of a colleague. As a result, a person will forget compliments from other colleagues, praise of the boss and the bonus received, concentrating on thoughts about the critical remark of a stranger.
Why it’s dangerous to think about bad things all the time, and how to switch the channel
Programming on the bad can greatly affect our lives. As a result of prejudices and the established features of the brain, we tend to think through negative scenarios and expect the worst available option. Such attitudes are created by us automatically and unconsciously, but in the power of everyone to influence their own thoughts. Unfortunately, the human subconscious does not understand that we are experiencing the past, so it is actively preparing the ground for the future. As a result, people who constantly think about the bad, without knowing it, realize their negative emotions in real life.
What to do? Become more selective when choosing our own thoughts, especially if we catch ourselves starting to “cook in the negative.” As soon as the brain focuses on the bad, pull yourself off without letting you go deep into the negative. The replacement technique will help here, when we are not only trying to displace negative emotions, but also replace them with pleasant memories. No matter how hard it is, learn to concentrate on positive moments, thanks to fate for all the good things that happened in a day, week or month. Try to do so at least for a while, and the result will not be long in coming.
