Avoiding Mindset Manipulation
NeuoTip #3 | July 2023
Okay, I'm guilty!
Yesterday, I was enjoying the sunshine at a Jazz Festival and the guy sitting beside me couldn't help but complain about everything. He went on and on about how expensive the event was, how he didn't recognise any of the performers, how the crowd was much younger than he expected etc.
While everyone is entitled to their own opinions, it was frustrating to have my own experience hijacked by his negativity.
I felt bad that I moved away, but relieved because my happy mood remained intact and unaffected by someone else.
Moods are contagious. It's part of the brain's safety system to pick up on them!
I suspected this but never fully appreciated the impact it can have on our mindsets and overall mental health until I delved deeper into how our brains process information.
🧠 The critical point to consider is how easily our mindsets can be manipulated to shape our reality.
Our brains are unique, and within the amygdala, a part of our brain's warning system, there are neuropeptides called neurotensin that activate in response to positive or negative experiences. What's even more fascinating is that all our actions, behaviours, thoughts, and emotions occur unconsciously. By the time they enter our consciousness, they have already switched on existing neuronal networks, creating patterns for our behaviours, beliefs, and thoughts.
This process forms habitual pathways in our brains, leading to either a glass-half-full or glass-half-empty mentality. These emotions trigger deep networks in our brains, influencing our:
decision-making
creativity
choices
risk-taking
relationships
and overall outlook on life, all before we even realise it.
We often hear about the importance of reflection, taking time to pause and assess our thoughts and emotions. Whether it's five minutes or half an hour, it's crucial to make sure we don't sleepwalk through life based on other people's stories. Our brain doesn't distinguish between what's real or not, or whether an emotion is negative or positive. That flutter we feel before an important meeting? Our brain can interpret it as excitement or fear. And guess what? Your customers unconsciously pick up on those feelings through your physiology.
Most of us avoid making choices or changes, but the mindset we adopt permeates every aspect of our lives and influences our behaviours. This topic hits close to home for me, as I conducted extensive research on stress and resilience as both an enhancer and a debilitator during my MSc dissertation.
Realising that our brain can only work with the information it perceives is immensely powerful.
"Listen to your brain. The diversity of thought you'll find is astounding."
