Today’s journey So how can we keep our thinking in perspective ..... more often? Today we’ll look at insights from the world of neuroscience ! Clare Goodman – www.lifteffect.com.au
Our busy mind “Scientists have demonstrated that the brain processes about 400 billion bits of information every second. Usually, however we are only conscious of only about 2,000 of those bits of data. Out of those 2,000 bits, the inputs the brain processes pertain only to our awareness of the body, our awareness of the environment, and our awareness of time.” Rehearsal... Anticipation... Creating certainty... Based on past experience Clare Goodman – www.lifteffect.com.au
What causes stress? Physical ‐ accidents, injuries, health Psychological stress – thoughts. Chemicals, toxins, foods, drink, cigarettes, drugs Clare Goodman – www.lifteffect.com.au
Thinking and feeling “Each thought has its own chemical signature. The result is that our thinking becomes our feeling – actually, our every thought is a feeling. We do this constantly and unconsciously.” Dispenza, 2007 Clare Goodman – www.lifteffect.com.au
Our powerful minds “What determines our reactions to people reactions to people or events often has far less to do with actual people or events than it has to do with all sorts of thought houghts and and feelings about them feelings about them . Many of these are quite habitual, mechanical, imaginary or unreasonable and we hardly EVER stop to examine we hardly EVER stop to examine their reasonableness or validity , let alone consider their reasonableness or validity discarding them. When we see that we can stand back from thoughts and feelings and let go let go of the o of the ones that are of little use nes that are of little use , then we begin to develop self determination, develop self determination, purposeful action and freedom purposeful action and freedom in our lives. This, in a manner of speaking, is where real self-control or autonomy Dr Craig Hassed begins.” Clare Goodman – www.lifteffect.com.au
We are wired to min threat and max reward Threat Reward • • Narrow focus – visual and auditory Broad focus – visual and • Looking for more danger auditory • • Interpreting neutral events as Innovation/ creative threat thinking • • Defence mechanisms for self Perspective • protection Open to change • • Reliance on old habits Self management • • Problem solving Collaboration • • Increase in negative thinking Trust, joy, laughter, • Physiological changes playfulness • • Fear and anxiety Realistic/ optimistic • Distortion of reality Clare Goodman – www.lifteffect.com.au
How do we distort reality? Magnifying (exaggerating) ‐ Permanent and pervasive ‐ All or nothing thinking Minimising (underplaying) ‐ Tunnel feedback ‐ Dismissal of positive or negative Making up (fabricating) ‐ Personalisation of blame Clare Goodman – www.lifteffect.com.au
Our powerful minds “Sometimes we elaborate negative events in ways “Sometimes we elaborate negative events in ways that amplify our feelings about them, adding that amplify our feelings about them, adding cognitive insult to perceived injury.” cognitive insult to perceived injury.” Oschner, 2008 Clare Goodman – www.lifteffect.com.au
What does thing look like? Clare Goodman – www.lifteffect.com.au
PFC vs limbic system balancing act! Clare Goodman – www.lifteffect.com.au
The neuroscience Threat Reward • • PFC activation Limbic activation • • RVL PFC activation Amygdala activation • • Ventral striatum Orbitofrontal cortex – error • Dopamine detection • • Parasympathetic Sympathetic nervous system – nervous system breathing, heart rate, sweat • • Oxcytocin, seratonin, Atrophy of hippocampus • vassopressin Epinephrine and • Building of immune norepinephrine • system Inhibiting of immune system Clare Goodman – www.lifteffect.com.au
Importance of regulating your feelings ‘I feel what I feel I can’t help that... ‘ I feel what I feel I can’t help that... ‘ Regulating your emotions can help increase: • your sense of well being – subjective experience • the quality of your relationships • your cognitive abilities including: decision making, problem solving, listening to others’ perspectives etc • your ability to deploy your attention • your levels of health Clare Goodman – www.lifteffect.com.au
Ways we regulate our emotions Suppression: increases amgydala and insula activation. Quite simply it amplifies your feelings. Overly Expressive: limbic arousal driven, highly reactive, allostatic load, increase in adrenalin and cortisol levels. Quite simply it will lead to ill health. Clare Goodman – www.lifteffect.com.au
Training for emotional regulation Exercise Nutrition Cognitive Mindfulness Strategies Clare Goodman – www.lifteffect.com.au
Emotional regulation Exercise “The brain, especially, relies on a healthy vascular system to efficiently deliver oxygen and key nutrients and remove waste. In fact, the brain uses approximately 20% of the oxygen we breathe to satisfy its high-energy demands. Given that the brain only weighs about 2% of the body, we can consider it an energy hog and we must cater to its needs very carefully.” Evans, 2008 • General health – longer life, disease fighter • Reduction in obesity • Oxygenating your brain • Increasing subjectivity of positivity and well being – endorphin, seratonin Clare Goodman – www.lifteffect.com.au
Emotional regulation Nutrition ‘We are – at least our bodies are- what we eat.’ Dr Craig Hassed • Glucose • Water • Frequency – small and often Clare Goodman – www.lifteffect.com.au
Emotional regulation Cognitive Strategies "The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another." William James • Labelling • Reappraisal • Curiosity • Lower cognitive loading Clare Goodman – www.lifteffect.com.au
Emotional regulation Cognitive Strategies Labelling Saying how you feel activates the RVLPFC and that interrupts the amygdala response. Practice “I feel” statements Write your feelings down in a journal... This activates the same part of the brain. Clare Goodman – www.lifteffect.com.au
Emotional regulation Cognitive Strategies How do you regulate emotions? Situation Attention Appraisal Response Change the Reappraise the Response Use situation situation by: modulation: attentional i.e. If it is a Reinterpreting it Suppress your deployment: presentation Accepting that the emotional Focus on don’t present feelings are just response something to fleeting. distract you Distancing yourself by Modify the imagining yourself in situation the 3 rd person Kevin Oschner Clare Goodman – www.lifteffect.com.au
Emotional regulation Cognitive Strategies Reappraisal • Once the emotion emerges, this is the ability to change how you see the situation in order to change the emotional significance • Can be applied to internal as well as external situations • Reappraisal strategies (cognitive habits) generated early in life Thinking ----- Feeling ----- Behaving Clare Goodman – www.lifteffect.com.au
Emotional regulation Mindfulness “Mindfulness in its most general sense is about waking up from a life on automatic pilot, and being sensitive to novelty in our everyday experiences.” Dr Daniel Siegel • Narrative vs direct experience (in the present moment) • Meditation – body scan • Spot meditations – 3 breaths, sighs Clare Goodman – www.lifteffect.com.au
Default vs direct network Default network ‐ also called rumination – includes memory retrieval, inner speech, mental images, emotions and planning of the future. AKA spending time in past or future. Meditation: switches between default and direct network Direct experience network : experiencing sensations in real time. Focus on bodily sensations such as breathing or becoming aware of tension. Activation of insula. AKA being in the now Clare Goodman – www.lifteffect.com.au
Stress and work “You stop using your “You stop using your discretionary effort, you stop discretionary effort, you stop looking at creative things you looking at creative things you can do. can do. If you want people coming to If you want people coming to work with only half their work with only half their brain, put them under stress.” brain, put them under stress.” Richard Boyatzis Clare Goodman – www.lifteffect.com.au
And there’s more… www.lifteffect.com.au Clare Goodman – www.lifteffect.com.au
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