Does Life Really Suck?
We all know people who plod through the day, always dissatisfied, bitching about how life has screwed them over. Their angst and annoyance is palpable. But is life really so dire? In most first world nations, the answer is usually no. Objectively speaking, life does not really suck.
So what gives? You'll be glad to know it has a name: Negativity Bias. Negativity bias is the propensity for the brain to place greater significance on the situations and interactions we deem as "bad," than those we deem as "good." Have you ever heard someone say, "My day was going great and then this had to happen," with this representing an annoyance, an inconvenience, an uncomfortable moment? So basically, the person is saying all of the great things that happened all day are nullified by this one bad thing. That's a little crazy if you think about it.
Scientists hypothesize that negativity bias is part our survival instinct. We are more likely to be cautious and careful if we are attuned to danger. But in our modern era, true life-threatening danger is comparatively rare. We do not have to be concerned about some large carnivore eating us, or inadvertently ingesting a poisonous plant because we are foraging for our own food. Despite our easy existence, negativity bias does not take a break. It's still doing its thing. Only now, instead of keeping us alive, it's making us discontent by focusing on the boss's bad mood, the unfriendly retail person, an unexpected change in plans. THESE THINGS WILL NOT HURT US. They don't even have to be important. I will say it again - they do not even have to be important.
How does one rein in negativity bias? It has to be consciously challenged. When we start to get that life sucks feeling, we need to step back and logically analyze. Is this thing that happened really significant enough to justify all the upset emotion we are devoting to it?
And what about the rest of the day? Purposefully reconstruct the good things that happened; purposefully take note of the neutral, non-sucky things that happened. I bet you'll be surprised to find that the good and the neutral events far outnumber the bad. And this is what we need to pay attention to. Don't let negativity bias take away life's joys. Just don't.
What do you think?
*Originally posted to PsychoticToday.com
So what gives? You'll be glad to know it has a name: Negativity Bias. Negativity bias is the propensity for the brain to place greater significance on the situations and interactions we deem as "bad," than those we deem as "good." Have you ever heard someone say, "My day was going great and then this had to happen," with this representing an annoyance, an inconvenience, an uncomfortable moment? So basically, the person is saying all of the great things that happened all day are nullified by this one bad thing. That's a little crazy if you think about it.
Scientists hypothesize that negativity bias is part our survival instinct. We are more likely to be cautious and careful if we are attuned to danger. But in our modern era, true life-threatening danger is comparatively rare. We do not have to be concerned about some large carnivore eating us, or inadvertently ingesting a poisonous plant because we are foraging for our own food. Despite our easy existence, negativity bias does not take a break. It's still doing its thing. Only now, instead of keeping us alive, it's making us discontent by focusing on the boss's bad mood, the unfriendly retail person, an unexpected change in plans. THESE THINGS WILL NOT HURT US. They don't even have to be important. I will say it again - they do not even have to be important.
How does one rein in negativity bias? It has to be consciously challenged. When we start to get that life sucks feeling, we need to step back and logically analyze. Is this thing that happened really significant enough to justify all the upset emotion we are devoting to it?
And what about the rest of the day? Purposefully reconstruct the good things that happened; purposefully take note of the neutral, non-sucky things that happened. I bet you'll be surprised to find that the good and the neutral events far outnumber the bad. And this is what we need to pay attention to. Don't let negativity bias take away life's joys. Just don't.
What do you think?
*Originally posted to PsychoticToday.com