Our brains have a "negativity bias," meaning that we tend to pay more attention to negative experiences and emotions than positive ones. This is a form of selective attention in the brain that is influenced by the past and our subconscious brain. We tend to direct our focus and magnify negative emotional states like anxiety, stress, frustration, anger, judgement, and self-criticism. When we do this, we unintentionally admit ourselves onto a mental negativity loop that impacts every aspect of our life.
For example, if we are having obsessive thoughts about stressful situations, we are priming our brain to recognize and focus attention on stress. Often, we will perceive and/or experience more stressful situations because we have trained our brain to pay attention to these. Not only do we perceive more stressful situations, but we also then tend to experience more of them because we are more aware of them. It is not a coincidence that we can experience multiple negative state situations in short succession.
The negativity bias often results in poor mental health by triggering the body's stress response exacerbating rumination of negative thoughts, emotional dysregulation, and generating anticipatory anxiety. However, we can influence our selective attention. Mindfulness or being intentionally aware of and recognizing the present - is a powerful tool to become more conscious of where our attention is being directed to.
Subconscious reprogramming doesn't change the past or what has happened. What it does change is the way the past is stored in your brain as you choose to relate differently to what has happened. The rewiring of our brains is a result of neuroplasticity, which involves the growth of new neurons and the connections between them.
When we consciously direct our attention towards positive experiences and emotions, we activate the brain's reward system. This releases "feel-good" neurotransmitters like serotonin. Over time, this practice can rewire or reprogram the brain to notice and amplify positive experiences - leading to greater overall well-being and resilience in the face of adversity. We can see more opportunities, improve our productivity, adapt to change easier, and make meaningful progress towards our goals.
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