Hyper-Vigilance to Calmness
In the busyness and speediness of our daily lives, it's not unusual for us to find our minds racing, revisiting past regrets or anxiously projecting into an uncertain future.
We've all experienced those repetitive negative thoughts that seem to loop endlessly, like a broken record. Well it’s not our, our minds are wired this way.
These thoughts were once a survival mechanism are now contribute of much of our suffering.
The Evolutionary Roots of our Hypervigilant state
Our brains evolved over millions of years, primarily to keep us safe and alert in a world filled with real physical threats. Specifically the amygdala in the limbic part of our brain helped us to look out for dangers such as a wolf hiding behind a bush. So to stay safe the brain helped us stay hyper-vigilant, constantly scanning our environment for potential dangers.
For our ancestors, being overly cautious and expecting the worst often meant the difference between life and death. Those who could anticipate and avoid threats were more likely to pass on their genes. So, the tendency to dwell on dangers, and possible negative scenarios became hardwired into our brains.
Modern Day : Suffering from Our Own Minds
Now most of us aren't facing daily life-or-death situations.
But our brains still cling to this ancient survival strategy. The same hyper vigilance and a mind predicting negative outcomes that once kept us safe can now lead to stress, anxiety, and unhappiness. The constant churn of worries, regrets, and self-criticism can feel like a never-ending cycle of suffering.
What Can We Do About It?
The good news is that we're not powerless in the face of the primitive part of our minds. We can sooth ourselves and regulate our emotions using the more recently evolved part of our brain, the prefrontal cortex. The prefrontal cortex is the executive function of the brain and we can take steps to shift our thought patterns and find greater well-being:
Mindfulness Meditation: Mindfulness practices teach us to observe our thoughts without judgment. By becoming more aware of our thought patterns, we can begin to disengage from repetitive negativity.
Challenge Negative Thoughts: When you catch yourself in a cycle of negative thinking, ask yourself if the thoughts are based on facts or assumptions. Often, our worst fears are products of our imagination rather than reality.
Cultivate Self-Compassion: Treat yourself with the same kindness and understanding you would offer a friend.
Limit Exposure to Negativity: Be mindful of the information and media you consume. Constant exposure to negative news or toxic content can fuel repetitive negative thinking.
Connecting with our Emotions : Somatic therapy has become very popular in recent years as this teaches us how to soothe our anxiety as it is felt in the body using tools that engage with the soothing facility of the pre frontal cortex. I’d say the most popular technique that I teach by far.
Embracing Well-Being
Over thinking and negative thoughts were once our allies in the battle for survival, but they no longer serve us in the same way. By understanding the roots of these thought patterns and taking proactive steps to change them, we can free ourselves from the cycle of suffering and embrace a life filled with greater well-being, positivity, and peace of mind. Our mind is a powerful tool that can be harnessed to enhance your life rather than hinder it.