When in a state of fear, we release cortisol and catecholamines, which closes down the prefrontal cortex. We feel threatened, move into protective behaviors, and often don’t even realize we are doing it.
The failure to realize that fear, trust, and distrust changes how we see and interpret reality, and therefore how we talk about it can be devastating to self, to a team, and to our culture. Think of the email you should have waited 24 (actually it takes about 26 hours for piqued cortisol levels to return to normal) to send. Consider your overreaction to a flat tire when the gentleman who stopped to help could have become a life long friend.
The good news, all it takes to change our behavior is the awareness that it’s possibly happening! Oh, and then the conversation (with whomever this is happening with, even self) to get past the filters, to let the feelings go and communicate more authentically.
Remember: Your thoughts about your reality create your experience of that reality. I’m not saying you create your day; you’re in control of your destiny. I’m not asking you to take any leaps of faith here. I’m sharing the science behind why and how we truly affect our days and interactions.
I want to share with you a small handful of articles that address this concept and various solutions from some wonderfully different angles.
“I’ve also realized that the “why” was not as important as the “what.” A great quote and highly adoptable ideology from this insightful article by Jared Akers
I’d encourage all of you to read it. It might go places you didn’t expect or want. It did for me and it was really fresh to see another being so openly messed up as I myself have not always had the courage to be
This article by Judith refers more to Blind Spot #1 yet is such a great business example of the potential pitfall I can’t help but offer it here. It’s short!
And lastly, “Changing Your Thoughts Can Change Your Life” also published on Huffington Post. This article offers 5 quick and helpful tips for how to course correct your thoughts as well.
In sum, if you have any doubts, refer back to my pencil repost a few weeks ago. This link goes directly to the short YouTube video from the BBC.
Judith E. Glaser, blind spots, fear, cortisol, adrenalin, amygdala, prefrontal cortex, communication shut down