Our emotions can affect the way we think and it can be difficult to switch from one state of mind to another. A neuroscientist offers his advice on how to achieve this.
Sometimes all it takes is an email to go over to the dark side and immerse yourself in negative energy. Moshe Bar, MD, a cognitive neuroscientist, explains in an April 29 article on the website: Psychology today how what we feel can affect our state of mind and, above all, how to regain control and change it.
Broad or narrow thinking
This state of mind, or how we approach the events of our lives, is made up of several “pillars of mental life,” according to the expert. We find attention (which allows us to explore our environment), perception (information gathered by our senses), openness to experience, thought and mood.
To change your state of mind, you must first understand it by looking at your state of mind, according to Moshe Bar. And “mindfulness meditation can be a great way to do that.” The American neurologist distinguishes two mental states. one was called “broad”, the other “narrow”. People who adopt the first mindset are open, positive, and “especially sensitive to the new or unusual,” says Moshe Bar. Conversely, a closed state of mind blocks the exploratory process of the person adopting it. The latter receives “a limited range of information, relying on the familiar and routine and avoids novelty.”
In practice, depending on the state of mind adopted, the perception of the situation differs. “If you’re narrow-minded, uncertainty can be anxiety-inducing, while with an open mindset, that same uncertainty can be exciting,” says Moshe Bar.
How to change your state of mind?
How to voluntarily change your state of mind? The neurologist suggests, first of all, to get out of the comfort zone. Thus, we tend to the so-called “expansive” state of mind, forcing ourselves to be open, going, for example, to “discover new places.” Also, when we’re in a bad mood, sometimes it’s enough to do activities that make us feel good. This can be as simple as “eating ice cream or watching a movie that entertains us” in order to break the negative spiral we are in and attract this more positive energy.
Neither state of mind should always favor the detriment of the other. “The optimal state of mind is the one that fits the situation. Sometimes it’s better to think broadly, while specific situations call for narrow thinking.
Adapt your thinking to the situations you face
Knowing yourself better and being able to switch between these two states of mind allows you to eventually adapt it to real situations. For example, “happiness tends to be a great state of mind for finding unconventional solutions to problems.” On the other hand, this condition can also encourage risk-taking, so “if you have a crucial decision to make, shift your thinking to the narrow ends of the spectrum” so as not to expose yourself to unnecessary risk, advises the specialist.
Source: Le Figaro
