Why Our Brains Lie About How Bad Things Are - And How to Stop It
About this episode
Michael Easter discusses the negativity bias of our brains and how to counteract it with guests Cara Lai and Roy Baumeister.
If you turn on the news right now, you'll be hit with a sea of negativity, and it can convince you the world is falling apart. It isn't. Host Michael Easter sits down with two guests to explain why our minds are literally built to outweigh the bad, and how you can bias yourself back toward the positive. First, meditation teacher Cara Lai offers a tip to instantly disarm anxiety: ask yourself "what if what's happening right now is exactly what's supposed to be happening?" She also shares what a year alone in the woods battling Lyme disease taught her about suffering. Then Roy Baumeister, one of the most cited psychologists alive and author of the landmark paper "Bad Is Stronger Than Good." joins to discuss the negativity bias. Why does one critique drown out a sea of compliments? Why do bad days carry over while good days don't? He explains the 5-to-1 ratio of positive experiences to negative experiences that predicts whether a relationship lasts, plus the evolutionary reason we're wired this way. And finally, the Boston Marathon study that will change how you watch the news for good. Two Percent is hosted by Michael Easter. Today’s episode was produced by Joey Fischground…
More episodes of Two Percent with Michael Easter
- Kidnapped in Colombia, Dinner with the Taliban: What the World’s Most Dangerous Places Actually Teach Us
- He Survived an Earthquake and Avalanche on Everest - Then Went Back Up
- The Best Hand Loses 88% of the Time: What Poker Reveals About All Our Decisions
- The Self-Improvement Books That Will Actually Change Your Life | Ditch the Overrated Reads
- These Sports Protect Your Brain Against Dementia
- How to Stop Playing Somebody Else’s Game and Finally Feel Happy
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Two Percent with Michael Easter podcast page.