Our Brain on Fear
The human brain has evolved and developed over hundreds of thousands of years. Originally this more primitive brain had one job: to keep us alive by constantly scanning for threats (such as wooly mammoths, saber-toothed tigers, and even competing tribesman that posed a threat to us or resources nearby). This constant scanning is now so deeply engrained that it occurs on a subconscious level at a speed that is twice as fast as our conscious processing. This constant scanning for threats continues today, however, in modern society there aren’t life-or-death threats around every corner. Yes, I know in some places that isn’t true, but for the majority of the general population, we aren’t faced with an uncontrollable killer animal or a sniper in the bushes when we make a choice. What this means is the brain has to find modern threats that in can constantly scan for. These modern threats are simply other people’s opinions. It is this constant threat of what others might think about us that lights up the brain the same way being faced with a life-or-death situation does. If we can step back from that voice that worries about what other people think, then we can begin to allow our brain to function without fear. It is this fear that contracts blood flow and thus prevents optimal brain functioning and performance. Learn to be aware of when you are focused on other people’s opinions, and you, too, can enjoy a brain that functions without fear.