By Dr. Victor Schueller | Brain and mind
I came across this video yesterday, and I wanted to share it with you. It’s a very funny experiment on the “Power of Conformity.” It illustrates how uncomfortable we humans are when we don’t conform to the standard set by the majority. I wrote a blog post about the brain’s wiring and how it may contribute to this occurrence, in case you’re interested. Nevertheless, it’s a great watch! Enjoy!
By Dr. Victor Schueller | Brain and mind
My guest on April 16 at 12 PM Central will be Robin Marvel.
Robin is a multi-published author and nationwide motivational speaker in the field of self-development. She has taken the negative situations she was dealt throughout her life and turned them into motivation and purpose, getting you on your feet, participating in the empowerment of your life.
For more information on Robin, please see her profile on the Weekly Spotlight page!
Don’t miss the interview!
I am also on iTunes! You can subscribe to my podcasts and receive the downloads when they are available by clicking here!
By Dr. Victor Schueller | Brain and mind
Before I could get into chiropractic school, I needed to accomplish a few things — one of which was to complete Physics I and Physics II. “What was “physics” anyway, and why do I need it to get into chiropractic school,” was my question. That just shows you the raw stupidity that was bubbling to the surface at that time of my academic career. 🙂 I elected to wait until the very end and take Physics I in the fall of my last year of undergraduate, and the results were not so good. I was great at the labs, because I could visually understand the concepts of physics, but I was horrible at the actual computation part of physics, because it was like “algebra on drugs” as I called it, and I stunk at algebra.
So, “option one” didn’t work. I then opted to take both Physics I and II the summer after I graduated from college at a university which offered both in an accelerated format. I did well in Physics I, but not so good in the Physics II offering. This meant that I could not start chiropractic school that upcoming fall as I had originally planned. I had to wait an entire year, before I could re-attempt Physics II at a local college. On my third attempt to conquer physics, I finally got the grade I needed to get into chiropractic college.
My wife recently brought me a book from the library, titled, “The Fourth Little Pig.” She doesn’t usually bring books home for me to read, especially children’s books, so I knew it had to be good, and it was. It’s a story that picks up where the traditional “Three Little Pigs” story leaves off; the three little pigs are huddled inside their brick house, terrified from their encounter from the big bad wolf. The wolf was long gone, but the pigs remained in their home, too afraid to emerge from the house, because they were fearful of what would happen if they ventured outside the house.
The three pigs get a visit from their sister — the “fourth” little pig. She tells the pigs to come out — she tells them the wolf is gone. The pigs ignore her plea, and they remain inside the house. Finally, the fourth pig blows down the brick house from the inside, revealing to the three pigs the outside world, free of wolves. The three pigs quickly realize that their fears were unfounded and enjoy their freedom.
The book served as a great reminder that sometimes we experience setbacks and failures, and the pain or fear of failure is enough to keep us metaphorically “huddled” in our safe “brick houses” so we don’t have to face our fears. Looking back at my experience with physics, I guess I could have just caved in the face of failure, and give up on my dreams of becoming a chiropractor. Thank goodness I didn’t give up, because, I would have missed out on some great opportunities and a great life waiting for me some years down the road. I guess you could say that failure just wasn’t an option.
Are you huddled inside your “safe haven,” afraid to take that step out and explore what is out there? Is the fear of failure paralyzing you? Maybe it’s time to think about what you are afraid of, and maybe it’s time to take some small steps into the uncomfortable and give it a shot. Our brains are built to keep us safe, but that’s a very primitive and archaic mechanism that remains from a time when we were hunted as prey. Our fears are only a product of our minds — they are only as real as we make them.
We all need the fourth little pig once in a while. We need to set aside the fear we have created within our minds. Maybe it’s time to venture out beyond the comfortable and see what great things lie ahead. As the last line of “The Fourth Little Pig” reads: “…there are worlds to explore, if you’re willing to open the door.”
Open that door, and explore the wonderful possibilities that lie ahead! It’s a new day! Seize it and make it yours!
Photo source: http://www.sxc.hu/profile/jannbr
By Dr. Victor Schueller | Brain and mind
I was writing the other day about how I was getting angry and frustrated because I couldn’t find a piece of expensive equipment that was small enough to end up heavens knows where. I still haven’t found it, by the way. I’ll keep searching…
My frustration put me into a bad mood. My bad mood, however, was temporary. Most of the time, I find myself to be on the more upbeat and positive side, and for the most part, I would venture to guess I exhibit a more positive demeanor. Have you noticed that some people seem to be generally more positive than others? I am sure you can think of several people who seem to always have a complaint about something, and I am sure you can think of several people whom you simply admire because they always seem to have such a cheery disposition and seem to always be upbeat and positive, no matter what happens to them.
In his book The Emotional Life of Your Brain, Dr. Richard Davidson discusses the rationale behind this phenomenon. He discusses the difference between “emotional states,” “moods,” “emotional traits,” and “emotional styles.” Emotional “states” are “spikes” of emotion we feel when triggered by an experience. An example of this would be the feeling of joy when you get an unexpected check in the mail.
“Moods” are a bit longer in duration, lasting a few minutes to a few days, while emotional “traits” are feelings that last for years. An example of this would be someone who seems to always be grumbling about something going on in their life, and generally seems dissatisfied every time you see them. The reason why people who are always grumbling seem to get angry more often, Davidson suggests, is because an emotional trait “increases the likelihood that you will experience a particular emotional state (fury) becuase it lowers the threshold needed to feel such an emotional state.”
Underlying all of these, however, is “emotional style.” These are “identifiable brain circuits” which can be “measured using objective laboratory methods.” This is what I absolutely love about Dr. Davidson’s work. He uses laboratory research to substantiate his claims, so when he offers recommendations for changing the way we think and use our brains, it is backed by scientific data. Davidson writes, “Emotional Style influences the likelihood of feeling particular emotional states, traits, and moods.” Basically, our genetics and how our brains are wired determine how likely we are to exhibit particular emotions.
Dr. Davidson arrived at six emotional dimensions, reflected by the findings of his research. They are:
“Resilience: how slowly or quickly you recover from adversity.
Outlook: how long you are able to sustain positive emotion.
Social Intuition: how adept you are at picking up social signals from the people around you.
Self-Awareness: how well you perceive bodily feelings that reflect emotions.
Sensitivity to Context: how good you are at regulating your emotional responses to take into account the context you find yourself in.
Attention: how sharp and clear your focus is.”
People will find themselves on one side or another on the spectrum of each of these dimensions. The unique combination of where we stand on each spectrum of each dimension makes us who we are emotionally. We are all different, which is why it’s hard to prescribe a “one size fits all” approach to addressing how we think or use our minds.
I encourage you to take a look at the dimensions above and determine what you think your emotional style is. Are you good at picking up social signals from people around you (social intuition), or do you seem blind to these visual cues? Are you more resilient, or do you struggle when facing adversity?
If I were to do my own profile, here’s what I think it would look like:
I am pretty high on resilience — not much seems to flap me, whether it’s because of my genetic makeup or what I have experienced in my life. Either way, I am pretty resilient and bounce back quickly.
I am pretty high on outlook as well — I stay pretty positive most of the time.
Social intuition — I am pretty low here. I don’t always pick up visual cues from other people. In the past I have just thought it was “trying to stay objective” or “maintaining an even demeanor,” but I am not so sure that’s the case. Maybe I’m a little “blind” to social signals. Sometimes, to be honest, I don’t want to pick up on the visual cues. I don’t want the drama! 🙂
Self awareness — I am pretty high here; I am in touch with my emotions and how I perceive them.
Sensitivity to context — I feel I am pretty high here too. I usually am pretty good at considering the situation and feelings of the people involved in a potentially tense situation and work to reach a resolution that works for most.
Attention — I am pretty high here too. I can remain focused for a long time on one thing. Sometimes I feel I get too focused!
Remember that there are no “bad” sides of the spectrum of these dimensions. It’s not “bad,” for example, that my social intuition is low. It does come in handy in some situations, believe me. People who find they are strong in the social intuition area may tell you it’s a curse. We are who we are.
However, if you view one of the dimensions of your emotional style as “undesirable,” can you “change” your dimensions? Davidson suggests that yes, this can be done, and he offers recommendations in his book on how to do so. The good news is that his recommendations are rooted in scientific research, so they are sound recommendations. If you are interested in finding out how to make a change based on your individual dimensions, the quickest way to do so would probably be to pick up his book. I am still working through his book as I write this, so as I find out more I will be happy to share as well!
Take time to determine your “emotional style.” If you care to share what you discovered, I’d love to hear from you!
Photo source: freedigitalphotos.net
By Dr. Victor Schueller | Brain and mind
I was stricken at how the man just lit up in reaction to hearing the music, and how it woke up his brain. Check this out! It’s an awesome video!
By Dr. Victor Schueller | Brain and mind
I really liked this article — the title alone was enough to draw me in. There is some great advice above and beyond the intriguing title. Check it out!
By Dr. Victor Schueller | Brain and mind
If you haven’t checked out the “Life’s Little Mysteries” website, I encourage you to check it out. It has neat articles like this that really get you interested and do a great job of explaining those “mysteries” we wonder about. Here’s a great example:
By Dr. Victor Schueller | Brain and mind
Yesterday I did it. I let my emotions get the best of me. I was rendered seemingly powerless to one small moment, and it was like poison in my veins. I know — I am only human, and I am definitely not perfect. To err is human, and what is even more important is to learn from temporary setbacks, so yes, yesterday was definitely one of those times from which I need to learn.
I misplaced a piece of equipment that I use. It wandered off. It was my own doing, as I could have very well put it back in its usual “resting” spot, so that I could easily find it. It’s small enough to be carried off by the hands of little inquisitive minds, and definitely small enough to end up in the bottom of a toy bin, a garbage can, and heavens knows where else.
My frustration over the unknown location of my device was rising as I searched high and low, far and wide. I checked seemingly every nook and cranny; every bin, drawer, and box; every countertop and shelf, only to come up empty-handed. It doesn’t happen often, but I lost my cool. I let that one small item, and more specifically the frustration from not being able to find it, take control of my life for a few brief moments.
My frustration at my inability to find my equipment overflowed to become frustration with seemingly everything. I could feel the anger in my movements, and I could sense its effects in my voice. My words were spoken with a more forceful and frustrated tone. I was surprised to notice that the more I let the anger set in, the more it felt like I just needed to be angry; it was as if the more I fed the anger, the happier the anger was.
It was then that I realized I was actually choosing to be angry. My anger was a voluntary decision. I didn’t have to be angry, yet I was choosing to let one small device and the frustration revolving around it to dominate my thoughts and being. I was choosing to let it poison what was otherwise a great day.
Trying to define how I was feeling could be described as three emotions — frustration, anger, and (almost) rage.
I recalled some reading I had done about Jaak Panksepp, author of the book Affective Neuroscience: The Foundations of Human and Animal Emotions. In his book he discusses what can cause the activation of the emotion of rage. Panksepp noted something that hit home with me and how I was feeling. He noted that the triggers of rage “are the irritations and frustrations that arise from events that restrict freedom of action or access to resources.” Yep, that was me — restriction of access to resources. I couldn’t find what I needed. He also stated that activation of RAGE circuits is “accompanied by an invigoration of the musculature, with corresponding increases in autonomic indices such as heart rate, blood pressure, and muscular blood flow.” We literally get “hot under the collar,” because our body temperature increases as well. Yep, that was me again, and then some.
Once I realized that I was choosing to be angry about a minuscule piece of equipment, and that my choice to dwell on it was not helping me find the object, nor was it making the day any better, I realized I needed to change my thoughts. After a few deep breaths and some physical activity in the form of exercise, I was able to move beyond the anger and get on with the rest of my wonderful day. I remembered that to be angry is a choice, and to feed the anger would only lead to non-productive results.
What you choose to think is what you choose to become. We have the choice as to whether we will or will not be angry; we have the choice as to whether we will or will not choose not to let emotions get the best of us. We are better than that, because we have the ability to choose to be better! Let’s choose to not to give in to mental mediocrity. Let’s all choose to pave the road to greatness!
Have not just a mediocre day — have a great day!
By Dr. Victor Schueller | Brain and mind
I remember when both of my girls were almost two years old and they were starting to learn the ways of the world, namely how to communicate their wants (and their “non-wants”). I remember watching how they reacted when they clearly didn’t like how things were going, or how they were denied something they wanted. They threw themselves down on the ground in a temper tantrum, kicking, screaming and crying.
All parents have reached this critical juncture in their early parenthood — what do you do? Is the “thing” you are denying really that big of a deal? Do you give in, and just let them have the “small” thing they wanted? I know that I have questioned myself sometimes, asking if it really is a big deal to give in. What’s worse is when the child throws a tantrum in public. The embarrassment and questioning looks from other parents is enough to make one crumble to the pressure. My wife and I usually just walked away from the tantrum, and it usually stopped pretty quickly. Eventually, our children learned that “no” means “no,” and no matter what they do, it won’t change our answer. As far as the public displays go, I usually prepped them, informing them that if they “lost it” in the store, I would remove them from the store immediately. I think I had to do that once, and that was the end of that.
What’s going on?
It’s a power grab. When a child gets frustrated, and doesn’t know how to cope with their frustration with not getting what they wanted, or if the child lacks problem-solving skills, they may resort to lashing out in a tirade. If the parent gives in and gives them what they want, the child learns that life is a “casino.” The child begins to learn that if they hear “no,” but you act out, eventually they hit the “jackpot” and get their way in the end. This continues as children learn to talk, as they begin to bargain or continually ask the same question when they don’t get the answer they wanted. They keep asking and asking until the parent wears down and gives in. “Jackpot” once again! It’s like playing the slot machine!
This is not the parent’s fault, and it’s not the child’s fault. Everyone does the best they can with what they have. If anyone can lay claim to being the perfect parent, I’d like to see what they do! However, if this behavior is permitted, it can cause problems down the road. If children are not taught that “no” means “no,” and that nothing is going to change the “no” answer, this child grows up having learned that if they don’t get what they want, they just have to make a fuss, and things will eventually turn to their favor, and once again, they hit the “jackpot” and get what they wanted. While adults no longer resort to throwing themselves on the floor, they do other things to let others know they aren’t happy.
This is called losing control to gain control. People usually don’t do this maliciously — it’s really just what they have been conditioned to accept as the norm. The unknowingly use the fear mechanisms of our minds to wield their power. Our brains are built to do what is “safe” to ensure we don’t suffer personal harm. Sometimes we feel physical pain because of emotional causes. Our desire to avoid any sort of pain or harm causes us to act in ways that prevent us from inducing the painful stimulus. This usually translates into simply giving what the abuser or tantrum thrower wants, because it eliminates the risk of personal harm.
While it seems that simply giving the other person what they want is an easy way to fix the problem, there is usually a negative side effect. The downside is that we usually sacrifice our personal needs and wants for the sake of others. We risk valuing the happiness of others more than our own happiness. This may lead to feelings of resentment, anger, or other undesirable behaviors. This also perpetuates the cycle of losing control to gain control, because this behavior is allowed to continue. Another jackpot, so to speak! 🙂 Just like a parent walking out of the room on a temper tantrum, if you show you aren’t affected or swayed by such displays, the behavior usually subsides, because they’ll realize their power plays don’t affect you.
Everyone is entitled to an opinion and personal happiness. Nobody should have to live in fear of repercussions of others. In the past, I have used self talk to help myself through this type of problem. I thought something similar to, “I am entitled to my opinion and personal happiness. As long as I don’t infringe on another person’s right to their opinion and happiness, I am doing nothing wrong.” This reminded me that I have the right to do what I want to do, as long as I am not harming anyone else in the process. It’s also a great reminder to yourself that people don’t have the right to intimidate you out of living the life you want to live, simply out of fear.
You are entitled to be happy! Don’t let anyone stand between you and the happiness you deserve! Live your life your own way!
Photo source: freedigitalphotos.net
By Dr. Victor Schueller | Brain and mind
My words have moved to another site today. I did a guest post on the site AngerMentor.com, titled, “How We Unconsciously Make Judgements and One Technique to Snap Out of It.”
I would love to have you visit Tadas’ site and check it out! Let me know what you think! Please visit the article by clicking HERE.
Have a great day!
-Victor