We need to turn our brains into noise canceling headphones
We need to turn our brains into noise canceling headphones. – Shawn Achor, Professor of Psychology at Harvard University, and author of The Happiness Advantage
We need to decrease both the external noise and the internal noise in our lives says Professor Shawn Achor. Research shows the brain processes noise and negative things first and then the meaning. So if you have a lot of noise and meaningless information and entertainment clogging your external world and non stop chatter and worry generated by the voice in your head clogging your internal world, then your brain never gets to the good stuff. The meaningful important bits that allow us to develop gratitude, compassion, contentment, peace, and happiness. Achor cites Research on kids with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) that showed just by taking them into a quiet place with no external stimulus drastically lowered their symptoms. As the noise and distraction level in our environment has gone up is it any wonder ADHD levels are rising sharply ? (2013 CDC survey results showed ADHD now is around 11% of the youth population up from 3% in the 1970’s).
Noise canceling headphones work by introducing the opposite frequency of the noise you want to cancel. We need to do the same thing. Feeling too much negativity? – then cancel it with positive imagery, content, music, and exercise. Unfortunately, what we end up doing too much of the time is noise amplifying – consuming an ever-increasing amount of negative news stories, violent tv, movies, games, and disturbing music.
So go put on those brain noise canceling headphones and take back your sanity (and happiness).
Resources:
Meditation remains the best way to lower the internal noise in our minds. See this previous post – Effortless Meditation – on how to get started: http://www.thinksmarterworld.com/2013/11/19/effortless-meditation-2/ and this one on Mindfulness: http://www.thinksmarterworld.com/2014/04/30/mindfulness-experiencing-reality-hd/
Much of the noise we consume is through mainstream media sources. Here is a post I wrote that gives you 21 different ways to free your mind from mass media: http://www.thinksmarterworld.com/2014/03/10/21-ingredients-healthy-delicious-media-diet/
~Jay Kshatri
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