By Thomas Davis, DNAP, MAE, CRNA
“I wish I were a better person”, “I’m so helpless”, “I always get the worst assignments”, “I feel as if I’m an imposter”, “Work is sucking the life out of me”, “Nobody appreciates the stress that I have in my life”, “I’m so disappointed in myself”.
Is your head filled with ANTS?
Psychologists estimate that the human brain has up to 70,000 thoughts per day and those thoughts determine how we interact with those around us. At the heart of how we collaborate and network with others is our ongoing inner dialogue of thoughts that guide our behavior. ANTS, Automatic Negative Thoughts, are a part of the internal dialogue and when left unchecked, can undermine achieving happiness in life.
When negative thoughts pop up in moderation, they serve an important role in protecting us from potential danger in the world. A baseline level of caution protects us from con artists and scammers who prey on gullible victims. They also allow us to see potential consequences and help us to establish boundaries with ourselves and with others. In moderation, a blend of negative thoughts with an otherwise optimistic attitude is a good thing.
However, all too often, negative thoughts dominate the inner dialogue and become the new baseline. When ANTS take control of the brain, a negative spiral develops, people view themselves as inadequate, and the world around them as a threat. Author and psychologist Jaoquin Selva notes that negative thoughts can be impactful and affect health outcomes as well as quality of life. Yale news reports that negative thinking and depression can shrink the brain and cause a loss of synapses. In addition, negative thoughts deplete the feel-good neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine. While negativity shrinks the brain, the brain’s fear and emotional center, the amygdala, becomes enlarged. Buddha was correct when he noted, “nothing can harm you as much as your own thoughts.”
So, what’s in your head? What soundtrack do you have running in the background as you move through your day? Forbes leadership author Christine Comaford notes that 90% of our thoughts are repetitive and we tend to think the same way today as we did yesterday. Put differently, many of us have ANTS in our heads out of habit and not out of necessity. Moving from a baseline of negative thought to a more balanced blend of optimism and caution requires erasing the old soundtrack and developing new habits, but as we all know from New Years resolutions, it takes more than good intentions to make the change. Focused commitment is required.
Exterminate the ANTS
Restoring a healthy balance of thoughts in your brain begins with self-awareness. What is your baseline? Does your mind automatically see the downside to every encounter or are you upbeat and optimistic? Here are some tips for those who want to exterminate ANTS, reduce anxiety, and increase happiness.
Removing ANTS begins with changing the news feed that you put into your head. Being aware of negative thoughts allows you to question them and separate truth from unfounded fear. When people wanted to pass negative news to the ancient philosopher Socrates, he would ask three questions: 1) Is it true? 2) Is it good? 3) Is it useful? If the answer to any of the questions was no, he considered it to be gossip and would not listen. When ANTS creep into your head, ask yourself the same questions and, like Socrates, reject thoughts that are not true.
TED talk speaker Anthony Metivier reinforces the advice from Socrates and suggests asking yourself two questions when experiencing negative thoughts; 1) Is it true. 2) How does it affect my behavior. I would add a third question…how does my behavior affect the behavior of those around me? Attitude is contagious and how you show up can either build up or take down the morale of the entire work group.
Viktor Frankl, author of Man’s Search for Meaning, states “in between stimulus and response is the most powerful human freedom; the power to choose. Here are some suggestions for stamping out the ANTS.
- Increase your awareness of your baseline thoughts and question whether they are true, if they are useful, and how they influence the way you interact with those around you.
- Find new evidence. Rather than focusing on your shortcomings, make a list of your strengths. Never say “I can’t”, rather say “I’ve not yet mastered that skill.”
- Become aware of how the brain works. New neural pathways are developed through repetition so bathe your brain in positivity.
- Be kind to yourself. You are not obligated to focus on weakness or demeane yourself in any way.
- Know your personal values and be true to them. There are several online values assessment tools…select one and gain insight on the things that you value the most.
- Define yourself based on your strengths and values. Don’t waste time trying to be the person who someone else wants or expects you to be. Limit your time on social media.
- Ignore ANTS. Use Socrates questions and throw out thoughts that do not rise to the standard of being truthful, good, and useful.
- Meditate. Start the day with a focus on positivity and end the day with a review of the good things that happened.
- Be receptive to help. If ANTS are so deeply embedded into your brain you may need professional help. Connect with a therapist who can give you practical advice for removing negative thoughts.
We live in a fast-paced, media driven world complete with pop-ups alerting us to every threat known to humanity. As stress increases, so does the potential for an ANT infestation. In the process, health and happiness falter and we are cheated out of the peace of mind that we deserve. Removing the ANTS is a life changer. Make a commitment to pest control and shake the ANTS out of your head.
Tom is an experienced leader, educator, author, and requested speaker. Click here for a video introduction to Tom’s talk topics.