Interesting new research by Elizabeth Phelps and colleagues of New York University, shows that we can think our way out of feeling something bad, by changing the meaning of the thoughts and feelings. As the article says, this is not new research, but the measurement via neuroimaging can provide the evidence that doubters need.
Many managers and professional people suffer from negative or doubtful thoughts, e.g. I don’t know if I can do this or I’m not confident, which is usually accompanied by, or even triggered by anxious or uncomfortable feelings.
The message in the research is to choose a new thoughts about the feelings. For worry, I like something like “oh that’s my worry radar picking up some interference”. It makes me think of the noise a mobile phone makes when it changes cells.
Try your own idea for three weeks and see what happens. If you cannot think of a new thought, make a comment on this blog and we can come up with one together.
Thanks to Stephanie West Allen from the Ailist for the link.