Our minds. They are pretty amazing. They run the show.
There is an animated film called “Inside Out” about a little girl named Riley who is going through some pretty big changes. In that, the story focuses on her five personified emotions—Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust. So we all get to peek inside Riley and see those emotions work together at Headquarters, the control center of Riley’s mind.
Throughout the film, “Inside Out” explores complex psychological concepts within the human experience. And the movie does this in such a clever way. But the brain is the control center for the whole big deal. My point. That brain is in charge of us.
And with that? Well. Psychology says that humans are always curious about knowing their minds better.
There is a lot to learn about those brains of ours. Because being a human on planet Earth is no easy feat. Many of us try hard to be kind always. But that’s not always easy either. We tend to judge each other or hurt one another. Heck, sometimes, we dumb humans start wars because of our differences.
If only we could all get back to the inner core of our very being. The answer lies in knowledge and empathy, which is why it’s so important to consistently learn about ourselves and others. Like our good friend Margaret Mead once said: “Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else.”
I recently happened on an article about 57 psychological facts about humans. I thought I would share a few with you, and get your thinking on our thinking. Because I love you all, and love sharing these things with you.
And with that, here is the first fact:
• The pupil in our eyes increases by 45% when we look at someone we love.
Well, I don’t love you all like that, in a ga-ga way. But dilated pupils are caused by a surge of love hormones, oxytocin, and dopamine when looking at someone you’re romantically attracted to. In case you were wondering, this is where the term “googly-eyed lovers” comes from.
If you think that is hard to understand, try this:
• You Can Uannrstd Any Msseed Up Sntanece As Lnog As the Fsirt and Lsat Lretets of Wrods Are in the Rhigt Pcales
Yes. Most of you probably breezed right through that sentence. This ability to extract meaning from words mixed up in the middle is based on our ability to deduce the context of things. Context activates certain parts of our brain, allowing us to correspond to what we expect.
• It takes the average human 65 days to develop a habit.
This 65 days is the average for a new behavior to become automatic. But as with anything else, to each his own. Forming a new habit depends on the person and their circumstances. This means that it can easily take anywhere from 18 to 254 days. I’d say I am at the low end of the scale. I can do repetition easily.
• Instinctively answering silly questions with sarcasm could be a sign of a healthy mind.
According to the article, “Sarcasm is a sign of a healthy and highly functional brain. In order to convey a sarcastic comment, it requires you to think creatively, which, in turn, demands more cognitive effort and complex thinking.”
Okay. I’m no psychiatrist. But I don’t like this one. I think sarcasm is a bit on the mean side. And. I think it takes our brains just as much time and effort to think of how to respond to someone in a kind and affirmative manner. Plus, the recipient of the comment would probably be better off if shown some kindness, as opposed to being met with sarcasm and derision.
I’ve also decided that I’m done with these 57 Psychological Facts, according to Dr. KnowSoMuch.
Sometimes, these studies and articles think too much about how we think.
When truly, I think we all know what is best.
Do the next right thing.
Love one another.
Be kind.
Treat others as we would expect to be treated.
Be supportive of what is right in this world.
Forgive others. Forgive ourselves.
Hold goodness as our cause.
At least. That’s what I think.
At least, that’s what I think I’ll try to do today.
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“Speak your truth even if your voice trembles.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
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“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” – Aesop
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“Ripple effects can be incredibly powerful. We often underestimate the importance of making a small difference.” – Scott Adams
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The mind and how we do what we do.
