Information Drives Our Emotions, Not Us

2024 Author: Harry Day | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 15:43

Today I want to talk to you about reactive and proactive responses.

Why are useless posts, images and short texts with low quality content always popular and have thousands of likes?

Why do telegram channels with "Quotes of Great People" and motives have more subscribers?

Because you do not need to think about the information you have read. You can, in principle, not read it at all. There is no need to evaluate, comprehend. There is only a primary reaction - these are short-term emotions. Reactive behavior.

Every day we have a large number of events. The flow of information, both negative and positive. Every thought forms a biochemical reaction and emotion. Someone gets angry, someone gets upset, someone blames the other, and someone takes the information and considers it to their advantage - Proactive behavior.

Consuming tons of non-informative content, we try to keep abreast of all the events. Only short-term memory is involved, which works for 72 hours and is erased by the next stream of unnecessary information. One picture is replaced by the next. Short text followed. We feed on reactions - emotions from them. Best of all, positive, because there is already enough negative in the world!

We stop imagining and imagining, we have already been shown everything.

We do not include analysis of information, deliberation and critical thinking.

If you are thinking about a complex text or book, analyzing what you read is already a difficult task. But on the other hand, with the help of comprehending information, we are able to introduce what we have read into ourselves as knowledge that we can apply further.

The future belongs to thinking people.

You need to develop and kick your brain. Ponder. Make you read books, difficult articles. Take an hour of free time after reading to analyze and comprehend the information. No gadgets in hand. Analyze and write your findings. How can this information be useful to me and others. Better yet, then share with friends and discuss together the knowledge gained. (Which is what I am doing now when I write this text). Move it all into long-term memory, put it into practice. Let it take time and effort. Believe me, the time wasted on likes cannot be compared to this.

We think the more information we consume, the smarter we become. It works exactly the opposite. We get duller looking at how Tanya went to rest in Italy and bought herself new sneakers. And there is nothing to tell others.

I will return to the examples of reactive and proactive human behavior noted above. I will try to explain why to analyze, and not just consume emotions.

Reactive behavior - as an impulse, it happens quickly and imperceptibly for us. Reaction on the machine, without comprehension and evaluation. For information, pictures. No energy costs. Emotion. There are many emotions, but there are no actions that will change anything.

For example: fluctuations in the dollar exchange rate, weather conditions that affect us, but we cannot change this. The first reaction is that I get upset and my mood spoils, because it is cloudy and it is raining.

Or, I'm glad because the sun has come out.

A picture of a beautiful ocean - teploooo.

Help Sasha with the operation - fuck, poor child, and so on.

Proactive response - I can take time to think about what was said, received, what happened. I have the right to react however I want.

This is the result of my thinking and my individual choice.

Consciously controlling my reaction.

When I take what happened for granted and ask myself, what can I do or change about it?

For example: it is cloudy and it is raining, I cannot influence this in any way. But I can spend my morning ritual with cool music, put on the most beautiful and bright outfit and go out into the street smiling at everyone.

Or, my sedentary work doesn't suit me at all. I can get angry with myself, the food I have chosen, the job, the lack of time. Get upset.

But I can admit this fact: well, yes, I sit a lot. Yes, I don't eat well,. Yes, I don't move at all. And write down the next plan of action, how much and at what time to run. Sign up for yoga. Analyze your diet and change it.

Photo of Bali - cool, I'll go see the plane tickets and how much the accommodation costs.

Of course, we are all living people, not robots, and we have reactive behavior. Emotional response. But in emotions you can get stuck, and this does not allow you to move on and develop.

Proactive thinking and behavior leads to change. Even if a complete ass has happened in your life, the emotions associated with this are normal. Then a good question to ask yourself is how can I use this situation to my advantage? What actions do I need to take to change the situation?

Think before you get banned.

Reactivity also implies powerlessness and negativity. (Hello to someone who watches TV, reads the morning news). On the Internet, we have instant access to information about events from all over the world. Wars, volcanic eruptions, murders and cataclysms. Fear, anxiety, panic, aggression, anger are the primary reactions from emotional overload. It is not in our power to change anything in this world. The negative is overwhelming. Feeling helpless?

Reactive people are driven by feelings, circumstances, conditions, environment. Depend on the behavior of others, allowing themselves to be controlled. Mental slavery, in which a person consumes only what the world offers him. Thinks with other people's thoughts. He wants to fulfill other people's desires and strives for someone else's dream. Lives someone else's life not only on social networks, but also in reality

Proactivity means being constructive, analyzing the situation and choosing an attitude towards it. Understanding what actions you can take or try to take to bring about change. Managing your emotions.

It is almost impossible to control circumstances, you can only control yourself

Proactive people know who they are, their values and beliefs. Therefore, they are able to choose their reactions and actions based on inner values.

Try to observe what pattern of behavior is inherent in you.

It can be changed. Like a muscle that can be pumped up. A skill to train.

Proactive behavior can be fostered in every person.

Study yourself. What are you capable of. What exactly do you want.

To use proactive behavior in your life, you first need to realize that there is a reactive one and understand the difference between them.

Start tracking how you react to a sudden situation.

If your reaction is an emotion that is not followed by an action and that reaction is not helping you, that is reactive behavior.

Then ask yourself the question, what does this situation give me, what opportunities? What can I do to change it?

Proactive behavior is the conscious management of your reaction to events and yourself. You start to see more possibilities in different situations. Learn to cope with them, getting positive emotions. Become more efficient in your life

Well, you understand what needs to be done, right? I'll come and check it tomorrow.