Human psychology has always fascinated me. It was one of the few subjects in school that I actually thoroughly enjoyed and would find myself studying additional material on my own. One key aspect of psychology that intrigues me so much is the subconscious mind. The only thing that has allowed us to dominate all other species in the world is the size and capacity of our brains, yet most people walk around clueless to how little control they actually have on their actions.
The fight or flight response is something that can be found in pretty much all living creatures. This response is fundamentally the beginning of our subconscious as in a dangerous situation your body is required to react as quick as possible. By removing the option for your conscious mind to process, analyze and respond accordingly to a situation you are able to act and move much quicker thus avoiding and surviving a predator.
The human race has come a long way since the age of the caveman. We have built houses, cities and communities on every continent in the world, not only being able to survive but thrive . Even though we have been able to change the world so drastically over the past 100 years with the use of technology, our bodies have taken much longer to evolve to an equal state. It is because of the slow and gradual evolution of the brain that leaves us with these prehistoric tendencies and impulses that are near impossible to get rid of.
The ability to trick and take control of your impulses and emotions is not an easy thing to do and it can take years to change your reflexes. Thankfully, recent scientific research has shown that by changing the position of your physical body you can trick your mind into changing its state.
To better explain this I have attached an amazing TED talk below. The video is a bit long but I highly recommend that you check it out as it will change how you live your life.
This research is very similar to the studies done by Paul Ekman, who discovered that facial gestures are actually part of the human evolutionary process and not determined by cultural influences like it was previously thought.
Overall what I find so fascinating and interesting about this science is that it demonstrates that you can change your behavior much easier then originally thought.
Let me know what you think of this science and let us know in the comments below if you have ever used these techniques to improve your life.
Until next time.
Sincerely,
Grayson