It is fascinating Heathen, and we have barely scraped the surface in our understanding of the human brain….although -ridiculously some might say- one of the most striking things to me was how heavy the brain is! With all the complexity of the working of the brain, the fact we have ‘mapped’ it, yet we still have not truly understood it’s true potential. It was when I held one in the anatomy lab at med school it made my arms ache after a few minutes (mad isn’t it). Also it is certain events that fascinate me. An example is a previous patient of mine who had a stroke and now speaks fluent French, yet never learnt it at all throughout her life and did not know a word prior to this event!
Glass half full and half empty is an acquired skill. Some may learn it through their family as they grow (the blank slate theory). Some may be born with it, some develop it through teaching, making that conscious response to see things in a positive light (trait v state). From this you form neuronal connections that allow a more positive response. If it is a learnt behaviour, at first it takes a little longer to reach that outcome. Using the car analogy it is like taking your journey through the A and B roads. It will take longer, will need more active thought to navigate through, towns, junctions, roadworks, traffic lights, but you get to your desired destination. With the following journeys that little easier as you know when to leave, what short cuts to take to make your journey less troublesome.
My glass half full approach came not as a practitioner treating people, but as a patient. I became unwell with generalised anxiety disorder and moderate/severe post traumatic stress disorder by working in emergency medicine. My psychotherapist had to teach me this skill, and it is one I focus really hard on as it can bring true joy to, not just your life, but others around you (even if you get the ‘he’s always so positive’ jibe now and then). I still fall back a little, like before our recent game against Bath, where my worry for the club clouded my excitement of the game. But with positivity comes perspective, and to enjoy what you can. The wife and I will be at the CBS this weekend, and I truly hope our clubs outcome is good, but I will cheer the lads on for the full 80 as we have a league to try to win!