Nothing Is Wrong With Your Brain: Part 2 (The Higher Brain)
In my last post, I talked about how our Lower Brain functions to keep us alive, and how it uses our memory and emotions to identify any potential threats to our survival and safety.
I like to think of the Lower Brain as our ‘survival brain.’ It is the part of the brain that ignites the fight/flight/freeze response, and it does a great job at making sure we are safe from any threats to our existence.
What else is in there?
The Higher Brain, in contrast, is the part of our brain responsible for all high-level functioning: effective communication, attention, impulse control, planning, organization, prioritization, decision making, and short-term memory—just the stuff that makes us amazing 😊
In this post, I share with you how the Higher Brain is different from the Lower Brain, how the two interact, and how this can sometimes be an issue.
The Higher Brain
Aliases: Prefrontal Cortex, Supervisor Brain, Logical Brain, Intelligent Brain, Thriving Brain
The Higher Brain is the part of a human’s brain that distinguishes it from the rest of the animal kingdom. It is responsible for our capacity to be rational, reasonable humans!
It is the part of our brain that wants us to thrive, to do new and exciting things, to plan for changes, and improve our lives.
It is also the part of our brain that can manage emotional responses and impulsive urges that our Lower Brain produces.
How the Lower and Higher Brains Interact
Your Lower and Higher Brain are constantly arguing for your attention.
Typically, when you feel anxious, scared, defensive, or like you’re about do die, chances are your Lower Brain is in the driver’s seat.
On the other hand, when you feel organized, focused, and in control, your Higher Brain is more than likely in charge at the moment.
Because we have approximately 50,000 thoughts on any given day, some coming from the Higher Brain and some coming from the Lower, we are in a constant state of negotiation between the two brains.
How can I learn to tell which part of my brain I am using?
The way to determine which part of your brain has control is to check in with your thoughts and emotional state: what is your brain offering you that you are believing at this moment, and how are you feeling because of it?
Example 1: A 3-mile run scheduled for Tuesday morning at 6:00AM.
Lower Brain Thought: My bed is too comfy to get up; I want to press snooze and skip this run!
Lower Brain Emotion: Tired, Apprehensive, Conflicted
Higher Brain Thought: I will honor myself, my goals, and my plan by completing this run, and will feel amazing all day!
Higher Brain Emotion: Determination, Commitment, Self-Love
Notice how my Lower Brain is focused on the immediate gratification in the moment, avoiding the strain of exercise, and focusing on what feels good right now.
My Higher Brain is focused on the goal set and how I will feel in the future if I work hard now.
Example 2: My boss asked to have an impromptu meeting about a project I recently completed.
Lower Brain Thought: She hates my work and is about to tell me how poorly I performed.
Lower Brain Emotion: Anxious, Defensive, Angry
Higher Brain Thought: I’m interested in hearing her feedback about my work. I believe I did my best and wonder if she feels the same.
Higher Brain Emotion: Curious, Confident, Open
Notice how my Lower Brain is immediately bracing for an attack and thinking about the worst possible scenario.
My Higher Brain understands that feedback is simply a person’s (optional) thoughts, and is willing to hear positive and negative feedback without making it mean anything about my worth as a person or my overall job skills and aptitude.
Where We’ve Gone Wrong
Without understanding that our thoughts come from two different parts of our brains, and that ALL thoughts are optional, we have grown to believe that all of our thoughts are facts and that we must respond to them as such.
You can imagine how that works out!
In my next post, I will outline some steps you can take to understand and manage both parts of your brain. But I want to hear from you:
What if you believed that all thoughts are optional? That all thoughts, positive and negative, are simply subjective experience of neutral, factual situations?
What if you believed that you get to choose which thoughts you wanted to commit to? And that choosing your thoughts on purpose gave you all the power you need to create your own results?
How would your life look differently?
Talk to you soon!
