Part 2 – Discover the Power of The Contrarian Mindset: A New Approach to Rewiring Your Brain for Resilience and Growth

In this solo episode, Jason continues laying the groundwork for The Contrarian Mindset series by delving deeper into the roots of negative thinking, rumination, and overthinking. Building on Season 7 Episode 1, he explores the interplay of evolutionary biology, neurochemistry, and cognitive distortions that shape our mental patterns. Jason introduces the 12 contrarian skills as practical tools for challenging negativity and fostering resilience.

This episode provides insights into why negative thinking persists, how it impacts mental health, and how understanding these mechanisms can help us break free from unproductive cycles.

Key Takeaways:

1. The Evolutionary Roots of Negative Thinking:
   • The brain's negativity bias evolved to prioritize threats, ensuring survival.
   • In modern life, this bias often creates irrational fears and overemphasizes negative experiences, which hinder well-being.
2. Biological Underpinnings:
   • Elevated cortisol (stress hormone) heightens sensitivity to perceived threats.
   • Dopamine imbalances can reduce feelings of reward, contributing to dissatisfaction and negative thinking.
3. Impact on Mental Health:
   • Anxiety: Amplifies catastrophic thinking and avoidance behaviors.
   • Depression: Reinforces patterns of rumination and hopelessness, creating a self-perpetuating loop.
4. Cognitive Distortions:
   • Common distorted thinking patterns include all-or-nothing thinking, catastrophizing, mental filtering, and personalization.
   • Recognizing these patterns is a crucial step in overcoming negative thinking.
5. Rumination and Overthinking:
   • Both habits trap individuals in unproductive cycles of distress.
   • Habitual rumination deepens neural pathways, reinforcing negativity over time.
6. The Contrarian Mindset:
   • Challenges established fears and mindsets by shifting focus to constructive and adaptive ways of thinking.
   • Draws on neuroplasticity to rewire the brain for resilience, tenacity, and psychological strength.

If you’ve found this episode helpful, share it with someone who might benefit. 

Additional Resources:

Check out the Season 7 Episode 1
Part 1 – Discover the Power of The Contrarian Mindset: A New Approach to Rewiring Your Brain for Resilience and Growth

Chapters

• 0:16 Introduction to the Contrarian Mindset
• 3:13 The Science of Negative Thinking
• 9:52 Understanding Cognitive Distortions
• 16:26 The Impact of Rumination and Overthinking
• 23:06 Introducing the Contrarian Playbook

Transcript

[0:00] Music.

[0:06] Welcome to It's an Inside Job, the podcast where we equip you with actual skills to build resilience, enhance communication, foster well-being,

[0:14] and lead and coach with impact. I'm your host, Jason Liem, and every Monday we bring you expert insights and real-world stories to help you thrive and succeed. And with that said, let's slip into the stream.

[0:27] Music.

[0:35] Well welcome back to the show and thank you very much for joining me for another week this episode is going to be a solo episode it is going to be a part two of the episode i did last monday which was season seven episode one where we talked about the contrarian mindset now will define that in a second last week we talked about two things the negativity bias this natural programming that our brains have been ingrained with to constantly search for dangers and threats to our life and limb now to understand this is part of our survival mechanism.

[1:14] Wetware that's been with us forever as a human race. But it is to serve us positive intent. It is to keep us kicking along. But in modern times, this negativity bias, it acts more of a hindrance than a helper. Now, what do I mean by that? Well, at least in the Western world, we're not faced with life and death situations all the time. But our brains can take what is perceived as a paper tiger and make it into a tiger. Seeing perceived threats as real threats. And what we want to do, the contrarian mindset is just that. It's about the ability to step outside our subjective storm and to look at our lives from an objective perspective. And we can do this by using the techniques that I will be teaching in the Bite Size Fridays, these 12 contrarian skills. Now we also talked about last week neuroplasticity. Now neuroplasticity is our ability to consciously using our attention, our focus attention to actually change the infrastructure, the engineering of our brains by how we consistently think. So instead of naturally falling into the default setting of the negativity bias, it means we can use our focus attention by being in the here and now in the present and moving from our subjective storm of the negativity bias to an objective perspective where we are reflective and we can cognizantly choose the direction we want to go. We can read the emotions.

[2:41] We can be witness to our dysfunctional thinking and shift to a more functional, logical, rational approach, but also to understand what our emotions are communicating to us and not get lost in those emotional storms. And so in this week's episode, it's a part two, it's a follow-up to last week's episode where we're going to dive more specifically in the types of negative thinking we fall into. I want to elaborate on rumination, I want to elaborate on overthinking and how

[3:10] that contributes either to our well-being or our ill-being. So without further ado, let's slip into the stream into this.

[3:17] Music.

[3:29] Interplay of evolutionary biology, neurochemistry, and psychological factors is deeply ingrained in the human psyche. Now, this intricate web of influences shapes our perceptions and judgment, leading to a heightened recall of negative experiences and a predisposition to expect unfavorable outcomes. Let's delve deeper into the pathways of negative thinking, its biological underpinnings, and the consequences for mental health, underlying the importance of understanding these mechanisms as a step towards mitigation. Now, as we talked in the previous episode, the human brain's negativity bias is a survival mechanism, prioritizing potential threats for immediate attention. Now, this bias influences memory, perception, and judgment, leading to a heightened recall of negative experiences and a predisposition to expect unfavorable outcomes.

[4:24] Research in cognitive psychology reveals that that this bias affects individual experiences and influences interpersonal relationships and decision-making processes, illustrating its pervasive impact on daily life. The biochemical landscape of our brain, modulating mood and thought patterns, plays a significant role in negative thinking. Now, there's two key neurotransmitters or hormones, cortisol and dopamine, which are central to this understanding. Now, the first, cortisol, elevated cortisol levels, a stress marker, can lead to an increased tendency towards negative thinking by enhancing the brain sensitivity to perceived threats. Chronic stress, characterized by sustained high cortisol levels, well, that can alter brain structure and function, particularly in areas like the hippocampus and the frontal cortex which are involved in memory and judgment respectively. Now dopamine is.

[5:22] While dopamine is associated with feelings of pleasure or reward, imbalances can contribute to negative thinking. And absent or reduction in anticipated rewards, well, that can lead to decreased dopamine activity, contributing to feelings of dissatisfaction and negativity. This is particularly relevant in context of modern societal pressures and the instant gratification culture.

[5:46] Negative thinking has a strong and significant impact on mental health. The intricate relationship between negative thinking and mental health is profoundly bidirectional, with each aspect influencing and reinforcing the other. Now, this dynamic shapes our emotional landscape and has tangible effects on our psychological well-being. Delving deeper into this relationship, well, it helps us to understand its impact full scope. And indeed, it lays the groundwork for the effective intervention strategies that I will highlight in the Bite Size Friday episodes of The Contrarian Mindset. Now, the first one I want to talk about is anxiety.

[6:26] Now, anxiety disorders characterized by excessive and persistent worry exemplify the detrimental effects of negative thinking. Now, these disorders can transform everyday concerns into overwhelming fears, which can distort reality and exaggerate the likelihood of adverse outcomes. Negative thinking in the context of anxiety often involves catastrophic thinking, where the individual anticipates the worst possible scenario in any given situation. Now, this relentless focus on potential threats can trigger heightened arousal and vigilance, designed as an evolutionary response to danger, but maladaptive in everyday life. The cycle of anxiety is further fueled by avoidance behaviors and safety-seeking actions, which, though intended to reduce anxiety.

[7:17] Well, they actually reinforce the perception of danger in the habit of negative thinking. Then there's depression. Depression's link to negative thinking extends beyond mere pessimism. It encompasses a pervasive sense of helplessness and hopelessness, where negative thoughts about the self, the world, and the future become entrenched patterns. This condition often involves a process known as rumination, the repetitive and passive focus on one's symptoms of distress and the causes and the consequences of these symptoms. Now, rumination can exasperate depressive symptoms, creating a self-perpetuating loop of negative thinking and low mood. Now, such patterns can diminish motivation, disrupt concentration, and lead to withdrawal from social interactions and activities, further deepening the grip of depression.

[8:11] Understanding the bi-directional nature of the relationship between negative thinking and mental health, well, it's essential for breaking the cycle. Negative thinking can act both as a precursor and a consequence of mental health issues, creating a complex feedback loop. This awareness is crucial for individuals to recognize and to interpret this cycle, leading to a healthier, more balanced mindset.

[8:38] Awareness of this biological and psychological foundations of negative thinking and the impact on mental health is the first step towards mitigation by understanding these mechanisms individuals can better recognize the signs of detrimental thought patterns and seek appropriate interventions and so this episode is where i want to set the stage for exploring practical approaches aimed at cultivating resilience and fostering positive and constructive thinking, and ultimately leading to a healthier, more balanced mindset, or in this case, the contrarian mindset. Building on our understanding of the bi-directional relationship between negative thinking and mental health, well, it becomes crucial to delve into one of the key mechanisms that perpetuate this cycle, something called cognitive distortions. These distorted patterns of thinking play a pivotal role in both the development and the maintenance of anxiety and depression as they can warp our perception of reality. Now, by identifying and addressing these cognitive distortions, we unlock a vital strategy for interrupting the feedback loop of negative thinking

[9:50] and its impact on mental health. Now, this exploration is not just about recognizing these patterns, but equipping ourselves with the knowledge to challenge and change them, setting a foundation for the.

[10:01] Music.

[10:11] Distortions, first identified by psychologists Aaron Beck and David Burns, are irrational thought patterns that contribute to negative thinking and emotional distress. Now, these distortions often occur automatically and can significantly impact an individual's mental health and overall perception of reality. And here are some of the most common cognitive distortions that fuel negative thinking. And as I go through these cognitive distortions, I want you just to realize that this is normal part of thinking. Everybody experiences this. And so what you might want to do is take note or take mark out those that you feel are more common to you. The first one is called all or nothing thinking. This cognitive distortion involves viewing situations in extreme black or white terms without recognizing any middle ground. When engaging in all or nothing thinking, individuals often evaluate the performance relationships and experience in terms of absolutes perfect or complete failure with no space for nuance or partial success for instance someone might decide they are utterly unlovable because one relationship didn't work ignoring their positive relationships with other friends and family now a second cognitive distortion is called overgeneralization.

[11:33] Individuals who overgeneralize take one instance or event and generalize it to an overall pattern of negativity. This thought pattern often involves using words like always or never about a single occurrence. A second example could be someone overlooked for a promotion and concludes, quote, I'll never be recognized for my contributions.

[11:55] Projecting one specific disappointment onto all future work experiences. The next cognitive distortion is catastrophizing. Now, this is the tendency to assume the worst will happen, even when it's unlikely. This distortion leads individuals to magnify the potential consequences of an event beyond a reasonable level of concern. Another example is someone who, upon noticing a minor health symptom, immediately worries they have a serious illness despite a lack of evidence or medical diagnosis. A fourth distortion is called mental filtering. Now, this distortion focuses exclusively on a situation's negative aspects, excluding any positive elements. It's like viewing the world through a filter that only selects the negative. For example, a person might receive several compliments about their performance, but dwells solely on one piece of constructive criticism, allowing it to define their entire experience. Now, another distortion, well, this is discounting the positive. People who discount the positive refuse to accept positive experiences or attributes as valid. They might attribute successes to external factors like luck rather than effort or skills. Another instance is someone who, despite a history of successful project management, brushes off compliments, insisting that the outcomes were due to team effort or timing rather than their leadership.

[13:25] Then there's the distortion of jumping to conclusions. This involves making a negative interpretation without supporting evidence. It encompasses mind reading, assuming that you know what others think, and fortune telling, predicting future events will turn out badly. And another example is seeing a friend's neutral expression and immediately thinking, she's upset with me, he's angry with me, without any conversation or confirmation. Now another distortion is emotional reasoning.

[13:56] Individuals using emotional reasoning believe their negative emotions necessarily reflect how things are. For example, someone could feel overwhelmed and conclude, my life's a disaster, even when the situation is manageable or temporary. Now, the next one is a very common cognitive statement or cognitive distortion. And these are should statements. You know, these statements are rules or expectations individuals set for themselves or others, often leading to disappointment and frustration. You know, an example is, for example, I should be doing this or I should be doing that. Others should always appreciate what I do for them. Well, this sets up unrealistic expectations that inevitably lead to resentment when not met. Another one is labeling and mislabeling. Now, this involves attaching a negative label to oneself or someone else based on a single action or event. Another example could be someone who makes a mistake in social settings and labels themselves as awkward or socially inept. Or they do something wrong at work and all of a sudden they are incompetent across the board. And that means they ignore instances where they are sociable and engaging.

[15:13] Now, the final cognitive distortion I'd like to talk about is personalization. Now, this distortion entails taking responsibility for events outside of one's control, believing that what others do or say is a direct response to oneself. An example is a manager who feels responsible for an employee's failure despite providing adequate training and support, believing they must have somehow caused the employee's mistake. Now, understanding cognitive distortions provides a nuanced view of how negative thinking becomes entrenched in our psyche Acting as a bridge between the biological underpinnings of negativity bias and neurotransmitter influence discussed earlier More specifically, cortisol and dopamine Now, these distortions illustrate the complexity of negative thinking How it's not merely a result of our evolutionary and biochemical makeup up, but also shaped by how we interpret and assign meaning to our experiences. Moving from cognitive distortions, we see that negative thinking isn't just about our brain's wiring or evolutionary background. It comes also from how

[16:24] we interpret our experiences. Now, this insight is going to be crucial as we discuss rumination and.

[16:30] Music.

[16:44] Rumination and overthinking, often stemming from the negativity bias, are psychological patterns where individuals fixate on distressing thoughts, fears, or scenarios without finding a productive resolution. These mental habits can significantly impact mental health, contributing to the development and exasperation of conditions such as anxiety and depression.

[17:08] Rumination involves a repetitive and negative focus on one's feelings of distress, their causes, and consequences. Now, this cycle of negative thinking not only reinforces depressive or anxious states, but can also hinder individuals from moving beyond their problems to engage in effective problem solving. Ruminating people tend to recall negative experiences, interpret situations more negatively, and feel hopeless about the future. Now, this preoccupation with problems prevents the focus necessary for finding solutions, creating a vicious cycle where negative thinking begets more negativity. The roots of rumination may lie in an evolutionary advantage where our ancestors used to learn from unfortunate events to avoid future dangers. However, in modern times, this mental process often becomes maladaptive. So instead of prompting productive reflection, well, rumination traps individuals, traps any one of us in a loop of unproductive negative thinking. Now, the brain's attempt to resolve a problem becomes fixated on an ineffective approach.

[18:23] And thus, it worsens the situation as the rumination intensifies. This has psychological implications and can lead to physiological stress, exaggerating our fears and negative mindsets, highlighting the importance of addressing this habit to maintain mental and physical health.

[18:42] Rumination is habit-forming and can change the brain structure over time, making it easier for individuals to fall into patterns of negative overthinking. This is what we discussed in the first episode about neuroplasticity. Like walking the same path in a grass field, each instance of rumination creates a deeper neural trail in the brain, facilitating this detrimental habit. Now, breaking free from this cycle requires conscious effort and focused attention. And this is what I want to highlight in future episodes and Baitai's episodes about the contrarian mindset. Diving into the 12 skills that I have found that have helped me through my dark time sometimes. But for some people, the rumination over the thinking may be so intense that for some individuals, professional intervention may be required. You know, in those cases where rumination or obsessive thoughts become very overwhelming, seeking professional help is crucial. Cognitive behavioral therapy, support groups, or medication may be recommended based on individual needs. The goal in any of these is to equip individuals with the tools to manage their thoughts more effectively and, of course, reducing the impact on rumination on their mental health.

[20:04] You know, rumination, while it is a typical response to stress and negative experiences, can become a debilitating pattern if left unchecked. Now, recognizing the signs of rumination and implementing strategies to counteract its effects, well, it can help individuals regain control over their mental processes, leading to more improved health and a sense of well-being. Now, in addressing the challenges of rumination and overthinking, the whole idea of the contrarian playbook or the contrarian mindset is to equip you with the knowledge and skills necessary to tackle these mental patterns head on. Because by understanding the roots and impacts of rumination as detailed through scientific research and psychological insights, well, the playbook I want to teach you guys is to help you to find alternative ways of thinking and responding to stress and negative thoughts. In a sense, the contrarian mindset.

[21:04] Now, I want you to understand that rumination and overthinking and negative thinking is something that we all do. It is a normal part of the brain's processing, but it's when it becomes overwhelming. It's when it drives us into the rabbit hole, and it blinds us for seeing possibilities and opportunities. Now, the playbook I want to introduce that introduces the contrarian strategies from myself, they have challenged my conventional responses to anxiety and depression.

[21:38] They have encouraged myself to break free from the cycle's negative thinking. Now, I'm not saying every skill that I'm teaching you is going to be effective for you. What it may require is you to handpick those ones that are effective for you. And if you feel that your rumination and the stresses in your life are very overwhelming, well, then I highly recommend moving beyond the contrarian mindset and to seek professional help. But for those of us who are just dealing with sort of.

[22:10] Everyday stressors and the negativity bias, then the contrarian playbook may be something that will be helpful for you. Because the idea of why I put the contrarian playbook together is to offer practical steps for redirecting folks away from unproductive rumination towards more constructive and positive ways of engaging with the problems that each of us face. Now by teaching the contrarian playbook, these 12 skills, we're going to delve into habit-forming behaviors associated with rumination, overthinking, and negative thinking. You know, I want to provide insights in how these neural pathways are formed and how they can be altered. You know, the whole idea of putting this playbook together is to aim to empower you to create lasting changes in your thinking processes by presenting methods

[23:01] to forge new and healthier mental habits and mindsets. You know, it's by challenging established norms. It's encouraging self-reflection and providing evidence-based strategies. The whole idea of the contrarian playbook is to guide you towards a more resilient and mentally healthy life. I want to address how to manage rumination, overthink, and to leverage these challenges as opportunities for growth. Of course, ultimately fostering a mindset that thrives in the face of adversity.

[23:35] I want to foster within you the power of resilience and robustness, of tenacity and fortitude and psychological strength. I want to share the skills with you that have worked for me. And the contrarian playbook is not to replace anything that you are doing now, or is it a replacement for medical professional help. What it is, is to complement the skills and the learnings and the experiences you have that have helped you along this road.

[24:06] Music.

[24:15] Well, folks, the last two episodes have been the introduction to what I like to call the contrarian mindset, and I'm presenting it as a contrarian playbook to lead to that mindset. And as I said before, you will find each of the 12 skills in the Bite Size Friday episodes that I will be releasing consecutively every week. And after I've introduced the 12 skill sets, I'm going to introduce the 15 typical mindsets, the dysfunctional fears and mindsets that we fall into, and how to use those skills to find a contrarian way out of those mindsets, to find an unorthodox way to empower you to find more resilience, tenacity, and well-being, so you are better at leading yourself. And if you are a leader of other people, how to lead them and coach them out of their unproductive thinking, unhelpful emotions and dysfunctional mindsets so please if you find that this can be of help to someone please share it with them you'll be doing me a huge favor at spreading the word of this podcast, well that's it for today i will see you on bite size friday to share one of this cognitive contrarian skills with you but until the next time we speak keep well keep strong and we'll speak soon.

[25:38] Music.