Even in childhood we are conditioned negatively. Parents say: "Don't do that!" "Stop it!" "That is not allowed." "That's not right." Teachers underline mistakes with red pen, circle the incorrect word, highlight it. The boss or colleague critices us and emphasizes what's went wrong. The negative image stands like an exclamation mark in front of our inner eye and creates frustration and displeasure.
|
Inside this rectangle is NO tree to see. |
Look at the rectangle please. Which image do you have in mind right now? The image of a tree, although there shouldn't be one? In the next step don't think of a kangoroo..... I hope, you don't think of a kangoroo under a tree.
Right and left cerebral hemisphere
The right half of the brain is responsible for visual perception and creates images of our words. This is called imagination. Negations like "never, not, no, nowhere" are too abstract for pictorial thinking. How do you paint a "not" to your picture? By crossing it out? An outcrossed tree is nonetheless a depicted tree which should actually "not" be pictured.
In opposite to pictorial thinking negations are processed in the language center of the left side of the brain and therefore they are independent of the image. Both terms stand on different sides of the bridge that connects our both cerebral hemispheres. Because the pictorial thinking is stronger than the verbal one, the "not" is ignored or remains undetected.
Negative talking
To be a pessimist or thinking and speaking negatively means focusing primarily to that image that actually should be avoided through the added negation. DON'T stumble, don't miss, don't make a mistake. Nevertheless, the focus lies on the words stumble, miss and mistake.
Thus, you can imagine how much more useful it would be to replace negative words with positive ones.