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Understand and Appreciate the Limitations of your Psychobiology
The RAS - The Switch Moods - The Reality Amygdala - The Highjacker Memory - A Limitation One key feature of the brain: A kind of "toggle switch" controls whether the limbic system (emotion) or the cortex (thought) is currently in charge. This toggle, the reticular activating system (RAS) , is located in an area beginning in the upper brain stem and continuing into the lower reaches of the cerebral cortex. RAS switching appears to occur at one of two times: when we become emotionally charged up or when we relax. When we become emotionally charged, as in the fight-or-flight response, the RAS shuts down the cerebral cortex, or learning brain. For all practical purposes, when the cortex is shut down, we proceed on "automatic pilot," where instinct and training take over ( and sometimes irrational beliefs ) . When the limbic system, or leopard brain, is shut down as a result of general bodily relaxation and removal of threat, the RAS switches the cortex back on and allows creativity and logic to return to center stage. The RAS is a large, diffuse neural process, and its effective functioning is important to both our personal survival and our ability to enjoy life . Excerpt from "The Owners Manual for the Brain" 
Moods are a human condition. You can't avoid them. You aren't going to stop changing moods by reading this book - this can't happen. What can happen is that you can understand that moods are part of being human. Rather than staying stuck in a low mood, convinced you are seeing life realistically, you can learn to question your judgment when you're in this state. You will always see life and the events in it differently, in different moods. When you are in a low mood, learn to pass it off as simply that: an unavoidable human condition that will pass with time, if you leave it alone and avoid giving it too much attention. With an understanding of moods, we can learn to be appreciative of our highs and graceful in our lows. This contrasts sharply with what most of us do in a low mood where we try to think, figure, or force our way out of it. But you can't force your way out of a low mood any more than you can force yourself to have a good time doing something you don't like. The more force (or thought) you put into it, the lower you sink. Excerpt from "You Can be Happy No Matter What" A word from me - Of course, sometimes, situations "demand" that we make a decision or action, " Right Then ". In that case, Forge Ahead utilizing your best judgement. Then, at a later time, review your action and make corrections as ( or if ) needed, with the assurance that you did the best that you could do at the time. I am Human / This Is Life.
Joseph LeDoux, a neuroscientist, was the first to discover the key role of the amygdala in the emotional brain. The amygdala is an almond shaped cluster of interconnected structures perched behind the brainstem. This research explains how the amygdala can take control over what we do even as the thinking brian is still coming to a decision. This emotional sentinal is the first to recieve signals from the eye and ear. A second signal is sent to the neocortex. In the area of the amygdala emotional memory determines if an emergency is at hand and then orchestrates the necessary "fight or flight" response. Those "feelings" include our most primitive and potent. This circuit does much to explain the power of emotion to overwhelm rationality. This design means that we often have little control or no control over WHEN we are swept by emotion, nor over WHAT emotion it will be. But we can have some say in HOW LONG an emotion will last. rewritten from Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman
Ever thought about why phone numbers are seven digits long ? The human brain has an short-term (working) memory capacity of about seven items. When looking at a phone number usually the first three digits are familiar and can be considered as a unit of one. Consequently there consist basically only 5 "things" to remember when given a new phone number ( Well within the limits of the average human memory capacity ). Ever Notice that when given a phone number with an unfamiliar area code AND prefix... it is almost necessary to write that down unless great effort is made to rapidly recite that number over and over again in your head till you can actually dial the number...and then usually its simply lost one it has been dialed ? This is an example of one of your Human Limitations. When Life becomes complicated...when events begin to overwhelm... It is simply that the brain is literally trying to consider too many things at once. I believe we all know what that feels like. SO................... WRITE THINGS DOWN Organize your thoughts on paper and something "Magic" happens. The brain begins to sort through things in an orderly fashion... the sense of being overwhelmed disappears. It can "see" its way through the complexity to plan an "attack" ... to prioritize...to gain perspective on just exactly what is going on and best be done. It is simple ...yet AMAZING what writing things down does... its simply SMART !
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