Black and White Thinking.

"It's black and white, right or wrong, good or bad"

We use those terms to indicate certainty. We've decided, we're sure. It's done. We know what we think and how we feel. Next.

BUT. And yet. Still.

We know that things aren't always black and white.

There's always another way of looking at things, a different perspective to be had. It makes sense that viewing life through different lenses, being able to consider multiple perspectives, would make us more creative, better at relationships, better at - - - well, life.

So why do we keep reaching for the certainty of black and white thinking?

It's about metabolism - as so much of our behaviour is.

It takes energy to keep you alive. Your brain, in it's single-minded focus to keep you alive, is always trying to conserve energy. Holding multiple perspectives uses more energy than thinking one way. To a brain that is trying to conserve energy, different viewpoints can feel unsafe, risky, dangerous.

Consider the costs of black and white thinking:

When you know something for certain, and there's no room for considering other perspectives, how does that affect the way you show up in your relationships? Your ability to problem-solve?

How does black and white thinking affect your communities? The world around you?

It's an interesting paradox, isn't it? Being hard-wired for black and white thinking, and knowing that it can actually make life more difficult.

What might be some benefits of moving around, looking at things from different angles, trying on different perspectives?

I invite you to play with that this week - when you feel yourself protecting your opinion, or needing to be right (and yes - we all do it!), Pause. Consider another point of view. Just for a few moments, and notice how it feels, how your nervous system reacts.

What do you feel in your body? How does your nervous system protect you from the uncertainty of thinking about something in a new way?

With this awareness, what new knowing can emerge?

If you recognize you'd like to shift your black and white thinking, but don't know where to start, reach out and let's talk - about who you are, what you want, where you're feeling stuck, and one thing you can do today to start moving toward your goals.

If you'd like to take a deep dive into the psychology and neuroscience of how you think, Adam Grant's "Think Again" and Lisa Feldman Barrett's "Seven and a Half Lessons About the Brain" are great, accessible starting points.