Dr. Ethan Kross

I'm pretty sure that when David is activating different voices, they're not always a very gentle voice that is encouraging him to take it easy and be kind to oneself.

I'm pretty sure that when David is activating different voices, they're not always a very gentle voice that is encouraging him to take it easy and be kind to oneself.

I'm pretty sure that when David is activating different voices, they're not always a very gentle voice that is encouraging him to take it easy and be kind to oneself.

Quite the opposite. Sometimes, yes. And sometimes, this is important, because negative self-talk is often equated with harmful outcomes. Negative emotions are functional when they are activated in the right proportions. Sometimes being firm with yourself can be quite effective.

Quite the opposite. Sometimes, yes. And sometimes, this is important, because negative self-talk is often equated with harmful outcomes. Negative emotions are functional when they are activated in the right proportions. Sometimes being firm with yourself can be quite effective.

Quite the opposite. Sometimes, yes. And sometimes, this is important, because negative self-talk is often equated with harmful outcomes. Negative emotions are functional when they are activated in the right proportions. Sometimes being firm with yourself can be quite effective.

So if I go to when I'm exercising and I'm doing classes sometimes where coaches are telling me to do really painful things, like sometimes I'm pretty tough on myself. I'm channeling my high school wrestling coach who is really hard on me, right? You know, you better like shape up, you know, you can't, you know, wimp out here. That serves a motivating function for me there.

So if I go to when I'm exercising and I'm doing classes sometimes where coaches are telling me to do really painful things, like sometimes I'm pretty tough on myself. I'm channeling my high school wrestling coach who is really hard on me, right? You know, you better like shape up, you know, you can't, you know, wimp out here. That serves a motivating function for me there.

So if I go to when I'm exercising and I'm doing classes sometimes where coaches are telling me to do really painful things, like sometimes I'm pretty tough on myself. I'm channeling my high school wrestling coach who is really hard on me, right? You know, you better like shape up, you know, you can't, you know, wimp out here. That serves a motivating function for me there.

So if we're recruiting some negative voices, that isn't bad per se. What is bad is if we start looping. That is what we really want to equate with chatter. It's getting stuck in those thought loops. That's when things get harmful, when those negative emotions are tweaked too intensely or for too long.

So if we're recruiting some negative voices, that isn't bad per se. What is bad is if we start looping. That is what we really want to equate with chatter. It's getting stuck in those thought loops. That's when things get harmful, when those negative emotions are tweaked too intensely or for too long.

So if we're recruiting some negative voices, that isn't bad per se. What is bad is if we start looping. That is what we really want to equate with chatter. It's getting stuck in those thought loops. That's when things get harmful, when those negative emotions are tweaked too intensely or for too long.

Well, it goes a little bit beyond even just calming. So yes, there is data linking going for a walk in a beautiful setting with feeling better. But But scientists have actually gone even deeper to understand the various mechanisms through which interacting with green spaces and other kinds of environments can help us. And so there are two major pathways that I often talk about.

Well, it goes a little bit beyond even just calming. So yes, there is data linking going for a walk in a beautiful setting with feeling better. But But scientists have actually gone even deeper to understand the various mechanisms through which interacting with green spaces and other kinds of environments can help us. And so there are two major pathways that I often talk about.

Well, it goes a little bit beyond even just calming. So yes, there is data linking going for a walk in a beautiful setting with feeling better. But But scientists have actually gone even deeper to understand the various mechanisms through which interacting with green spaces and other kinds of environments can help us. And so there are two major pathways that I often talk about.

One is interacting with a green space can be cognitively restorative. So as we talked about earlier, when people get stuck experiencing chatter or other kinds of big emotions, our attention often fixates on the problem at hand. We focus really hard in trying to work through the problem, and that can drain us of our precious attentional resources.

One is interacting with a green space can be cognitively restorative. So as we talked about earlier, when people get stuck experiencing chatter or other kinds of big emotions, our attention often fixates on the problem at hand. We focus really hard in trying to work through the problem, and that can drain us of our precious attentional resources.

One is interacting with a green space can be cognitively restorative. So as we talked about earlier, when people get stuck experiencing chatter or other kinds of big emotions, our attention often fixates on the problem at hand. We focus really hard in trying to work through the problem, and that can drain us of our precious attentional resources.

Well, when you go for a walk in a safe, natural setting, you're surrounded by interesting cues that capture your attention in a very gentle way. So I'm talking about the flowers and the trees, the scents, the sounds. Our attention often drifts onto those features of our environment.

Well, when you go for a walk in a safe, natural setting, you're surrounded by interesting cues that capture your attention in a very gentle way. So I'm talking about the flowers and the trees, the scents, the sounds. Our attention often drifts onto those features of our environment.