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Never Mind Your Mind: The Stone Age Mind & Negativity Bias
Welcome back to our journey of understanding how the mind works and transforming the way we relate to our thoughts. In the first part of this series, we explored the nature of the human mind—its relentless activity, the way it churns out images, words and sounds, and how our relationship to these thoughts often determines their power over us.
Now, we’ll dive deeper into why our minds operate the way they do by exploring The Stone Age Mind. By understanding how our brains evolved, we can better appreciate the roots of our automatic thoughts and develop the tools to navigate them.
Humans Mind: Understanding Negativity Bias
As we discussed in my last article, the human mind is incessant. It judges, evaluates and tries to keep us safe and comfortable. This “minding” process isn’t inherently bad—it’s a product of evolution. Our ancestors developed minds that prioritized safety above all else because their survival depended on it.
Yet, as Rick Hanson points out:
“The brain is like Velcro for negative experiences and Teflon for positive ones.”
This means our automatic thoughts are naturally biased toward negativity—clinging to threats or discomfort and brushing off positivity.
Hanson’s example of dwelling on one negative encounter amid many positive moments perfectly illustrates this negativity bias. It’s not just a quirk; it’s the legacy of our Stone Age brains.
The Stone Age Mind at Work
The Stone Age mind evolved to detect and avoid danger, ensuring survival in a world rife with physical threats. But the same instincts that protected us then can overwhelm us now, even when real danger is absent.
Here’s how negativity bias plays out
- Safety First. The brain’s primary job is to protect us from harm. In the Stone Age, this meant avoiding predators or dangerous terrain. Today, it manifests as worry, catastrophizing and avoiding discomfort—even if the perceived “threat” is a minor social interaction.
- Discomfort Avoidance. Early humans avoided anything that might cause physical pain or threaten their place in the tribe. In modern life, this translates to procrastination, fear of failure and anxiety over small challenges.
The Stone Age Mind vs. The Modern Mind
While humans have evolved physically and socially, our brains haven’t quite caught up with the modern world. This mismatch is why Stone Age thinking patterns still show up in our daily lives, even when they no longer serve us.
Let’s look at some examples provided by Russ Harris, a renowned Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) teacher:
Stone Age Threats: “There might be a bear in that cave.”
Modern Thoughts: “What if I fail at this project?”
Our minds catastrophize to keep us safe.
Stone Age Repetition: “Remember that tiger on the hill? Watch out!”
Modern Thoughts: “It happened before, so it’ll happen again.”
Our minds replay painful memories to avoid future pain.
Stone Age Survival: “What did I do to survive the wolf attack?”
Modern Thoughts: “I can’t stop replaying that embarrassing moment.”
Our minds ruminate, even when the lesson has already been learned.
Stone Age Social Bonds: “Am I contributing enough to the tribe?”
Modern Thoughts: “Am I good enough? Do they like me?”
Our minds compare and judge to maintain connection.
Stone Age Resource Conservation: “Don’t expend too much energy.”
Modern Thoughts: “This is too hard; I’ll fail anyway.”
Our minds resist effort to conserve resources.
Stone Age Cravings: “We need more food, better weapons!”
Modern Thoughts: “I need more, better, newer.”
Our minds crave endlessly, leading to dissatisfaction.
Stone Age Avoidance: “Stay away from that wolf!”
Modern Thoughts: “Avoid painful feelings at all costs.”
Our minds treat emotional discomfort like physical danger.
Bridging the Gap From Negativity Bias Toward a Modern Mind
Understanding these patterns isn’t about blaming or resenting the mind—it’s about seeing its attempts to protect us and learning how to work with it. By doing this, we begin to cultivate a more adaptive, modern mind that serves us better in today’s world.
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Exercise: Spotting Your Stone Age Mind
1. Review the examples above and identify which ones resonate most with your experience.
2. As you go about your day, notice when these patterns arise. Say to yourself: “Ah, there’s that Stone Age mind!”
3. Optional: Give these patterns a name. For instance, “fitting in with the tribe” for self-comparison thoughts, or “sabre-tooth tiger memory” for recurring fears.
By naming and noticing these patterns, you create space to respond differently.
Thanking the Mind
Rather than fighting against the mind’s instincts and negativity bias, what if we thanked it? After all, these patterns exist because they’ve helped humans survive for millennia. When I find myself caught in negative thoughts, I pause, put my hand on my heart, and say something like:
“Thank you, mind, for trying to protect me. These thoughts aren’t helpful right now, but they remind me of the human condition. Without them, I couldn’t do the work I do.”
Could you try this? Could you see your mind’s patterns as opportunities for growth rather than obstacles?
Never Mind Your Mind: A Shift in Perspective
What if, instead of seeing thoughts as happening to us, we saw them as happening for us? What if every negative thought became a chance to understand yourself better and strengthen your capacity for resilience?
This shift in perspective is at the heart of Never Mind Your Mind. By observing, naming, and thanking the mind, we begin to unhook from its automatic patterns. And as we unhook, we free ourselves to engage with life more fully, guided by purpose rather than fear.
Stay tuned for the next part of this series, where we’ll explore the negative thought narrative in detail and how negativity bias shapes our perception of reality.
For now, take a moment to acknowledge your Stone Age mind. It’s been working hard for you, but it’s time to give it a little rest.
This is a journey of sculpting a modern mind for a modern world. Let’s do this together.
Recommended Course:
Never Mind Your Mind (The 12 Day Audio Course) - Deepen your sense of spirituality with insights, tips and tools for unhooking from unhelpful thoughts.
Welcome to ‘Never Mind Your Mind’: Reuben’s Circle
Never Mind Your Mind isn’t just a body of work; it’s a community. By taking part, you’re contributing to a positive shift in the world. As you practice unhooking from your thoughts and taking them less seriously, you’re not just changing your life—you’re influencing the lives of those around you.
Join Community: Never Mind Your Mind: Reuben’s Circle in your Aura app.
As I often say, there’s a positive change going on in the world; it all depends on where we focus our attention. Together, we can cultivate a deeper understanding of the human mind and empower ourselves and others to live with greater clarity and compassion.
Life is tough, and there is gentleness within it. Let’s all pull through together.
Do you like the sound of this adventure?
- Not taking our thoughts so seriously, unless they’re helpful.
- Having a space to hare and get validated.
To access the Never Mind Your Mind community on Aura, simply visit the Aura platform and search for our sanctuary. Join us to experience a welcoming space where resilience and spirituality unite.
Here, you’ll find workshops, guided courses, and tools to deepen your connection with yourself and others. Together, we uncover insights, navigate life’s challenges, and grow into our most empowered selves. Start your journey today and be part of this supportive, transformative community.
Join Community: Never Mind Your Mind: Reuben’s Circle in your Aura app, or
Listen Now: Never Mind Your Mind (The 12 Day Audio Course) - Deepen your sense of spirituality with insights, tips and tools for unhooking from unhelpful thoughts.
There’s a positive change going on in the world. It just depends on where we focus our attention. Thank you for being part of the change.
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