How to Deal with Negative Emotions — The Hidden Power of the Imagination (#2)
Previously, I wrote about how imagining yourself doing something you struggle with — going to the gym, asking a question at a conference — can make you more likely to want to do it and even to follow through. To put it in a slogan, imagine it, and you will do it.
Yet I also discussed a potential limitation of that: fantasising about something you wish for (being rich, becoming a CEO, winning a Nobel prize), may lower your motivation and actually hinder your progress. This is probably because your brain will feel like it already reached its goal — so the sense of urgency that normally leads to working hard for that goal is lessened.
In this article, however, I will focus on another way the imagination can be helpful: dealing with negative emotions.
Do you tend to be shy when talking to someone you find attractive? Or to be anxious before making a call or taking an exam? Perhaps the imagination may be the way to address these responses. Here’s how.
*My discussion closely follows that of and is indebted to the work of Andrea Rivadulla-Duró (forthcoming).
