Counseling perspective

This year, I've been using more narrative texts.
From my own research, this seems to be related to

the ability to face the unseen and uncertain

"the ability to withstand uncertainty."

The more information people are presented with, the easier it becomes to process it with phrases like,
"It's been like this before,"

especially when fatigue, stress, and busyness pile up,

we tend to lean towards "making quick judgments" rather than "thinking deeply."

Imagination requires

"the ability to accept possibilities we don't know."

But on the other hand,

・It might not be true

・I might be wrong

・The other person might have their own reasons

Continuing to think this way can be exhausting.

That's why

For some people, deciding "It's definitely like this" leads to peace of mind.

Assumptions can sometimes be like a "reassurance drug."

Also, people with more experience aren't always more flexible.

When the feeling of "I've seen this for many years" becomes strong,

you become more susceptible to being pulled back by past patterns,

and you may end up seeing the person not as "this person now,"

but as "someone similar to someone I saw in the past."

This is a common occurrence in counseling settings, such as whether you're viewing today's younger generation the same way you did in the past.

Imagination uses the prefrontal cortex, so it requires mental space.

When you're tired, your brain tends to lean towards simpler processing methods:

- Judging in black and white
- Dividing into good and evil
- Categorizing into friend or foe

Furthermore, when you search the internet to gain confirmation, you tend to gather only the information you want to know (filter bubble),

and sharing that information with others who share the same opinion reinforces that idea (echo chamber).

As a result, negative emotions intensify, and your body is more likely to enter "fight-or-flight mode."

In short, imagination is influenced not only by intelligence,

but also by the "reserve space in your nervous system."

That's why,

I realized that taking a step back and "story time" to reflect is an important habit that creates space in the mind and brain.