In an evolutionary and survival perspective, it makes sense that most of us lean slightly towards a problem focus. It’s good for survival, although less so for peace of mind or happiness. Happiness has a lower priority, and that’s also been good for most or all of the human journey.
This bias towards problem focus needs to be sufficient to offset complacency, and not strong enough to paralyze us. And sometimes it does go a bit too far in either direction, often due to trauma, stressful beliefs, and identifications. We may go too far in risk taking, or we go into freeze and are unable to be good stewards of our life.
Relating to this dynamic more intentionally, along with explorations like inquiry, natural rest, and TRE, can help shift this dynamic, and more importantly, shift how we relate to it. Neither is set in stone.
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- problem focus and evolution
- makes sense in evolutionary/survival perspective to slightly lean towards problem focus (not too little, not too much) – good for survival, less for happiness (lower priority, which is good most of the time)
- can go awry, lean even more towards problem focus
- inquiry, relate to more intentionally etc. can help (a) shift it and (b) shift how we relate to this dynamic