Most of the time, ignoring things is not the best policy. Giving a silent deal, for example, can be considered a type of emotional abuse. After all, as Elie Wiesel pointed out, “The opposite of love is not hate, it is indifference.” However, there are a handful of things in life that it would be far better to ignore completely.
We were curious why it is better to ignore some things to improve the quality of our lives and we would like to share our findings with you.
Ignoring Is Vital
Ignoring distractors is a powerful tool that has its roots in evolution. We decide what is worthy of our attention and what is not, mostly unconsciously, because there are too many factors that can distract us from the surrounding environment for the brain to properly evaluate them.
Although ignoring some aspects of life can lead to wrong decisions due to attention bias, it makes our lives much easier.
It Helps You Think Better About Yourself
We talk a lot with ourselves. In fact, the internal monologue can contain up to 400 words per minute. If this radio is tuned to “Self Critical FM”, it can make you feel much worse about yourself.
If you choose to ignore these thoughts or listen to what you would not say to a child or friend and actively try to be kinder to yourself, you will be much happier.
The More Information You Have, The More Stress You Get
We live in the digital age where all kinds of data are transmitted in a matter of seconds and we are constantly exposed to a lot of information.
Watching the news, for example, is so stressful on your nervous system that your body releases stress hormones and you may even experience symptoms like fatigue, trouble sleeping, etc. So, it’s better to let go of the things you can’t control.
It Helps You Concentrate
Research shows that it is sometimes much easier for the brain to perform a task when it does not know what to look for but what to ignore.
So when you’re having trouble concentrating, remember that researchers recommend recognizing distractors and using the strategy of actively ignoring them rather than trying to focus more.
You Can Achieve More
Ignoring things like the desire to do everything perfectly and please others can definitely help you in your career. If we wanted to do everything perfectly all the time, we would probably end up stuck in our comfort zone, doing the same things, as we would be too scared to try something new.
The unreal idea of perfection, in any sphere, really must be forgotten.
We should all remind ourselves from time to time that it is necessary to be flexible. Our plans are not set in stone (thankfully). In fact, things don’t always go according to plan, sometimes we fail, expectations are shattered and burned, and we have to adapt and decide what to do next.
This is an essential part of the learning process, and scientists have even found the right amount of failure, which happens 15% of the time.
What do you need to start ignoring in your life?
