SPIN UP YOUR LIFE (test) | Page 84

(=) Oxytocin 催產素 TRIGGER by Extreme Activities & Facing a Real Threat B E L O N G I N G / R E LY To Balance Oxytocin ”Love System” Over a meal with family or friends, have you ever had that sense of feeling right? That you like being there, you feel safe and included, and believe that these people are looking out for your welfare? Hopefully, you regularly do. That’s oxytocin being released. Oxytocin levels fluctuate in relation to our perception and processing of social information–whether we are in the ‘in group’ or ‘out group’, whether we feel safe or threatened. It is released when we trust someone; it enables us to feel responsibility to others and facilitates social bonding. Too much, and we may be overly dependent on relationships and lack the ability to make independent decisions; we may also want our group to be exclusive or elite. Too little, and we may feel isolated; we might not build professional relationships or know how to use our networks for support. We need to be able to boost our own levels of oxytocin, which we can do by empathising with others in order to create harmony or manage conflict. Oxytocin is crucial to good teamwork because it is part of the emotions of liking, loving, pride and feeling included. It is a ‘feel-good’ chemical: with it, we feel stronger together, which also contributes to feelings of confidence–the confidence we derive from being part of a social group. The signature feeling of oxytocin is belonging. BRAIN-HACKING TIPS : Send a text right now to someone who is in your thoughts and with whom you haven’t spoken in a while. You may ask how they are doing, ask for their advice, or offer to help. You just boosted your oxytocin level. Notice how you feel happier–even better when they reply … Pay Attention to someone you care, share your favour quote or music to them … Practise deep Mindfulness for Gratitude & Compassion! GO TO TAKE…