By Natasha Josefowitz, ACSW, Ph.D.
Dear readers,
This is the last column I will be writing. I have been writing to you for over 40 years. You may not know it, but I will be 97 and I think my time has come to put down my pen. Thank you for all your comments and letters. One of the highlights of my life has been writing this column and hearing from all of you.
Warmly,
Natasha
(Editor’s note: Natasha Josefowitz died peacefully at her home in La Jolla on March 15. She was 96.)
LA JOLLA, California — We hope for…
We expect to…
We believe in…
Expectations are a strong belief about the future. It is something we anticipate, whereas hope is a feeling of optimism, a desire that something will happen. Hope is both a verb and a noun. The opposite of hope is despair or hopelessness.
Unfulfilled expectations lead to sadness and disappointment. The importance of expectations is that they lead to beliefs – you believe that something good will happen. You can choose how you think about your future. Imagining a positive future self creates an expectation that results in greater optimism, higher life satisfaction, and well-being.
The technique for doing this is to challenge your perception by using the sentence “there is another way to look at this.” Thinking of the different possible ways of seeing the situation and embracing alternative possibilities is called “deliberate rumination;” this allows us to think differently about the situation. To quote Thoreau, “The question is not what you look at, but what you see.“ You can deliberately choose to see otherwise. This is a skill that can be developed.
Beliefs are the guiding principles of life providing direction and meaning. They are the filters through which we perceive the world, both external and internal. Beliefs originate in what we hear starting as children. They encompass all the various inputs of our environment; we have the power to choose our beliefs which are intertwined with our emotions, both conscious and unconscious.
This is why, when challenged, we feel threatened and respond at times with uncalled-for or aggressive reactions. When contrary information reaches the brain, it creates distress, challenging the existing patterns. The brain does not like change.
However, we also have innate desires and willingness to learn and grow from new experiences, allowing new perceptions to enter the brain, learn new skills, and respond in new ways. This is one of the secrets of youth. Some people, as they grow older, become more rigid and get set in their ways.
Thoughts and beliefs are an integral part of the brain’s operation; by consciously changing our beliefs, we can change the biochemistry of our bodies. Our thoughts influence our beliefs, our beliefs influence our brains, and our brains influence our behavior… this is how it works.
Beliefs can have a powerful effect on the brain and our behaviors. This phenomenon is known as theplacebo effect and occurs when an individual has the belief that a certain action will have a particular result, even though the action has no physiological effect. When an individual expects a particular outcome, such as a medication will make them feel better, they might experience a decrease in symptoms, even though the medication has no real physiological effects. This is because the belief in the medication triggers the release of chemicals in the brain that can lead to a decrease of symptoms.
The placebo effect is particularly powerful when it comes to pain relief; this is because the belief releases endorphins and other natural pain relievers in the brain. Endorphins are hormones that are released when your body feels pain or stress. They are produced in your brain and act as messengers in your body. Endorphins are produced to help relieve pain, reduce stress, and improve mood. (Cleveland Clinic, May 19, 2022). The placebo effect can induce pain relief endorphins, improve mood with serotonin, and change behavior with dopamine.
Serotonin is another feel-good chemical released in the brain by believing it will help. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter like dopamine; both are feel good hormones. (Serotonin can be increased by eating salmon, turkey, cheese, tofu, pineapple, nuts, and seeds.) Getting daily sunlight (10 to 15 minutes a day) also increases one’s level of serotonin.
Beliefs, expectations, and behaviors are all ours for the choosing. We have the ability to focus and take charge of our lives. Choose wisely.
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© Natasha Josefowitz. This article appeared initially in the La Jolla Village News.