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Your brain is wired to fill uncertainty with worst-case scenarios.

Negativity bias makes one bad possibility outweigh many good ones.

Creating multiple explanations can build a more hopeful brain.

Have you ever sent a text and then checked your phone after five minutes?

Once the hour is over, you are more than curious about the lack of response; you have made up your mind. You think, "They must be mad at me," "I should not have said that," or "I have ruined our relationship."

Or, perhaps you are walking through the office and see a coworker walk by without saying hello, or your supervisor sends you an email and does not write much in it, or when you are at lunch with a friend, they are quieter than usual.

Unconsciously, your brain fills in the blank; when you experience uncertainty, you are usually not uncertain for long; you believe you are being rejected.

What is surprising is that this is not an indication that you are insecure or oversensitive but, rather, a reflection of your brain functioning as it is supposed to.

Your Brain Is Designed to Keep You in a Group

For our ancestors to survive, it was more than just nice to not be alone and be part of a group; it was critical for their survival. When they were excluded from a group, consequences could be dire.

This means our brains have developed to be very sensitive to social cues and to constantly look for cues in the environment that we are part of a group with others and that we are valued and connected with others.

Research has shown that social rejection activates many........

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