Your brain is biased to negativity. Here’s how to be more positive

Negativity bias may have evolved to help us survive. But it also can ramp up our anxiety.

Your co-worker surprised you with a chocolate chip cookie, but a teammate took a dig at your report. As the day goes on, you’re more likely to dwell on the criticism than the act of kindness.
Negative events feel more psychologically intense than positive ones, thanks to a cognitive tendency called the negativity bias. That’s true even when events are of equal weight.