01/04/2021
This book https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/575664/chatter-by-ethan-kross/, authored by my friend and fellow aficionado of all things relevant to psychology, is one of my favorite books of all time!
Chatter is one of those rare reads that you don’t’ want to end. One of those books you love so much you need the print and audio version.
The author introduces us to unproductive and consequential ways our thoughts can turn on us and distract us from our lives. It is immediately relatable. This book is a first of its kind to get at what is a constant for all of us — a personal interpreter helping us make sense of things — in the author’s words, that inner voice that allows us “storify” life.
Offering a groundswell of compelling research to back up what is seemingly simple but profound — we are offered numerous opportunities to consider flipping on our mental reset. We are the proud owners of the neurological machinery to deploy self-distancing strategies to combat the repetitive thoughts that sabotage our capacities to address focused tasks. Chapter two introduces some research that should give us all pause — our cells interpret psychological threats as viscerally hostile as being physically attacked.
The author then gives up tactical strategies to deploy to zoom out when Chatter causes us to lose perspective. The practical strategies offered are what make this book such a game-changer. A significant a-ha moment for me while reading Chapter five was realizing that the go-to strategy many of us use when we’ve experienced something hard or emotional may exacerbate chatter. Co-rumination makes us feel worse as the author provides insight into how our emotional memories are governed by associationism. Chapter 6 brings our attention to the vast superpowers of awe — it diminishes one’s self-interest and decenters our inner voice onto something indescribable. The chapter opened with fascinating research about green spaces and the benefits of nature walks.
The conclusion brought me to tears of gratitude. I listened to Ethan share the story about his student at an Ed Summit in Philly. It was one of the most consequential shifts to date in my inner voice — “Tammy, you can share this knowledge.” I’m now investigating how the tools of social science can help me to share with others the tremendously empowering realization that our beliefs are malleable!
