Think you’ve got a good handle on what’s dangerous? Take my three-question quiz in this episode and prepare to be surprised.

Join me as we unpack:

• Why your brain is wired to overestimate rare threats
• How news and social media manipulate your attention with the "triple threat" formula: Negative, Novel, and Emotional
• How relentless exposure to worst-case scenarios is subtly programming you to live in defense mode.

But don’t worry—You’ll also learn:

• How to “retrain” your brain to perceive the world more accurately
• Why consuming news is like eating dessert (and what your psychological vegetables should be)
• Simple practices that can reset your emotional baseline and lower chronic anxiety

Time Stamps

00:30 – Welcome + Risk Quiz

03:45 – Quiz Answers Revealed

06:10 – Media’s Attention-Trap: Negativity + Novelty + Emotion

09:30 – The “Iceberg” of Emotion

12:20 – Plane Fear Explained

15:00 – Leave Skittish Behind: No Longer a Mental Rabbit

18:10 – Mental Junk-Food vs. Mental Vegetables

21:20 – Try a Media Fast

24:00 – Practical Tools for a Stable Mind

27:30 – Kindness Narrative

For full show notes, including resources mentioned, go to https://www.calmyourcaveman.com/episodes/why-your-brain-thinks-the-world-is-scarier-than-it-is

What if a simple “hello” could rewire your anxious brain? In this surprising and science-backed episode, we explore how speaking to strangers—yes, even if you're an introvert—can shift your unconscious emotional default from fear to connection. Learn why weak social ties matter, how your brain rewrites its threat narratives, and how living in Brazil changed my personal relationship with everyday interactions. This episode is packed with practical, research-based advice for gradually training your brain to feel safer in the world, one small interaction at a time.

What You’ll Learn:

• How simple social interactions shift brain chemistry
• Real-life introvert stories (including mine!)
• How to gamify your exposure to small talk and feel better doing it
• The cultural contrast that rewired my perspective on strangers

Timestamps:

00:30 – Welcome back & a quick refresher on the "iceberg" model
03:07 – Today’s surprising strategy: Rewiring Anxiety Through Micro-Connections
04:09 – But what if I’m an introvert? (Spoiler: it still works)
05:23 – Real-life story: my introverted friend and the lab job that changed her
07:14 – My past: how I used to avoid every interaction
9:02 – Moving to Brazil: the culture shift that forced me to connect
12:23 – Beach buddies & micro-moments of belonging
14:18 – Why this works: rewiring your emotional defaults
16:13 – Start small: make it a game and track your wins
18:44 – Kindness narrative: help with a family tragedy

For full show notes, including resources mentioned, go to https://www.calmyourcaveman.com/episodes/you’re-not-anti-social,-you’re-under-exposed

What if your great-grandparents held the key to calming your anxiety? In this episode, we explore a surprising, research-backed strategy for influencing your unconscious brain: knowing your family's intergenerational stories. Discover how ancestral narratives can help shift your brain's default stress response from threat to challenge, enhancing resilience, emotional health, and self-efficacy. Through deeply personal family stories, you'll learn how to train your brain—like a beloved pet—to respond more supportively in the face of uncertainty. If you've ever wondered how to influence your emotional responses at the subconscious level, this episode is a must-listen.

00:30 – Why it's hard to "just decide" to feel better
03:45 – Training the brain like a dog: Influence, not control
05:10 – Why intergenerational stories reduce anxiety and boost resilience
07:36 – Story #1: Great-grandpa Rue Tyler’s banjo band in the Great Depression
13:29 – Story #2: Great-great-grandmother Charlotte’s years of mercury poisoning
16:27 – Modeling and inherited resilience: From “Why me?” to “How do I do this?”
17:23 – How to collect your family stories
21:25 – Kindness Narrative: Hospitality to strange travellers

For full shownotes, including resources mentioned, go to: https://www.calmyourcaveman.com