Lives Well Lived (RE-RELEASE) LISA FELDMAN BARRETT: everything you know about the brain is wrong!
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Jan 22, 2026 
Lisa Feldman Barrett, a trailblazing neuroscientist and author, dives into her revolutionary research on how emotions are constructed by the brain. She reveals how reframing arousal can alleviate anxiety, especially in public speaking, and discusses the brain's predictive processing to shape our experiences. Lisa challenges the notion of free will, explaining how our choices and environments continuously reshape our neural pathways. With insights on social constructs and finding meaning in life, she encourages deliberate choices to avoid future regrets.
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Reframe Performance Arousal
- Reframe arousal from anxiety to determination by labeling bodily signals differently before a performance.
- Practice under challenging conditions and say aloud “This is arousal. I am determined.” to change meaning and improve performance.
Preparing For A TED Talk
- Before her TED Talk Lisa practiced aloud amid a noisy hall to reduce uncertainty and arousal.
- Right before speaking she told herself aloud, “This is not anxiety. This is arousal. I am determined.”
Butterflies Flying In Formation
- Lisa recounts her daughter being told by a sensei: “Get your butterflies flying in formation.”
- The line reframed arousal as organized readiness rather than panic before sparring for a black belt.
