So far we've covered the positive brain chemicals that influence how we interpret experiences, including dopamine, endorphin, serotonin, and oxytocin. And, we discussed one of the so-called "negative" brain chemicals, adrenaline.
Today we're going to talk about another negative brain chemical that is released when we're under stress - one that induces feelings of discomfort, to encourage us to seek comfort and safety.
CORTISOL
Cortisol is the stress hormone - your body releases it when you're under any kind of stress.
Cortisol has a host of functions in the body, too many to list here. But for the purposes of our discussion, what cortisol does is prepare the body for stressful experiences.
In part, it does this by stimulating the production of extra glucose for energy, and by suppressing the immune system and lowering inflammation. And, it also works with adrenaline to help the brain store memories of intense emotional experiences, thereby helping you to remember negative experiences so you don't repeat them (make note of this).
One effect of cortisol on the brain is that it induces a feeling of discomfort. This feeling causes you to want to escape whatever it is that is causing you to be under stress.
The feeling of nervousness and nausea you get before the big test? Cortisol. That same feeling of nausea and nervousness you get on Monday morning when you have to go back to the job you hate? Also cortisol.
Cortisol has positive short-term effects, but our bodies were not designed to function well when we experience elevated levels of cortisol over an extended period of time. For this reason, most people will seek to rectify whatever situation they are facing that is causing their cortisol levels to spike repeatedly.
This is why you read stories about people who leave high-paying, high-stress jobs to take lower-paying but more emotionally rewarding jobs. I also believe that our natural tendency to seek comfort and safety (partially because of cortisol) contributes greatly to student dropout rates - which I'm going to talk about in more detail later this week.
For now, suffice it to say that if your students see your dojo as a stressful place instead of a place where they have positive experiences, then they aren't going to stick around for very long.
I know - duh. But knowing the physiological reasons why this happens is important, because it helps us to get over our "black belt brain." You know, that part of your brain that says, "They're just being weenies." Or, "they just needed to gut it out." Or, "they just didn't have 'black belt attitude.'"
Riiight.
So, for the remainder of the week (and perhaps even into next week) we're going to look at how we can increase the number of positive experiences for our students. And we're also going to look at how we can decrease the number of negative experiences they have at our dojo, in order to increase our retention rates.
Keep an eye out for that email tomorrow, because that's when we're going to start piecing all this info together.
Until next time,
Mike Massie
MartialArtsBusinessDaily.com
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P.S. - Incidentally, cortisol is also part of the reason why people who are under intense stress for extended periods of time can develop addictions to food, alcohol, drugs, and so forth. Here's why: your brain is telling you that you don't like the feeling that cortisol is giving you, and since you can't remove that threat, you instead do something that makes you feel good temporarily.
P.S.S. - This is especially true for people who don't have control over their situation - meaning, they can't remove themselves from the source of their stress. So, be aware that when you see someone who is exhibiting addictive behavior, there might be a lot more going on there than meets the eye.
