Renown neuroscientist, Joseph LeDoux discovered that our natural
fear response can travel one of two pathways through the brain. The faster
pathway is our automatic, primary fear response that helps us react quickly to
a threat. It travels a direct route between the thalamus and the amygdala in
the brain. It thus can be thought of as the “low road” as it sends signals
through the lower portion of the brain. Although it’s the quicker path to
action, it sacrifices reason and thought for speed.
The slower path begins at the thalamus as well, but it takes
the “scenic route” through the neocortex before reaching the amygdala. Although
slower than the first path, the detour allows thought and logic to enter the
reaction process. This is the “high road.”
In short, the Low Road is designed to help you survive, but
the High Road allows you to thrive.
In the last few months, our world has been rocked by tremendous
levels of fear and uncertainty. While we have little or no control over many of
the factors triggering that fear, what we can control is how we react. As we
have seen, reaction without reason has disastrous consequences. We must choose
the High Road.
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