07: How Emotions Are Made & Why It Matters for Fundraisers with Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett

Our brains work on prediction. Even before events happen, our brains prepare a reaction based on our past experiences. But what if our brains fabricate an incorrect forecast? Just like a weird feeling in your body isn’t necessarily pain, uncertainty doesn’t have to translate into negative emotions. 

In this episode, I chat with Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett, an expert in affective neuroscience, psychology of emotion, and social and personality psychology. Lisa and I talk about how our brains work based on prediction and how we can train them away from pain and anxiety and into a brighter present. Plus, she gives life-changing tricks that can radically improve any fundraiser’s experience out there!

Episode highlights: 

(02:01) - Who is Lisa Feldman? Her extensive career in science and understanding brain function. 

(04:38) - Let’s talk about emotion! How emotions really work and what are some misconceptions around them. 

(10:20) - ‘Is this really pain?’: Why your brain is constantly anticipating and what happens when it can’t predict correctly.

(17:45) - Chronic pain and other ailments that may actually come from a brain disorder. 

(21:31) - Handling anxiety and uncertainty for fundraisers: Train yourself to make a different sense of the present. 

(35:04) - Tips and tricks for regulation: Why we have to recognize that we have socially dependent nervous systems. 

(41:16) - Where to find Lisa + Shout out to her favorite nonprofits! 

If you’re wanting to implement ideas you heard, visit MalloryErickson.com/Podcast for the top tips and tools, full transcripts, quotes, videos, and additional resources from each episode.