Pronoia: When well-being is out to get you (even during a pandemic)

Why we are offering this video…

In the mainstream media we have seen fear, conspiracy and villifying polarization dominate. To a much lesser degree, there have been glimmers of hope and light shining through the cracks. Is this a true reflection of how bleak the world is, or is it a reflection of what our primitive biology and limiting beliefs have led us to settle for? Without realizing it, we have become slaves to what is known as a “negativity bias,” a mechanism we evolved for survival, that is ironically making us sick, mentally ill and unhappy. Paranoia, characterized by delusions of persecution, is on the rise. What is the antidote? How about a heavy dose of pronoia? 

According to the oracle of Wikipedia, “Whereas a person suffering from paranoia feels that persons or entities are conspiring against them, a person experiencing pronoia feels that the world around them conspires to do them good.” If we are honest, we all have moments on the spectrum from paranoia to pronoia. Reflecting back, in what moments have you felt some degree of paranoia – like someone, something, or the life itself was against you? In what moments could you feel the peaceful, exhilarating glow of pronoia, when you could sense all of existence aligning in your favor? 

What if the universe isn’t something separate outside of you that’s either for or against you? What if you are the universe (or at least an extension of it), and it’s up to you to conspire in your favor? The good news is that, at the intersection of neuroplasticity, quantum physics and cellular biology, lies science that shows this switch from negativity bias to positivity bias is something we can cultivate. In the process, you can take back a whole lot of personal sovereignty and build both emotional immunity and physical immunity (which are intricately connected). 

What’s more, this is possible even during challenging times, oh say, such as a pandemic. In fact, we can use emotional pain as guidance to point to our false limiting beliefs, so we can get even better at creating a reality in which we don’t just survive, but we thrive. And, the fun part is that the quality of our lives reflects that back to us. It may look like it came to us from the outside-in, but, in reality, it’s mostly an inside job.

But first, here’s the thing… Most of us have heard the concept of life happening FOR us, not TO us or that we create our own reality. We have heard about the power of positive thinking and that gratitude is the antidote to fear. However, have you noticed how “inspirational” concepts like this can feel so annoying or like empty cliches, especially when we are trying our best and still struggling? In fact, instead of showing us our greatness, they can unintentionally magnify our insecurities and frustration (which is useful only if we have tools to do something about them). 

To be clear, pronoia is NOT about “positive vibes only,” which we consider a toxic notion that suppresses and shames the full-spectrum of our humanness. While pronoia is definitely a powerful tool to shorten the duration of or pain or even prevent unnecessary pain and suffering altogether, we need some challenge as fertilizer to grow and evolve. Pain is a teacher, and we need to to feel all the feels to know what is needed to heal. Willing ourselves to be positive, stuffing down pain and comparing ourselves to others is not pronoia. It is superficial avoidance that does more harm than good, including setting us up for feeling like failures. 

To allow pronoia to take hold, we need to have effective strategies we practice consistently over time. The most empowering truths are useless until we have: 

• awareness of our programs that do and don’t serve us (the mental root causes

• practical understandings of the mechanisms of positive change 

• action steps to implement consistently over time 

• and, most importantly, the absolutely clarity that, given proper motivation, anyone can change (yes, even you)! 

How does that sound? Who’s in?

Check out this video with Skya and I to get a taste of how to rewire yourself for a life where, even during a pandemic, well-being is out to get you.