You know when you need a cute fix.
You know you need a cute fix when too much has gone wrong all around you. You’re on overload. Things you care about are being destroyed. You feel helpless to do anything about the mayhem around you. The world feels like it’s going crazy.
The essence of cuteness that makes it so comforting.
What is it about those cute little fuzzy animal and baby videos that’s so comforting? And not just any cuteness. Forced or faked cuteness won’t work because your brain can spot a fake a mile away
When you see a baby or a cute, fuzzy little animal doing something super adorable, you are programmed to pay attention and feel good. It’s the mechanism that ensures babies will be cared for and survive to a time when they can use other resources to get their needs met.
What else cuteness does
In addition to the pleasure that cuteness elicits so we will pay attention to the babies, it can also help trigger empathy and compassion beyond caretaking. The network of brain activity boosted by cuteness expands our concern for things associated to the cuteness and the boundary around what we regard as worthy of moral support.
That’s why donation campaigns often have a cute mascot. You are far more willing to give to the campaign and be more generous if the mascot is cute.
But here’s the benefit to you. When you give to a cause, you feel connected to something larger than yourself. And feeling connected to something larger than yourself is one of the foundations of happiness.
How to Use Cuteness Strategically
When the chaos of the world feels overwhelming and you feel like you can’t do anything about it, let yourself indulge in some cuteness overload.
You’ll have some feel-good time and you will be inspired to connect to a network of people who are taking action for the same causes you care about.
If it feels like the world is always overwhelming and you always feel ineffective and helpless, you might need more than a cute animals and babies fix.
If that’s you, give me a call.
We’ll talk.
Contact me now to set up your free 15-minute phone consultation.
