Autumn: Today we're diving into Anil Seth's mind-bending book, "Being You: A New Science of Consciousness," exploring how our brain constructs who we are and how we experience the world. Autumn: So, what's the problem? It’s that nagging feeling our sense of 'self' – that solid, unchanging 'me' – doesn't quite match reality. We assume we see the world exactly as it is, and that emotions just happen to us. For busy professionals, this mismatch causes confusion, sudden anxiety, or feeling stuck. Why did that feedback sting so much? Why do I feel dread before this meeting? We think our 'self' should be more rational, leading to frustration when it isn't. It’s like running outdated assumptions on complex human hardware. Autumn: Seth's solution starts here: your brain isn't passively receiving reality; it's actively predicting it, creating what he calls a "controlled hallucination." Think about misreading an email's tone or disagreeing on what happened in a meeting – that’s your brain making its best guess based on past experiences, not seeing raw data. What you perceive is a construction. This applies crucially to feelings. That knot in your stomach before a big pitch? Seth links this to 'interoception' – your brain predicting and interpreting your body's internal state. Emotions aren't just thoughts; they're the brain's interpretation of bodily signals as anxiety, excitement, or fear, deeply tied to survival. It’s biological regulation, not just mental chatter. This means the 'self' isn't a fixed entity inside you. It’s more like an ongoing story the brain weaves from body sensations, perceptions, and memories. Understanding this is freeing; we aren't just minds piloting bodies, we are embodied beings constantly constructing our reality. Autumn: Here’s your takeaway: Next time you feel a strong emotion or react intensely – maybe feeling defensive in a discussion or certain about someone's intentions – pause. Ask: "Is my perception purely the situation, or is it my brain's best guess, shaped by my current bodily state and past experiences?" Realizing your experience is a construction can soften harsh self-judgment and open up space for a calmer, more flexible response. Find your five percent happier, and catch you next time.