Maintaining a Balanced Narrative Takes Ongoing Attention and Effort

By David Hennessy, Clinical Psychologist, Varsity Lakes, Gold Coast, QLD

Maintaining a Balanced Narrative Takes Ongoing Attention and Effort

Maintaining a balanced narrative is central to long-term psychological wellbeing. The human mind scans, anticipates, predicts, and prepares. From an evolutionary perspective, this capacity has protected us. From a practical perspective, it is like a well-tuned tool kit, always ready to identify what needs fixing.

The default setting of our mind is pretty much focused on problem-solving, and that is a gift to be managed wisely, full stop.

Problem-solving supports growth, repair, and resilience. However, without deliberate awareness, this orientation can narrow attention. Therefore, maintaining a balanced narrative requires ongoing attention and effort.

Unless we intentionally engage in and pay attention to the pleasantries of life, the lightheartedness, the beauty, nature, health, happiness, love, care, compassion, understanding, forgiveness, and acceptance, and unless we practise these things, our internal narrative will be biased towards problem-solving. This bias can shift into worry and rumination, anxiety, and low mood, leaving our autonomic nervous system more activated than it needs to be, more often than necessary. In doing so, we waste resources and create exhaustion, whereas with intentional balance and engagement in restorative experiences, our general existence can be happier and healthier in the long term, although it does take effort.

In reality, maintaining a balanced narrative does take ongoing attention.

Why Maintaining a Balanced Narrative Requires Deliberate Attention

First, it is important to recognise that the mind does not naturally distribute attention evenly. Instead, it prioritises what appears urgent or threatening. Consequently, without deliberate effort, the balanced narrative becomes secondary to problem detection. Over time, this pattern can narrow perspective and increase emotional strain.

Why the Brain Defaults to Problem-Focused Thinking

The brain carries a well-established negativity bias [1]. As a result, threat cues capture attention more readily than neutral or positive information. When this bias dominates, the balanced narrative becomes overshadowed by problems. Therefore, conscious redirection of attention becomes necessary.

Chronic stress activation contributes to cumulative physiological strain [2]. Therefore, imbalance is not only cognitive but also biological.

Rumination and Narrative Narrowing

Rumination involves repetitive negative thinking and is strongly associated with anxiety and depression [3]. In contrast to constructive problem-solving, rumination loops without resolution. Over time, this pattern narrows perspective and makes it difficult to sustain a balanced narrative.

Psychological flexibility is consistently linked with improved emotional wellbeing [4]. Specifically, flexibility allows individuals to observe thoughts without being governed by them. As a result, narrative balance becomes more achievable.

Balanced Narrative Is Not Denial

Maintaining a balanced narrative does not mean ignoring pain. Rather, it integrates challenge with restorative experience. In other words, balance expands awareness rather than suppressing difficulty.

Positive emotional states broaden cognitive scope [5]. Similarly, behavioural activation increases meaningful engagement [6]. In addition, mindfulness-based interventions demonstrate measurable outcomes [7]. Compassion-focused interventions show benefit [8].

How to Strengthen a Balanced Narrative

In practice, maintaining a balanced narrative involves small intentional actions. For example, one might pause before reacting, step outside briefly, or deliberately notice something steady in the environment. Similarly, returning attention to values can re-anchor perspective.

Nature exposure improves cognitive and emotional functioning [9]. Moreover, neuroplasticity research confirms that repeated practice strengthens adaptive neural pathways [10]. Consequently, small repeated actions build narrative balance over time.

Recent systematic reviews support digital mindfulness interventions for anxiety reduction in adults [11]. Likewise, research in adolescents suggests measurable stress reduction benefits [12].

The Long-Term Value of Ongoing Attention

Ultimately, maintaining a balanced narrative conserves psychological energy and reduces unnecessary nervous system activation. Although the effort may appear subtle, the cumulative impact becomes significant over time. Therefore, sustained attention to balance supports long-term wellbeing.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is a Balanced Narrative?

A balanced narrative intentionally includes both difficulty and restorative experience rather than focusing solely on problems.

Why Is Ongoing Attention Necessary?

The brain naturally defaults to threat detection [1]. Therefore, balance requires deliberate awareness.

Can Practising Attention Change Brain Function?

Yes. Through neuroplasticity, repeated intentional focus strengthens regulatory pathways [10].

References

1. Baumeister, R. F., Bratslavsky, E., Finkenauer, C., & Vohs, K. D. (2001). Bad is stronger than good. Review of General Psychology, 5(4), 323–370. https://doi.org/10.1037/1089-2680.5.4.323
2. McEwen, B. S. (2007). Physiology and neurobiology of stress and adaptation: Central role of the brain. Physiological Reviews, 87(3), 873–904. https://doi.org/10.1152/physrev.00041.2006
3. Nolen-Hoeksema, S., Wisco, B. E., & Lyubomirsky, S. (2008). Rethinking rumination. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 3(5), 400–424. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-6924.2008.00088.x
4. Kashdan, T. B., & Rottenberg, J. (2010). Psychological flexibility as a fundamental aspect of health. Clinical Psychology Review, 30(7), 865–878. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2010.03.001
5. Fredrickson, B. L. (2001). The role of positive emotions in positive psychology: The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. American Psychologist, 56(3), 218–226. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.56.3.218
6. Dimidjian, S., Barrera, M., Martell, C., Muñoz, R. F., & Lewinsohn, P. M. (2011). The origins and current status of behavioral activation treatments for depression. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 7, 1–38. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-032210-104535
7. Goldberg, S. B., Tucker, R. P., Greene, P. A., Simpson, T. L., Kearney, D. J., & Davidson, R. J. (2018). Mindfulness-based interventions for psychiatric disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology Review, 59, 52–60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2017.10.011
8. Kirby, J. N., Tellegen, C. L., & Steindl, S. R. (2017). A meta-analysis of compassion-based interventions: Current state of knowledge and future directions. Behavior Therapy, 48(6), 778–792. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beth.2017.06.003
9. Bratman, G. N., Hamilton, J. P., & Daily, G. C. (2012). The impacts of nature experience on human cognitive function and mental health. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1249(1), 118–136. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-6632.2011.06400.x
10. Draganski, B., Gaser, C., Busch, V., Schuierer, G., Bogdahn, U., & May, A. (2004). Neuroplasticity: Changes in grey matter induced by training. Nature, 427(6972), 311–312. https://doi.org/10.1038/427311a
11. Reangsing, C., Punsuwun, S., & Schneider, J. K. (2023). Effects of online mindfulness-based interventions on anxiety symptoms: A systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies, 23, Article 207. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-023-04102-9
12. Fulambarkar, A. J., Fulambarkar, A. J., & Basha, S. A. (2023). Mindfulness interventions for children and adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 28(1), 23–36. https://doi.org/10.1111/camh.12572

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