An important life lesson from my favorite carbohydrate

Are you missing the bagel?

If so, it’s not your fault.

The human brain has evolved to notice and remember every single bagel hole.

We have a bagel hole bias.

Says science.

_{(image source: unknown, please let me know if this is yours!)}

This bias is particularly intense when we’re stressed or if we have a history of trauma.

The bagel holes are everywhere and impossible to ignore.

But just because our brain is obsessed with bagel holes, doesn’t mean our fixation is helpful or accurate.

Searching for and hyperfocusing on bagel holes is how we survive.

Remembering to look for and savor the bagel is how we make a life worth living.

So this is just a reminder (to myself):

Look for the bagels.

That will make it easier to keep showing up to deal with the (very real) holes.

One more thing.

I don’t want to tell anyone how to enjoy their bagel, buuuuut:

The waitress in this little story is my hero, such chutzpah!