Staying Strong with The Psychological Immune System

In times of challenge or uncertainty, our brain’s default setting—negativity bias—tends to go into overdrive. Cue the self-doubt, the emotional fog, the “what now?” feelings. When life’s waves feel particularly strong, it’s easy to get swept away.

But here’s the thing: this is a shared human experience. No matter who we are or where we come from, our survival instinct kicks in—and sometimes, it takes the wheel.

Fortunately, our brains are built for change. Thanks to neuroplasticity, we can quiet the negativity bias and shift how we experience difficulty.

One way to do that? Recognize the strength of your psychological immune system—a concept I’ve been leaning into lately as I navigate a personal and professional transition due to a layoff.

Psychologist Daniel Gilbert describes the psychological immune system as our mind’s ability to recover from setbacks, much like how the body fights off illness. It helps us bounce back—often faster and more fully than we expect.

So when things feel heavy or uncertain, remember: everything is temporary. And not only that—you may actually feel better, sooner, and stronger than your mind is predicting right now.

Your psychological immunity is likely higher than you think. And your resilience? Stronger than you know.