Anxiety, the Dark Side of the Mind: Jedi Powers for Maintaining Balance

Jekyll and Hyde, Peter Parker and Spider-Man, Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader, stories return to the same idea, one person carrying two selves.

In this lecture, Steve Joordens brings that idea into your own mind. You are running two systems at once, one is fast, reactive, and built for survival, the other is slower, deliberate, and tied to your long-term goals. They do not share control equally, in moments of uncertainty or threat, the reactive system moves first.

The consequence shows up as anxiety. It narrows your attention, shifts what you notice, and begins shaping your decisions before you have had time to think them through. What feels like overthinking or stress is often your mind prioritizing immediate safety over long-term intention.

His work focuses on making these processes visible. He studies how attention, memory, and decision-making are guided by these underlying systems, and how awareness changes your ability to respond. You will leave with a clearer understanding of when your reactive system is leading, and how to interrupt it so your actions reflect what you actually want.

Agenda

6:00PM-

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

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Host or Publisher Sip and Learn Toronto