Isn't it funny how one insult can live in your head for twenty years, but a compliment dies in thirty days? When someone says, "You're useless," and suddenly, that voice becomes a roommate. But when someone says, "You did great today," that barely makes it past breakfast. You feel great for a moment, but it fades out quickly. So, why is that? Well, it's because your brain is not built for happiness. It's built for survival. Thousands of years ago, recognizing danger kept you alive. Forgetting kindness didn't kill you. So today, your brain still treats rejection like a tiger attack. An insult feels like a threat. Your system locks it in for future reference, whispering "never again". That's why you might remember the exact tone, facial expression, and even background details of an insult years later. This means your mind keeps returning to negative comments, trying to "solve" or "understand" them, which reinforces the memory further. But what about the compliment? There's no danger there. No priority. Just gone. And that's the actual trap. We keep chasing confidence while still running an ancient script that screams, "Remember pain first!" Your brain just clings to painful words because, to your subconscious mind, that insult might carry life-or-death information about your social safety or belonging. Funny, isn't it? How survival still wins over peace.