Your body reads the story you tell it
“Your body listens to the meaning you assign.”
In one of Dr. Alia Crum’s better-known studies, people drank the same shake on two occasions. Labeled “Indulgent” one day and “Sensible” on another, the shake’s contents never changed—yet ghrelin (the hunger hormone) dropped threefold when participants believed it was rich and satisfying. The body adjusted to the story, not the macros.
How meaning gets under the skin
Mindsets are core assumptions—fast, background settings about stress, food, work, and healing. In 2025, evidence continues to show that meaning is a biological input: it tunes attention, motivation, and autonomic balance.
A helpful map is the Connors & Halligan five-stage cognitive model:
- Stage 1: Precursor. A label, symptom, or comment lands.
- Stage 2: Search. You scan for meaning and patterns.
- Stage 3: Evaluation. Does it fit your worldview?
- Stage 4: Integration. It links into your belief network.
- Stage 5: Influence. It shapes perception, memory, and behavior.
A label becomes a lens becomes a physiology—which is why small, timely reframes can shift downstream signals.
Reframe routine tasks for measurable shifts
Consider hotel housekeepers: their work already exceeded exercise guidelines, but the story was “just cleaning.” After a simple reframe—“this counts as exercise”—they saw changes in weeks: weight nudged down, and systolic blood pressure dropped by about 10 points. No new gym gear. Same bodies, new meaning.
Stress is a powerful doorway. Instead of “stress = bad,” try Crum’s A–W–U:
- Acknowledge: “I’m stressed.”
- Welcome: It’s a sign you care.
- Utilize: Channel the energy toward what matters.
Not romanticizing pain—just recruiting the surge you already feel.
Train attention, not superstition
“Manifestation” can mislead. Neurosurgeon James Doty translates it into attention and neuroplasticity: set an intention, enter a parasympathetic (calm) state, visualize, speak it, repeat. Intention + repetition in a relaxed state trains your perception-and-action system to notice and act on opportunities. Add compassion—a small act for someone else—and your nervous system softens further.
A one-week experiment you can run now
- Meal meaning: Before one meal daily, name it “indulgent and energizing” (if nutrient-dense) or “satisfying and complete” (if a treat). Eat slowly. Track appetite and satiety later.
- Everyday training: Relabel laundry, stairs, or yard work as cardio. Note how your body feels across 3–5 days.
- Stress script: Whisper, “I see you. You exist because I care. Help me focus.” Then act.
- Five-minute priming: Lengthen the exhale, visualize a near-term health goal, write one present-tense sentence, speak it softly. Do one kind thing before checking your phone.
Use belief with care and kindness
Placebo/nocebo research shows expectation can help or harm. Most studies are short-to-medium term; we still need larger, cross-cultural replications and clearer circuit-level maps. Aim for accurate, life-giving frames—pair belief with behavior, community, and medical care when indicated. I keep this mantra: “Meaning is a lever, not a verdict.”
Try this before your next meeting, workout, or tough conversation: “I welcome this energy because it matters. I’m here to use it well.” Breathe, act, learn. Repeat. Your biology is listening.
This is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional advice. Consult a qualified expert for personal guidance.