Re-Wiring Your Brain September 12, 2013
Posted by nrhatch in Gratitude, Happiness, Health & Wellness, Mindfulness.comments closed
So . . . how do we do it?
How do we get from “who we are now” to “who we want to be”?
By re-wiring the brain, using a simple 3-part process:
Conceive IT . . . Believe IT . . . Achieve IT!
This 3-part process enables us to create new synapses of health and well being in the brain at the same time we are pruning away the synapses that caused us (allowed us) to “get off track” in the first place.
Conceive IT.
Sit someplace quiet. Relax. Close your eyes. Follow your breath.
Visualize how you want to be AS IF you already are just like that.
Hold that thought.
“Don’t be the prisoner of your past . . . be the architect of your future.”
Believe IT.
Visualize being who you want to be in such a way that the thought seems more real than reality. See yourself as the “new you.” Feel thankful and grateful for becoming who you want to be.
Hold that belief.
“Whether you believe you can, or believe you can’t, you’re right.”
Achieve IT.
Begin to live in ways that are consistent with your vision.
If you want to enjoy a positive and joyful outlook on life, maintain a positive and joyful outlook. Look for the “silver lining” when life throws you a curve ball.
“Claim what isn’t, as if it were, until it becomes.”
Don’t give up.
Keep coming back to the task. Not once. Not twice. Every day.
“The Law of Repetition is crucially important in the creation of wired neural nets. Once and done won’t get us where we need to be; it is physically impossible to wire circuits that way. … We have to make a conscious effort to plan our future actions and behaviors, and rehearse those actions in our mind so that our body will be trained to follow.” ~ Evolve Your Brain, p. 466-67.
Change is hard . . . don’t be hard on yourself.
If you want to be more patient, practice being more patient.
If you are striving for more patience, but feel frustration creeping in (because of “the X that just did Y”), don’t be impatient with your lack of patience.
Instead, notice your impatience and ask:
WWAPPD? (Translation: What Would A Patient Person Do?)
Then do that. (Or don’t. But at least see it as an option that you could choose if you REALLY wanted to be a “patient person.”)
Use reminders to keep on track and to mark your progress.
Rubber bands. Stones. Gratitude Jar. Gold stars.
There are lots of ways to remind yourself to “re-wire your brain” from frustration to patience or from pessimism to optimism.
* Wear a rubber band on your wrist.
Each time you notice it, bring your intention to change to the forefront of your mind. Re-play your creative vision for the “new you.”
If the “old you” starts to climb into the driver’s seat, *SNAP* the rubber band!
Then ask WWNMD? (Translation: What Would New Me Do?)
* To remind yourself of the progress you’re making ~ use a pile of stones.
Put a pile of pebbles on your desk. That’s your “mountain of positivity.”
Every time you revert back to your “old way of thinking,” move a pebble from the positive pile to the negative pile.
Compare the piles at the end of each day. Start fresh each morning.
* Another visual reminder you might consider ~ a Gratitude Jar.
Put a jar on your desk. Think of something you’re grateful for. Write it on a slip of paper and drop it into the jar. Each time you do this, you strengthen the synapses that look for the good, and prune away synapses that caused you to collapse into a heap of “nothing good” in the past.
* Give yourself a Gold Star.
If you notice yourself getting impatient in a situation when you would rather be calm, take a few deep breaths and return to your vision. Then give yourself a gold star to celebrate your increased awareness.
”What are you ~ a god, an angel, a saint?”
“No,” replied The Buddha, “I am A-W-A-K-E.”
By creating new synapses of health and well being in your brain, you will start to prune away the synapses that are “dead wood.” You’ll feel lighter and brighter and less inclined to be a muddled up mixed up mess.
Aah . . . that’s better!
A parallel to Conceive -> Believe -> Achieve . . . Reflect -> Choose -> Act.
* * * * *
Our brain, which controls virtually every aspect of our lives, is as amazing a piece of equipment as you are ever likely to encounter.
Reading this post is akin to reading the Cliff Notes for a beloved classic ~ you’ll get the gist of the plot-line and learn about a few of the major characters, but many delightful nuances and well-turned phrases are missing.
To learn more about our miraculous bundle of synaptic intelligence, consider reading Evolve Your Brain ~ The Science of Changing Your Mind, by Joe Dispenza.
Changing your mind will change your life.
Spirit Lights The Way 