I speak to clients all week long who come to me with problems they want to overcome and goals they want to achieve. Sometimes they have been struggling for years trying to create change and improvement in difficult areas of their life. They may have visions and dreams of a better future, happier relationships, enhanced financial prosperity and vibrant health, but despite years of trying, they simply can’t make it happen.
Why is change so hard?
One of the reasons they may feel so stuck and frustrated is because even though their conscious mind says it wants these changes, the subconscious mind is often the one in control. It is estimated that approximately 95 % of our thoughts and beliefs stem from the subconscious mind and many of these beliefs are fearful, negative and based in survival thinking. The subconscious mind is basically the repository for all of our fear and negativity and its job is to keep us “safe”.
The thoughts stemming from our subconscious mind have often been there since childhood and are deeply wired into our brain by the time we reach adulthood. Essentially, our brain is full of neural networks that keep us thinking the same thoughts and acting in the same ways even when a part of us doesn’t want to.
It used to be thought that once we got older it wasn’t possible to change much of this hardwiring in the brain, however we now know this is not true. Neuroplasticity, or brain plasticity, is the ability to change and rewire our neural networks and this can be done at any age.
So, how do we rewire the brain for less of what we don’t want and more of what we do?
1. Notice the Negative Thoughts and Challenge Them
Since the subconscious mind is often running the show and it is trying to keep us safe, it is full of fearful, anxious, negative thoughts. When you notice yourself repeatedly thinking a negative thought or story, stop and ask yourself, “Is it really true?” Running the same negative thoughts over and over reinforces the neural pathways that keep us stuck. Questioning the validity of these thoughts can begin to break the wiring and allow for new neural pathways to be developed leading to new thoughts and behaviors.
- Find a Thought That Feels Better
When you challenge a negative thought or story and see the futility of it, ask yourself to find a thought that feels better. This can be a challenge when you are convinced your negative thought is true, but give yourself the benefit of the doubt here. Most of our negative, fearful thoughts are simply not true. Take a leap of faith and chose a more positive thought that brings you a sense of peace instead of fear. This breaks the old neural networks and contributes to neuroplasticity.
- Practice Meditation and Visualization
Meditation teaches us to quiet our mind and enter into a state of peace and stillness. Yes, I know this is challenging and many times people think they are not good at meditation. Welcome to being human. Our mind likes to be in control and loves to chatter all day long. Meditation is called a practice because it doesn’t come easily to most people and it takes practice. However, the benefits are worth it. Meditation has been shown to create changes in the brain that lead to greater neuroplasticity, less depression, improved happiness and overall better mental and physical health. Visualization further enhances the process of rewiring and retraining the brain.
4. Do Something Different
If we want to change our brain and create new neural pathways, we have to change our behaviors. Now that you are challenging your thoughts and choosing ones that feel better and perhaps meditating, it helps to actually act on some of the new thoughts. You will notice that new, more positive and inspired thoughts begin to come through. Acting on them and creating positive outcomes will reinforce new neural networks in the brain.
5. Get Out of Town
Yes, you heard me, get out of your usual environment and go somewhere new. When we are in our customary environment day after day, we think the same thoughts and act like the same old person. Have you ever noticed how you feel like a different person on vacation or when out of town for a day or two? It’s partly because new environments stimulate our brains to get out of their rut of the usual old thinking and see things in a different way. I often encourage my clients who are feeling stuck to get out of town for a few days or longer and expand their thinking.
If you want more success in your life and feel like you are spinning your wheels, try some of these steps and see if you can break free of the limited, habitual thinking that is keeping you stuck. There’s a new person waiting to be birthed and that person is the real unlimited you!
Leave a Reply