by Lynn C. Cox
How many of us want to make some changes in 2023? Perhaps you want to stop that habit of procrastinating, shed excess weight, start a new wellness program, get better sleep, or kick an unhealthy habit to the curb? How often have you tried to make one of these changes in the past and stopped short of your goals because something in you turns you in the other direction?
Sometimes it feels like we’re in a battle of the wills with our own minds.
Conventional wisdom would have us believe that our minds are extraordinarily complicated and the process of understanding it, changing it, and managing it is close to impossible.
In the recent decade, there has been more research into, curiosity around, and mainstream adoption of neuroscience, Rapid Transformational Therapy, hypnotherapy, positive psychology, and mind body connection. What this means is people are hungry to move out of the dark ages of psychology and embrace an understanding of the mind, and practical practises to help achieve better mental, emotional, and physical health!
When it comes to long-standing habits of action, such as overeating, procrastinating, feeling stress and anxiety and being prone to negative thought loops, the first place to begin is understanding a few rules of the mind. We cannot change anything we do not understand, and these three rules of the mind will help anyone on their journey of transformation.
- The Mind Does What It Thinks You Want It to Do
Our number one drive as a species is survival, and how do we survive? By staying safe! Safe typically means not taking risks (even measured ones), colouring within the lines that we’ve always known, and avoiding rejection at all costs. The mind thinks you want it to keep you safe.
For example, if you really want to up your game in business and become a phenomenal presenter, but you’re not used to this, your mind will ‘keep you safe’ by convincing you taking this step amounts to danger. Don’t worry, there’s a way around this so you can explore, try new things, and develop yourself!
- The Mind Loves the Familiar and is Repelled by the Unfamiliar
Along with point one, the mind is quite comfortable having the same old, same old. How many times have you heard stories about couples who are unhappy together because their habits have become boring. Or think about a two-year-old who always wants to wear the same outfit, have the same toy, and eat the same thing for breakfast.
Way, way back when we were hunters and gatherers, the familiar kept us safe and alive. We knew what was poisonous and what wasn’t, so we would stick to the safe and familiar. This love of the familiar is deeply wired into our primitive brains. But it can hold us back when we want to make changes in our life. Don’t worry, you can retrain your mind to love the unfamiliar!
- The Mind Responds to Two Things: Words and Pictures
The way our mind processes information is with words and pictures. The good news is the words create the pictures! Just try this exercise; sit in a room with a pen and paper and for five minutes, just write down all that chatter going on in your mind. You’ll notice that thoughts, words, and pictures are repetitive.
You can actively choose what words you want to put in there and create compelling pictures to excite your mind and start to change. Do you want to take on healthier habits and shed weight for example? You can repeat words to yourself in many ways. Make a recording with the change you want to see and listen to it. Stop your habitual thoughts and plant the new words in there. Put them on your screensaver or write on your mirror.
Our minds are quite simple, and once you understand the mechanics, you are empowered to become the master of your mind and your life!
