Hacking Your Brain
It’s time for a “brain break.” Take a moment…
You’re in the thick of it: researching therapy options, worrying about “the problem,” agonizing over every decision, and wondering if it’s worth it to pick up the phone. It’s overwhelming.
So, let’s take a brain break… literally.
Consider this…
Your brain is filled with cells called neurons. They send little electrical impulses (messages) from one to the next. This happens every time you think a thought, take action, or experience an emotion. Over time, specific pathways form.
These pathways help the messages get sent faster and faster from the brain to the body and back. You can do that action before you know it, feel that feeling, or think that same old thought at lightning speed.
It’s an advantageous system… for some things.
You know… like breathing, blinking your eyes, walking, picking up a pencil, sitting down, standing up, and countless other simple things you do every day.
Can you imagine how full your mind would have to be if you had to THINK about the steps it takes to do some of those things you do automatically?
Neuronal pathways are efficient for helping with things like memory, reading and writing, speaking, cooking, riding a bike, driving a car, and so on. You can do these things with ease and speed… without stopping to think about each little micro-step that it takes to accomplish these tasks.
But this lightning-fast system also produces uncomfortable actions, reactions, and feelings:
That feeling of anxiety or stress when things go wrong…
Self-doubt and worry what others will think of you…
Anger at the smallest provocation…
Sadness, even when the reason is invisible and unknown…
Procrastination when a task is too overwhelming or tough…
Judgment when you either fail or recognize your own weaknesses in others…
Negativity when you feel burdens of life piling up…
Don’t get me wrong about “negative” thoughts and emotions…
Sometimes they’re necessary and useful. They can be life-saving, keeping you from harm. Or, they can motivate you to do better.
But the delivery system can work so quickly and efficiently that patterns develop – some of them healthy, some of them not.
And when the unhealthy, unhelpful patterns start to take over, it is SO difficult even to consider that there could be a different way of thinking, feeling, and responding. It almost feels like you’re not in control.
But I’ll tell you a secret: You can hack into the system and make it work for you!
Therapy helps you hack the system and use it to your advantage.
If you can create “negative pathways” for delivering stress, unhelpful thoughts, and unhealthy behavior patterns, it can also do the opposite. You can create “positive pathways” for calm, patience, relaxation, wisdom, and change.
It’s not easy to do, but it is possible. The patterns didn’t happen overnight. They built up slowly, little by little, reinforced by various circumstances and outcomes in life over a long time.
Hacking the system takes time, too.
It takes a lot of work, repetition, and practice.
You will talk about your problems and the factors that affect them. You’ll explore the past and present of tough times you’ve been through. You’ll set goals to change a behavior or change a certain way of thinking. You might have to “fake it until you make it” by taking action first, even if it feels like your heart isn’t in it yet.
Therapy gives you a controlled, safe environment to test out new neural pathways, build them up, maintain them, and then make them your new default setting.
When you talk about problems, gain insight, and shift your perspective, you are literally changing the way your brain works.
Doing it one time is not enough. As the old saying goes, “Practice makes perfect.” Well, I say, “Practice makes PATHWAYS!” The more you use a certain skill, the more you strengthen the pathway and make it more likely that you can rely on it kicking in and working for when you need it the most.
There are times when you will struggle. You’ll hop back on to that old pathway, and the anxiety response will try to stay active. Even if that happens, you’re already one step ahead by creating alternative connections and new ways of thinking. It will be EASIER to get back on track with your goals rather than create brand new connections.
But don’t worry: You won’t be alone.
I love helping people create connections and experience positive change in their lives! You’ve got a cheerleader in your corner, helping you see your progress over time.
These kinds of changes can be so subtle that you might not notice them happening. But, I promise you, I ALWAYS see a different person, different family, different couple, or different child emerging as time goes on. If you’re ready to change your brain and create connections, I’m here to help.
Let’s get those neurons firing along new pathways and see what we can create together!
Let’s hack your brain! Call me to schedule your free 15-minute consultation. I’m here for you: (540) 324-9079.