Getting out of your brain and into your mind will change your life. Here’s how.
Your entire life you have been training your brain in both good and bad ways.
Your habits, environment, emotions, and thoughts are all constantly shaping your brain.
Through time, your brain:
strengthens circuits that are used
degrades circuits that are ignored
gradually loses its ability to change
The more you engage in particular thought/behavior patterns, the stronger those circuits in your brain get.
Your brain begins to shape your entire existence.
If you consistently repeat a negative thought such as “I am so stressed and overwhelmed” guess what?
That thought becomes part of your BRAIN.
The circuits get so strong that the thought begins to come to you without trying.
You begin to see things that stress you out more.
Your stress response becomes hyper-active and it’s easier to trigger, so your body is in a state of stress.
Your amygdala (brain region tied to emotion) is running like crazy, your HPA Axis is sending cortisol everywhere, it’s a total mess.
This can become a “standard” baseline of existence if repeated enough.
To summarize, your brain and body get out of WHACK.
How do you fight this pattern that has heavily ingrained itself into your brain?
You change your MIND.
Your mind is intricately linked to the brain.
With the right techniques, you can change your brain by getting into your mind.
It takes time and commitment but it will change your life (by altering the mind/brain you live through).
Let’s get started on some basic ways to optimize your brain and shift your mind:
Neural Optimization
Brain supplements- finding the nutrients that make sure your neurons communicate optimally, your brain has good blood flow, and your cognitive functioning is clear
Brain exercises- learning how to keep that neuroplasticity PLASTIC reduces aging, improves cognition, and minimizes risk of neurodegenerative diseases
ex.) brain games (online/in person), learn a language, do a puzzle, make art, play an instrument, try a new form of exercise
Mind Work
Getting to know your mind- you have to start with a baseline, becoming aware of your current thought patterns/circuits that you want to change is a key first step
write down repetitive thoughts that you tend to have then spend a day becoming aware of patterns/documenting them
Thought replacement- when you begin to notice negative or limiting thoughts you want to release you need a method of releasing and replacing these thoughts (beginning of mind shifting)
try a simple breathing exercise to release a negative thought, then reset your intention with a replacement thought tied to your values
You cannot improve your mind without improving your brain. They are intricately linked (and are honestly a power couple).
So start with optimizing your brain, making sure it is ready to integrate the mind work that you will do.
Then… get out of there! Out of the brain, and into the mind.
In the mind is where you can make changes. When paired with a healthy, prepared brain, the mind-work can create incredible long-term effects.
To learn about individualized ways to optimize your brain and shift your mind, start here:
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