"At birth, a baby's brain contains 100 billion neurons, roughly as many nerve cells as there are stars in the Milky Way," according to an article Time magazine.
My first reaction? "Wow, we get all that power and hardware with no owner's manual or instructions booklet."
Just imagine what we could do if we understood a tenth of what our brains are capable of.
Now, I certainly don't presume to offer an owner's manual, but I can offer a few suggestions about what and what not to put into our brains.
The power of the words we use and how they affect what we think has been grossly underestimated.
You've probably heard someone say, usually while losing an argument, "Well, that's just semantics." I've learned that, when it comes to managing our brains, it is all semantics.
This is because the brain is simply a computer that takes in what we give it, whether it is in our interest or not.
For example, there are words I call garbage words.
A garbage word is a word that, if you allow your brain to use it on a regular basis, will lead to garbage thinking. Garbage thinking leads to garbage feelings and garbage actions, all of which can keep us from living the kind of lives we want to have.
"I have to."
There are very few things in life we have to do. There are very many things in life we choose to do.
Constantly saying "I have to" diminishes our power of choice. Replacing "I have to" with "I choose to" or "I get to" allows us to choose and bypasses the brain's natural resistance to being forced.
"Try."
This is one of the most powerful garbage words in common usage. For example, try to pick up the newspaper you are now reading. You either pick it up or you don't. Those are the only two outcomes.
In the words of Yoda in the "Star Wars" trilogy: "Do or do not. There is no 'try."'
"Hard."
This garbage word convinces our brains not to do something. It's an excuse for fear and/or laziness. Saying something is hard does not make it any easier to accomplish. Remember, though, that some things are difficult. But difficult things are still doable.
"I can't." This one usually means "I won't" or "I choose not to." A good replacement is "If I could, what would I do?"
"Losing weight."
I love this one. Consider how many times you or someone you know has said he or she wants to lose weight. Now consider what the brain hears.
What have we conditioned our brains to do when we "lose" something? We find it and get it back. Instead of "losing weight," we really want to "get rid of" weight.
"Yes, but ..."
Our brains automatically disregard everything that comes before the word "but." That's because when you hear the word "but," you think, "Ah, ha. Here comes the truth."
Instead of saying "but," use the word "and" (as in, "You did a good job with this, and you could also do that").
Is what I'm suggesting just a form of positive thinking?
Not really.
While positive thinking can be good, it's not enough all by itself. If you are walking in the rain during a thunderstorm saying, "It's not raining, it's not raining," you still are going to get wet.
What this is about is using words to operate your brain properly.
Here's a suggestion: Try replacing - oops! - I mean, replace garbage words with these replacement words, at the rate of one a week.
Eventually, you will eliminate the garbage words from your vocabulary, and get better results.
Visit secretsofgreatrelationships.com for tips and tools for creating and growing a great relationship. You can also subscribe to our f*r*e*e 10 day e-program on how to enrich your relationship today, from relationship coach and expert Jeff Herring.
In order to learn how to relieve ourselves of self-defeating... Read More
One Friday in November, I began a journey from New... Read More
What is a paradigm? In my own words, a paradigm... Read More
Positive thinking in this day and age is a tool... Read More
When I was little I was very busy--as I imagine... Read More
Not Amen, just so we're clear on that.AND.The little connector... Read More
"We can change our circumstances by a mere change of... Read More
Spring is here at last! The season brings with it... Read More
In order for you to make positive ground daily you... Read More
A confidence crisis is looming with a recent study showing... Read More
Our attitude makes seems to control just about everything about... Read More
THOUGHTS are powerful. The power of THOUGHTS cannot be underestimated.... Read More
In my years as a psychologist, I have come to... Read More
We all need encouragement. Even the most callous, hard headed... Read More
The way to define your personality is to refine your... Read More
In my work as a professional coach, I've had the... Read More
A Yale University study a few years ago revealed that... Read More
With Thanksgiving approaching, I thought it would be especially appropriate... Read More
When I teach private Yoga sessions, sometimes, I become aware... Read More
Would you like to be confident in the things you... Read More
Our initial reaction when hitting a setback or a "roadblock,... Read More
Distortions are False Beliefs Programmed every Day by Self and... Read More
If we are the products of our attitudes then it... Read More
With the beginning of a new year, are you happy... Read More
Improving this single attitude makes your days fly by. You... Read More
Looking around at our circumstances we may see only mountains... Read More
So, do you love yourself?Shouldn't really be a difficult question... Read More
As a being of thought, your dominant mental attitude will... Read More
John Ryder awakens feeling rested, refreshed, and sensing a calm... Read More
Clear Conflict with Forgiveness:Forgiveness is the means to solve all... Read More
We all need encouragement. Even the most callous, hard headed... Read More
" If you have faith as a grain of musterd... Read More
Say aloud:I AM. I AM Consciousness. I AM the creator... Read More
I've yet to meet the person who never struggles with... Read More
Are you the kind of person who dwells on your... Read More
For some reason, most people find it easier to think... Read More
Many of you may look at my title and wonder... Read More
I am an educator as well as a coach and... Read More
In 1978, Erma Bombeck wrote a book entitled "The Grass... Read More
Never used 'em. Not likely to start now.OK, so I... Read More
A confidence crisis is looming with a recent study showing... Read More
How are you? Where do you get a positive attitude... Read More
Well I've finally done it...I turned my heat on. After... Read More
One day while in deep meditation and self analysis, a... Read More
No, not that kind.Power and potential are synonymous. Your ultimate... Read More
Many centuries ago there was a Greek philosopher who lived... Read More
Lately, there has been a collective challenge to avoid being... Read More
One of the biggest potential problems we face with every... Read More
If you think you are a loser, you train or... Read More
Striving to improve our self esteem is on everybody's mind.... Read More
Positive Attitude Tips |