Break On Through (To the Other Side)
Using neuroscience to determine your destination and radiate brilliance
You know the day destroys the night
Night divides the day
Tried to run
Tried to hide
Break on through to the other side
Break on through to the other side
– The Doors (Jim Morrison, Ray Manzarek, John Densmore, Robby Krieger)
How can you break on through to the other side of self-doubt, insecurity, and limiting thoughts? We often create limitations that inhibit us from achieving the brilliance that lies within. Yet did you know that within you – yes YOU – lies one of the most complex structures of matter in the entire universe? This structure of matter, also known as “gray matter,” possesses the ability to improve your entire life – how you think, feel, and act.
The attention center of the brain, referred to by scientists as the Reticular Activating System (RAS), is a portal through which nearly all information enters the brain. While its most important function is to regulate the shift between wakefulness and sleep, it also filters incoming information and affects what you pay attention to, how aroused you are, and determines what is not going to gain access to the three pounds of gray matter in your skull. Scientifically speaking, the RAS is a loose network of neurons and neural fiber connected at its base to the spinal cord and that runs up through the brain stem to the mid-brain. The RAS is a control center for other parts of the brain involved in learning, self-control, and motivation. It sorts through incoming data and stimuli you are exposed to and directs your attention to important stimuli. It’s like an assistant who makes you aware of all of the things significant to you.
Do you like sporty luxury cars? Every time you see a sporty luxury car, your RAS will direct your attention toward that flashy car. You hear a song, and cannot get the catchy tune out of your mind. Your RAS reminds you of a memory associated with that song and emotions immediately resurface from the past. You have your eye on a new pair of shoes, and WHAM you’re suddenly seeing your style walking down the street. This is your RAS at work, filtering out data and distractions that surround you and focusing on what you determine important. Your Reticular Activating System is your brain’s way of funneling all of the noise that surrounds our daily lives and efficiently focusing on what you establish as a priority.
Do you know what that means? It means that you are in the driver’s seat of your destiny! You are gripping the steering wheel and can direct your RAS to focus on the aspects of your life that you want to elevate.
Your RAS is your personal leadership tool. Program your thoughts and elevate your performance.
Let’s go on an amazing journey of self-discovery and awareness! Try this activity and notice how the subtle shifts you make in focusing and redirecting your thoughts can produce profound results in your levels of happiness, feelings of empowerment, and positive outlook on the world. This process can help you break on through to the other side!
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Thought Watching
Have you ever enjoyed people watching? Take the same concept, and watch your thoughts pass through your mind as if they are clouds moving across a brilliant, blue sky. Are most of your thoughts negative? Or positive?
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Practice Mindfulness
Do you have a favorite place to relax and unwind? Take a moment to observe your thoughts wander across the horizon of thought.
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Attention Training
Anytime you find your attention wandering to limiting thoughts or thoughts that do not bring you joy, let them pass like clouds in the sky and replace them with positive thoughts that empower you and elevate your spirit.
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Reflection
Have you ever spent time looking back and examining the effects of an experience? Take a moment to notice the shifts in your thinking and the impact those shifts have on your experiences in life. The way you feel, the way you think, and the way you perceive the world are constructs of your mind.
Try implementing these changes in your life for a week. What differences have you noticed? Let us know in the comments!
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