You've heard the saying,
You can't teach and old dog new tricks.
For years people believed that brains stopped growing new neurons not long after birth.
Today we know that the brain has been changing and growing new neurons, and that it continues to change as you experience and learn new things.
You can teach your brain new ways of thinking.
Yes, the same brain that holds onto your bad habits, and
creates thoughts that freak you out,
Even though you might not know it,
You’ve been doing it accidentally every day since you were born.
And you’ll keep doing it until you take your last breath.
There are two ways nueroplasticity can happen.
You can let it wander unchecked, where you might find yourself overthinking, creating problems that don’t exist, and feeling anxious.
This might be the way you’ve always done it.
No shame allowed - most of us have been on autopilot for a long time.
And since brains have a natural tendency to look for what isn’t going well,
what might be dangerous,
how you might be judged or feel anything uncomfortable,
you’ll likely stick with this pattern until you decide to create a new one.
This was how humans survived back when our caveman ancestors were alive.
It was great back in 10,000 B.C.
Not so much is 2024.
Or you can choose a different option.
You can choose to think on purpose.
I’m not talking about toxic positivity where you pretend like everything is sunshine and unicorns. You know those fake thoughts that your brain never really believes anyway....
I’m talking about choosing to find
🌟 What is working and focus on that instead of what isn’t working,
🌟 What you’re grateful for, instead of the things that aren’t so great.
If you want to change your brain to be more positive so you stop overthinking, feel more confident, and even feel safe relaxing and letting your mind wander,
You have to think on purpose.
That starts with knowing how to tell when a thought is creative and positive
or when it is fear based and negative.
(imagine having a magic mirror that shows you your thoughts in real time)
You’ll learn to question what you think, find evidence for
what is going well and what’s working.
Every new thought connects to other similar thoughts, and grows new ways of thinking, behaving, and feeling.
So the next time you have a big decision to make - it’s easier.
You trust yourself to know what to do.
And when you have to have that difficult conversation,
You can do it calmly, say what you need and want to say,
And not ruminate on it for hours and days after.
You can relax, daydream, and believe you’re safe,
When right now relaxing feels out of control and scary.
When you think differently, you feel differently.
When you feel differently, you act differently
And when you act differently,
On purpose, and with intention,
Your life changes
<3 Megan
P.P.S. THIS WEEKS JOURNAL PROMPT: Start writing 3 things you’re grateful for in the morning and before you go to bed each night. Make this a habit and watch things start to shift.
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