With the discoveries in neuroscience, we now know that throughout your life, you are programming your sub-conscious mind. This section will show you how to program it for happiness and success in achieving your goals.
Think of a time when you became better at something by practicing it. Now, recall a time when you lost a skill by not practicing it. We know that constant repetition improves physical skills, like making basketball shots and learning to type on a computer keyboard, and we also know that constant repetition improves mental skills, like learning the ‘multiplication tables’ or a new language. So why does constant repetition work?
That’s because our mind and our body function the same way – in that our mind is made-up of neural pathways and our body is made-up of muscles – and they both get stronger with constant repetition and they both get weaker when not used. In neuroscience, this constant repetition is referred to ‘synaptic strengthening’.
Any thing that we repeat grows stronger. So the first thing to understand is that neuroscientist have discovered that constant repetition programs our sub-conscious mind, because the brain has the ability to rewire itself based on thought patterns. It is based on the Principles of Neuroplasticity: 1. Neurons that fire together, wire together; and 2. Neurons you don’t use, you lose.
Next, think of a full moon; next think of an oak tree by the bank of a river; and next think of a red triangle. OK, What did you learn from that? That mental exercise demonstrates that we are not our thoughts. You are not the full moon, nor the oak tree nor the red triangle. We are the observer of our thoughts and we have the power to control and change our thoughts. So the second thing to understand is that we have the power to control and change our thoughts.
Unfortunately, many of us have negative thoughts that, through constant repetition have programmed our sub-conscious mind to be negative, and we develop the mental habit of thinking negatively. Examples are “I’ll never be smart enough” or “I’ll never be good enough” or “I’ll never learn this.” This is referred to as ‘negative self-talk’. Recognize that negative self talk causes low self-esteem and a lack of self-confidence. That’s why you should use the word ‘yet’ when describing things you cannot do, as in “I’m not good enough yet to ride my bike”.
In order to program our minds for success, we must first stop practicing negative self-talk. Otherwise our negative thoughts will tell us we can’t succeed and we will give-up. So, let’s watch a video that will help us recognize our negative self-talk.. Be sure to ‘click’ the bottom left corner to start each video.
YouTube:The Honest Guys – Stop Negative Self-Talk
So the MOST IMPORTANT thing is to program our minds to be more positive because this will reduce negative self-talk. Let’s watch a video that explains how to do this. YouTube:Brendon Burchard – How to Reprogram Your Mind
It’s easy to program our minds to be more positive if we set our smartphone to beep a few times each day as a reminder. Each time we hear the beep, we ask ourselves, “Are my thoughts positive or negative?” If we notice negative thoughts, we consciously shift to more positive ones. Practicing this for a few weeks programs our sub-conscious mind to be more positive. This simple but powerful habit, known as “mindful thinking,” is one we should maintain throughout life. By practicing mindful thinking, you’ll enjoy a happier and easier life.
If you practice programming your subconscious mind to be more positive, you will enjoy more happiness. Why? Because it’s thinking negative thoughts that make you unhappy, and if you are thinking fewer negative thoughts because you are thinking more positive thoughts, you will be happier.
Next, we need to understand the power of emotions when programming our sub-conscious mind. Neuroscientists have discovered that emotions play an critical role in programming our sub-conscious mind because they serve as powerful signals that influence memory, decision-making, and behavioral patterns. By understanding this connection, we can harness the power of positive emotions to program our sub-conscious mind.
Neuroscientist have also discovered that when our mind is in the theta state, just before falling asleep or right after waking up, it is the best time to program our sub-conscious mind because this deeply relaxed state enhances receptivity, allowing positive affirmations and visualizations to bypass conscious resistance and embed directly into the subconscious. Hypnotist put their subjects in a theta state to program their minds. People who meditate sometimes put their mind in the theta state. To enter a theta state, start by finding a quiet location with no distractions, get in a comfortable sitting position, and take a few slow breaths to relax deeply, then start to relax the muscles in your body. Start with your feet and work your way up to your head. Doing this will put your mind in a theta state.
Now let’s put this all together and program our sub-conscious mind to achieve your goal. The key is to visualize your desired goal while in a calm and relaxed theta state. Imagine yourself already having achieved the goal, and fully embrace the emotions that come with this accomplishment. Thinking in the present tense is crucial because the subconscious operates in the now. Repeating this process often, while in the theta state, will program your sub-conscious mind. Allow yourself to bask in the positive feelings and vividly immerse yourself in the mental image of success.
By frequently imagining ourselves achieving our goal with strong emotional intensity, we program our sub-conscious mind to generate ideas and insights throughout the day that guide us toward making our goal a reality. That’s because the subconscious mind controls 95% of our thoughts. Most people find it hard to believe that their subconscious mind controls 95% of their thoughts, so here’s an example of how it works. Your subconscious mind is faster than the conscious mind because the conscious mind has to ‘comprehend’ while the subconscious mind reacts immediately out of habit. Imagine you are standing in front of your window looking out. Your conscious mind comprehends that it’s raining out. Your subconscious mind immediately floods you with thoughts depending on your mindset. If you have a negative mindset, your subconscious mind tells you that it’s terrible outside and your day is ruined because you don’t want to go out in the rain. If you have a positive mindset, your subconscious mind tells you this is great because now you don’t have to water the lawn and since it’s raining out, this is a great day to meet your friends indoors for lunch. Your subconscious mind is working behind the scenes choosing what details you see, what emotions you feel and what meaning you attach to every experience, thereby creating your reality.
The last step is to follow through and take actions aligned with our goal. With each task our mind suggests and we complete, we move one step closer to achieving our goal. The key to programming the sub-conscious mind lies in vividly imagining our goal as already achieved and consistently focusing on it with strong emotional intensity while in the theta state. The magic ingredient? Repetition, repetition, repetition
Let’s watch a video that explains this whole process in detail.
Now let’s watch a final video that summarizes how to program the sub-conscious mind.
That’s how you program your sub-conscious mind for success and happiness