You might be stuck in traffic, waiting in the checkout line, or like me – recuperating from a bad flu – when you allow the world around you to quiet down and you start reflecting on the changes in your life that you are currently facing. You may start to feel uncomfortable and immediately look to a diversion – switch to a different playlist, pick up a magazine, or start scrolling through your favourite social feed. Being curious and exploring these changes is often the better choice and a lot more satisfying in the long run.
I’m currently reading a book called “Super Brain” by Deepak Chopra and Rudolph Tanzi which digs into what we currently know about our physical brain and the processes we undergo as we learn. They make an important distinction between the mind and the brain – our brain is the physical organ, while our mind is the indistinct part of us that represents how & what we think & believe.
Sometimes, we limit ourselves based on what we assume to be our physical capabilities. “My brain doesn’t work that way” or “I’m not smart enough to do that” might be some of the things we tell ourselves. Understanding that our brain is a tool for our mind is a key concept. Notwithstanding certain medical conditions, our brains are remarkably similar in structure (from what we know currently). When you look at it that way, then you start to realize that it’s our mind & beliefs that are the limiting factors.
Changing your mind and beliefs takes time & effort. It’s a muscle that needs to be exercised like any other, but the more you do it the easier it becomes. Certain behaviours can help in this process – self-acceptance, understanding, “breaking down” a concept to simpler ideas, empathy, no self-judgment – having these “baseline” behaviours makes the entire process of growth much easier. Remember that no one is an expert in something right off the bat – it takes motivation, practice, drive, and the understanding that you will improve if it really matters to you and you know why you are striving for that change.
As I mentioned, I’m getting over this flu that came out of nowhere, but which has served as a reminder to me to slow down and reflect on some of the changes in my life. This may sound odd but I do look at the process of recuperation as a transformation – I sense changes in myself, my understanding of my triggers, my needs, my physical senses as they adapt – I know that I will be different when I move through the process. This helps enhance the process of changing my thought patterns & beliefs – in a sense it feels as though I am changing both physically & mentally. You may find other methods work in a similar fashion, like exercise, meditation or yoga.
I hope this serves as a quick reminder that changes are always possible & imminent, if we are open to them and allow them to happen mindfully.
I thank you for the time you’ve taken to read this and I hope it has resonated with you in some way.
I wonder what this button does... 