Firstly, what is mind?
Mind is an energy that directs the brain to direct the body. Mind is not the brain, even though some scientist believe it is. Think of the brain as the hardware, a superior computer, and the mind as the software, the programmer.
How Do We Programme The Mind?
The mind starts being programmed from birth and by the time you are 7 you have already formed most of your beliefs about the world around you, and who you are. Often, we are unconscious of these beliefs as we grow older. These mind programmes are being passed down from generation to generation. Programmed into us from family, friends, institutions / systems like Governments, Schools, Health care, Religions, Media.
Are these programmes good?
This is a matter of perspective. Some programmes really empower us and drive us forward, and some disempower us and hold us back. However, if you look at the world from a higher perspective you understand that the universe is one of polarity which is needed for our physical existence. Without the night you cannot experience the day. Everything has an opposite, but actually they are just different degrees of the same thing. Where does night actually become day, and day become night?
When it comes to negative programming (not feeling enough), to see this as just bad further limits us and keeps our perspective small. I believe and find with my clients (and personally) that every negative programme holds a blessing and positive aspect in it. Feeling not smart enough (I wasn't fully conscious of this until I got to my 30's) lead me to really work hard on myself. It motivated me to look within, it created tension for me to move forward. You can see how this negative belief can actually, at least for a period of time, propel you forward and create other positive aspects. However there does come a time when it just stops you from being your best self, procrastinating, not seeing or realising opportunities. We see this a lot throughout society as people stay in jobs they hate and toxic relationships, deep down they don't feel enough.
How Can You Re-Programme The Mind To Get What You Want?
It's actually quite simple but not always easy because the mind likes what is familiar. It's created automatic programmes from your patterns of thoughts and feelings on any one subject (to conserve energy). Even if these make you feel now consciously miserable (hate feeling unhealthy, need to work out more, eat better). The subconscious mind if it believes you don't enjoy eating healthy (because you have told it this over and over) and that you hate working out (again because you've told it this over and over) will continue to run these programmes automatically and end up sabotaging your conscious effort.
In order to make real lasting change you need to change your beliefs around the subject and update your subconscious programming. You have to start giving your mind new positive suggestions that align with what you want. Example let's say you want to get healthy. You use your will power (conscious effort) to make healthy meals, to go to the gym, but all the while you are continuing with the same habitual thoughts (these are your beliefs). "I'm going yes but I hate it", "It's such a drain, I just don't really have time", I'm eating rabbit food, it's really not good". "It too hard".
What will happen is your subconscious mind will be doing everything in its power to get you to stop, giving you even more thoughts about hating the gym, about hating eating this food. Until eventually you will be so drained with trying to go against it you will stop taking action that aligns with what you want and go back to your habitually programmes. Why? because whilst you did take action, which is great, you didn't update your subconscious programmes, and since they account for 95% of all energy / action it will eventually win.
So, you need to yes take action, start preparing healthy meals, allocating time in your diary for things like meal prep, for going to the gym / being active. BUT more important you need to change your habitual thoughts (beliefs) and words around your goal. You need to start saying things like:
"I love eating health food, it makes me feel really good and energised
I absolutely love working it, I feel so pumped afterwards
I have lots of time to be active, it's just a matter of priority and I prioritise my health, it's important to me.
I'm getting fitter and fitter every single day, every day I love being active
I always look for ways I can be more active, walking to the shop, walking up stairs, it really drives me to get more steps in each day.
Now it can feel like a lie saying these things at first because it goes against your programmes, however the mind doesn't know what is real or imaged (remember believing in Father Christmas!) it just knows what you tell it on repeat. If you are consistent and repetitive with your words and make sure they align with your goal (what you want, not what you don't want) and infuse it with emotion (emotion = energy in motion and works to record information into your cells) eventually the subconscious will accept this is your new programme. It will then motivate you and propel you to take the actions you need to take to make your goal a reality. How long it will take really depends on your consistency, but I would say anywhere from 40 days to 90 days to imprint new messages through conscious auto suggestion.
Is There A Quicker Way To Re-Programme The Subconscious Mind?
Yes, by giving your mind these auto positive suggestions as you are falling asleep. When we are moving from the awakened state (beta brain wave) to the sleep state (delta) we move through the alpha and theta levels of brain waves. When we are in alpha and theta states, we bypass the analytical part of our brain that can block any new suggestions from getting in (new suggests will eventually get in with repeated conscious effort fused with feeling). In these states the subconscious mind will happily accept new suggestions. So, you can make a little recording on your phone, where you give yourself a few suggestions (like the above) that align with what you want (make sure positive and about what you want, not about what you don't want). You can get apps that loop the suggestions, so they are on repeat for about 5-10 minutes (or you could let them loop all night if you wanted to). Then closing your eyes, taking a couple of deep breaths to centre yourself, play the recording and allow yourself to drift off to sleep.
You would need to do this for 21-30 days. However, you could start to feel a shift from as little as 4 days, some people change instantly, for most we need the message to hit our subconscious more before it fully locks onto it and makes it's your reality. You should also be consciously saying these suggestions. Sometimes you will say what you used to say as you are changing. This is ok and normal, as soon as you become aware you have used a negative auto suggestion like "I just don't have the time" simply correct yourself and say, "Actually no I do have the time, I just need to choose to prioritise it".
Key Take Aways!
The mind listens to what you tell it, and it's always wanting to move you away from pain towards pleasure (making sure you survive) therefore you must change how you talk about your goals and link pleasure to your goals. If you see them as painful to achieve you will likely never achieve them, and this is just because your subconscious mind thinks it's doing what is in your best interest by moving you away from pain. You must change the story you tell yourself and that will change the pictures in your head and start to shift how you think, feel and ultimately what actions you take. Remember it may feel like a lie at first, it may feel uncomfortable, that is ok, it just means you are changing. Soon through faith and repetition it will become familiar and be your new reality. The only difference between someone that wants to get healthy but doesn't consistently take healthy actions, and someone that consistently does is what they tell themselves. My friend works out 4-5 times a week, she loves running. She says things like " It makes me feel so amazing getting out in the fresh air and running" even when she is hung over, she runs because she says, "I don't feel good when I don't exercise" She links pleasure with exercise and pain with not. It's an automatic programme for her to exercise. Your mind will always move you towards pleasure and away from pain. Remember you get to choose what you perceive as pleasure and what as pain. Using the simple technique above you can reprogram your mind fast.
