Did you know that your brain is hardwired to self-destruct? And no! We are not talking about the Metallica song. But the fact that you might sabotage your accomplishments by focusing on pessimistic thoughts. Instead of acknowledging what you achieved, your mind often diverts to what could have been.
Your brain might cling to a negative bias of experiences. The subconscious brain looks for proof to establish a belief, which is often negative. If you think about it, you are more prone to criticizing your actions than praising them. If something does not go as planned, you quickly tell yourself, “I should have worked harder.”
You get into this loop of self-doubt and loathing. But, you can always train your mind to get what you want in your life. With practice, you can release old beliefs and integrate new ones.
Training your mind to serve you might not sound easy. But it is the least bit impossible. Meaning that it is not something you learn to do but have to practice daily. Practicing can help you fulfill your goal of success and happiness. Let us dive into how the subconscious brain affects us and the different ways to train it.
The Role it Plays in Mental Health
Your nervous system regulates body functions, for instance, maintaining heartbeat, breathing, and body temperature. This is known as the homeostatic impulse. Think of it as an involuntary function. You do not have to put your brain to work for your heart to beat. It is something that happens on its own.
It is convenient for sustaining your physical well-being. But, your subconscious mind also regulates your mental health. Your brain is on a constant run to organize and filter every new piece of information. And the only ones that get to stay are the most important. This organizing structure is the RAS (Reticular Activating System).
To find the most crucial information, the RAS seeks evidence regarding the importance of the data stored. This evidence gathered generally proves that you were right. Psychology recognizes this phenomenon as confirmation bias. And you start attracting situations and experiences that solidify a belief pattern. For example, you buy a new bag and see the same bag as every other person. Or when you learn a new word and start hearing it more.
This belief system might make it difficult for you to adapt to new lessons and routines. It might compel you to confide in your comfort zone. The subconscious mind attracts comfortable situations. Thus, it is favorable to break this monotonous pattern and let yourself open up to new experiences to benefit your mental health. Exposing yourself to unfamiliar circumstances might improve your decision-making skills.
Is it Right for Me?
It might not always be evident whether you need to pay attention to your mental well-being. Making your mental peace a priority is vital. So, you might want to recognize the signs and work toward them. Here are some signs to look out for:
- You do not see any progress despite working hard.
- You feel like you are stuck in a hamster wheel.
- You find it difficult to express yourself.
- Everyday tasks feel exhausting.
- Your physical health declines.
If you witness any of the signs listed above, you might want to invest time in training your subconscious. Unlike practicing self-discipline, training your brain requires more time. Self-discipline is about forming habits that your conscious mind can control. But, for the latter, you must implement habits that align with your goals. Your subconscious brain will only recognize these habits if it sees any results.
It may sound like a paradox, but you control your subconsciousness as much as it controls you. This means you need to remember that you have the authority to train your mind. You might want to fall back into your comfort zone. But, you have to ask yourself, “How is it serving me? Am I observing any form of progress?”
It requires courage to break out of old patterns. When you face a drawback, you might think, “Why is this happening to me?” Instead, you should ask yourself, “Why have I attracted this situation?”
But with small, consistent steps, you can apply new learnings and adapt them daily.
1. Challenge Your Beliefs
The first step to transformation is overcoming your insecurities. Your disregard for your self-doubt is the willingness to accept change. You have to believe that change is possible.
It might take time to change your beliefs. It would be miraculous if you could throw away all your doubts and transform into a total risk-taker overnight. However, the transformation might start slow. Try indulging in the activities you might have considered scary. Or apply to those jobs that you thought were too far out of your reach. Who knows! That activity you were afraid of might become a new skill, or you might get the dream job you always aimed for.
You have to believe that it will work out. Your brain will try to oppose any new belief. To overcome this, you have to challenge your belief system. You need the courage and willpower to make yourself believe in your potential. After all, every other human being is made of the same atoms as you.
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2. Surround Yourself With Supportive People
When you aim to become successful and happy, you want to be with people who share your beliefs. Someone who doesn’t dare to work on their success will show the same discouragement toward anyone else’s hard work. People reflect their own beliefs in their opinions. They externalize their insecurities onto others.
But, when you find yourself among people who are eager about their ambitions, their energy affects you as well. Talking with such people may help you get excited about your achievements. Ambitious people offer support and inspiration. And finding your support group may help you push forward toward your happiness.
Setting boundaries with people who convey negative energy is important, even if they are your closest friends. If you want to break free from your loop of self-doubt and monotonous life, you must find yourself in the company of people who project positive beliefs.
3. Believe in Yourself
It is not easy to face failure. The devastating feeling you get when you don’t achieve something may make you believe that your efforts were pointless.
But, if you are being honest with yourself, was feeling overwhelmed pointless? Do you believe that your labors did not serve you in any way?
Your subconscious brain will always prompt you to blame your efforts when it does not see any outcome. It is your responsibility to focus on growth. Yes, there will be setbacks, and you might not always achieve what you want in its entirety. But you need to change your perception and learn from your mistakes. Your brain will reprogram itself to believe in your capability. Be it success, abundance, or happiness, to meet anything, you must believe in yourself.
Try saying out loud the things that you want! Start slow if it is difficult for you to speak it into existence. Admit the things that you want to yourself. Or journal them. But, let it out. To believe in your dreams and goals, you have to admit it is possible and that you can make it happen.
4. Stick to a Routine
Your brain seeks familiarity. It requires a set of patterns to function in a reproductive way. Any unusual behavior, like a change in your sleep cycle, sets off the alarms in your brain. It recognizes it as a stress call. So, when you train your brain to be happier and more creative, you might want to ease into a routine.
Starting slow is the key. Try incorporating small habits into your daily life, like a meditation session, a light workout, and creative exercises. Setting a time limit for daily chores may help you keep track of time. It is easy to get caught up with one activity and spend unnecessary time on it.
Recognize your life goals. You may have some plans that need a longer time, while some things you can fulfill sooner. You have to start introducing habits that support your goal on a day-to-day basis.
5. Visualize Your Goals
Remember when you had to go on a school trip as a kid? You would get all giddy and keep thinking about all the fun activities you would get to do. You might even have your outfit laid out on your bed, and your bags packed. And when you went on the trip, you had a ton of fun.
Think of your goals as that school trip. Keep envisioning it. Imagine how it would feel to live your dream. All your achievements lay in front of you. You have to visualize yourself accomplishing your goals to succeed. You need to map out the most efficient route for your goals.
When you face a setback, your visualization will propel you to work harder for your goal. It can be in the form of a journal entry or a vision board. You might also use digital mood boards like Pinterest and pin your favorite quotes or images that embody your goals. You can also try a mini vision board set up as your phone or laptop wallpaper.
Improve Your Mental Wellness with a Trusted Therapist on Docvita Today!
Start your journey to train your subconscious brain today. At DocVita, you can find experienced therapists who can help you with your issues. Working on your mental well-being may get tricky. But, you can always find guidance from a professional. Browse through our website and get easy access to therapists. We have a comprehensive list of specialists who can provide counseling and help you head toward a healthier mental space.
Through DocVita, you can easily pick a therapist that you find helpful and suitable for your needs.