How to Use Science to Change Your Brain

Am I (unintentionally) creating my bad habits?

If we consult research, then the answer might be yes.

In the recent years, there has been a lot of focus on quantum physics and neuroscience and their connection to happiness. We all want to be happy, so science is putting its thinking hat and trying to translate their findings into a language we can understand. I am particularly interested in neuron pathways and our ability to create new ones.

Over the past few years, I have been blown away with the paradigm shifts my clients have been able to create for themselves. What if there is science backing the claim that you can re-wire your neurons so that you can create different habits, attitudes and even your happiness quotient? Here is what I have learned over the years:

Every single thought you have has a biochemical reaction in the body.

If you keep living in the past focused on something not desirable, you keep inviting that thought and those emotions back into your life. Think about — last time you were hurt — how does it feel thinking about it? Same goes for happy events. Remember the last times you laughed so hard you almost fell off the chair? You probably have a smile on your face by now. Every thoughts starts a biochemical chain reaction releasing corresponding signals that turn into emotional states.

You are the master of your thoughts. 

Many clients first tell me that they can’t control their thoughts. I listen and I believe that that is their experience, but I know otherwise to be true. You have the power to choose your thoughts. If this is new, it may be a challenge in the beginning, but try replacing a negative thought by associating it to something positive — called brain associative connection. If we do it long enough, we then build a new neuron pathway in the brain that becomes our reality.

Neurons that fire together, wire together. 

If you keep thinking about something in a negative light and you keep affirming it every day, it is likely you will develop a neuron pathway that becomes so instant and solid that it will seem like it has been there forever. Here is the thing — you can train your brain to weaken that connection and replace it with something else. There is a reason it is said that it takes 21 days to develop a new habit for it is exactly the time needed to create a new neuron pathway that is strong enough to get repeated.

Imagination: your body has no idea whether your thoughts are real or not. 

If you think about fearful things, you can literally invite stress hormone into your body while being safe in the comforts of your own home. Try spending at least few minutes a day imagining positive outcome for yourself in whatever area you like and just notice what happens in the body. Remember — every thought immediately releases the chemical reaction on the body creating the corresponding emotion.
 
If you haven’t seen the movie, What the Bleep do we know, then I highly suggest you do. It does a really nice job explaining the neuroscience workings coupled with quantum physics and how it all relates to our happiness. Here is a clip about neuron pathways and I hope you enjoy!