95% of who we are by the time we’re 35 years old is a memorized set of behaviors, emotional reactions, unconscious habits, hardwired attitudes, beliefs and perceptions that function like a computer program. This means that most of our actions are just habits and not conscious choices. People are stuck in routines and their behaviors are mostly predictable. They are stuck in a routine and their brain is on autopilot.
People wake up, check their phone, go through the same routine everyday and end up feeling unhappy. If you want to change your life, you need to change your thoughts and emotions. We can change our life by changing our thoughts. If you think about your problems, you will feel unhappy, sad and in pain. Our thoughts and feelings create our state of being . By closing your eyes and mentally rehearsing a positive outcome, you can prime your brain for success. This will create new neurological hardware in your brain.
The hardest part about changing is the discomfort we feel when we make new choices. Our body is used to the old way of thinking and feels uncomfortable with anything new. It is important to persist through this discomfort. Our brain is wired to find comfort in familiar territory, so it will resist change.
Our emotions can hold us back from changing. If we dwell on negative emotions for too long, they can become ingrained in us.Our thoughts and feelings create our state of being. If you think negative thoughts, you will feel negative emotions. These negative emotions will create a negative state of being. This cycle will repeat itself and keep you stuck in a rut.
In order to change, you need to learn how to shorten your refractory period of emotional reactions. This means not dwelling on negative emotions. The longer you dwell on negative emotions, the more likely you are to continue to feel them.
We learn the most about ourselves and others when we are uncomfortable. Stress, in short bursts, is good for us. However, chronic stress can lead to disease. Our thoughts can make us sick, but they can also make us well.