https://youtu.be/YcBd9SmXzPg
(Stillness in the Storm Editor) As anyone who’s tried to change a habit knows, it’s a lot harder than we might think. We’d like to believe that we can use the power of our conscious mind to override a habit, instinct, fear, or emotion. To be sure, the conscious mind has this power to a certain extent, but it’s more akin to the relationship between an architect and a general contractor. You have to “install” an intellectually worked out way of thinking into the body itself, which usually requires taking action.
As Dr. Jordan Peterson points out, neurologically your choices map onto your central nervous system, which is like installing an app on to your computer. When you think of a new idea, belief, or ideal to replace a habit, it sits in your mind in a place that’s a lot like the download folder on your computer. It can’t be used till it’s installed.
Psychologically, this principle operates at the boundary between the intellectual mind and the somatic or body mind.
Your body has a mind of its own, which we experience as instincts, impulses, and habits.
The first time you grabbed a snack at work from the vending machine, it was a new activity. You felt hunger, and consciously formulated the desire and plan to do it. After having done that several times, in the future, you’re mind will automatically thrust the desire and plan to get a snack on you, even if you don’t want one. This instinctual response is a habit which exists at the body mind level.
There’s so much to discuss about how this works and what it means for your life.
For now, the big takeaway is that your choices map directly on to your physiology, which includes everything you brought into that action.
By this I mean, your mood, your view of yourself, the way you see the world, the judgments you place on yourself and others, all of this gets encoded, becoming a pattern your body operates from. Clearly, this means being careful with how you frame your motivations is important so as to avoid issues later. For instance, if you always motivate yourself with negative emotion to perform daily tasks, like cleaning, cooking, and work, you’ll hardcode your brain to feel toxic emotions when doing these tasks.
All of this highlights the difference between the somatic mind and the intellectual mind. The way your intellectual thoughts get unpacked into the body is through action and dramatisation.
When you imagine yourself doing something, you’re dramatizing. When you feel something in response, that feeling indicates you’re rewiring your brain and body in relation thereto.
Powerful, huh?
Let the importance of that sink in just a bit.
– Justin
Stillness in the Storm Editor: Why did we post this?
Psychology is the study of the nature of mind. Philosophy is the use of that mind in life. Both are critically important to gain an understanding of as they are aspects of the self. All you do and experience will pass through these gateways of being. The preceding information provides an overview of this self-knowledge, offering points to consider that people often don’t take the time to contemplate. With the choice to gain self-awareness, one can begin to see how their being works. With the wisdom of self-awareness, one has the tools to master their being and life in general, bringing order to chaos through navigating the challenges with the capacity for right action.
– Justin
Not sure how to make sense of this? Want to learn how to discern like a pro? Read this essential guide to discernment, analysis of claims, and understanding the truth in a world of deception: 4 Key Steps of Discernment – Advanced Truth-Seeking Tools.
Stillness in the Storm Editor’s note: Did you find a spelling error or grammar mistake? Send an email to [email protected], with the error and suggested correction, along with the headline and url. Do you think this article needs an update? Or do you just have some feedback? Send us an email at [email protected]. Thank you for reading.
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