The Reticular Activating System. You might not have heard of it but believe me, it is important!
The Reticular Activating System (RAS) is located at the base of the brain. It acts as a filter against all of the data that is around us at any given time whether it is sound, smell, color, image etc.
There can be up to 2,000,000 bits of information being filtered at one time. Your brain can only process a small portion of this data, so your RAS filter only lets things through that it thinks is important.
So, what is important?
What the RAS thinks is important is basically what we consciously think about most. It is the internal conversation that we have that the RAS thinks is important and helps manifest our daily lives.
Do you ever notice people that say they are broke all the time seem to remain broke, or people that say they can’t lose weight that have trouble losing weight? This is why we must be very careful of what we focus on. “I hate Mondays” “I’m fat” “I’m not very good at this” “I’ll never be able to do this”. Our RAS will find situations that will prove that self-talk is true.
The more these examples of your beliefs show up, the more strongly we believe our convictions and the vicious cycle continues.
What should I do?
In order to break this cycle, we must begin to focus on the positive. Even if you don’t believe it at first, be consistent and diligent with your positive affirmations and you will begin to believe them. Just as our RAS helps us find proof of the negative stuff, we believe it will also find proof of the positive stuff, and then we begin to create a positive cycle that can only lead to success (if you have written out your goals).
Goals
Only 3% of Americans write down their goals. People actually spend more time writing a grocery list than they do writing down what they want to accomplish in life. The mind needs goals. When we set goals, it gives us a direction to go in, it gives us a place to put our energy rather than letting our energy dissipate into nothing.
When setting goals, we must state the goal in the positive.
Ask people who don’t know how to set goals, who is your ideal man/woman? This is what you’ll get. He/she can’t be a smoker, can’t be broke and they’ll give 20 other things they don’t want rather than what they do want.
Those people will most likely end up with the person they don’t want because that’s what they were focusing on. The great thing about setting goals is that it’s more about the journey rather than the destination. It’s more about who you become along the way, rather than what you get when you reach your goal.
Simple steps to setting goals:
Think of something you want
Imagine what it would be like to have it
Make sure it’s okay for you to have
Think about how it might come about and
Focus on it regularly
Before we get into motivational quotes, here are a couple tips to help you ensure you have a good day.
In order to make sure you have a good day, you must focus on having a good day. While in the shower say to yourself out loud, “I’m alive, I’m awake and I feel great” or “I feel good, I feel fine, I feel this good all the time”. Do this while waving your arms about. You’ll instantly feel good; I know because I’ve done it. Say them at least 20 times.
In order to reach our goals and have more of whatever we want, we must be grateful for what we have now. Make a list of the things you are grateful for and say them out loud to yourself.
“I am ambitious: I set goals: not because I am ungrateful for what I have, but because I am happy with who I am. I enjoy the experience of rising above my perceived limitations and discovering new levels of my ability.”
“The universe is conspiring to make good things happen for me today.”
“Health, wealth, success” (Repeat 50 times)
“I refuse to be anything but successful.”
“I am a lean, fat burning, muscle building machine.”
“I am one with money and it comes freely and frequently to me.”
“That which I seek, is seeking me. I will let go of how it will come to me and I am focused on my heart’s desire. My higher self knows how to make it happen, so I relax and let go. Everything that is necessary will lovingly and harmoniously be drawn to me. I accept this or something better. I am ready, receptive, and grateful and so it is.”
“I am completely free of this habit. Harmony and peace of mind reign supreme.”
“My body and all of its organs were created by the infinite intelligence in my conscious within. It knows how to heal me. Its wisdom fashioned all my muscles, tissues, nerves, bones and organs. This infinite healing presence within me is now transforming every atom of my being making me whole and perfect now. I give thanks for the healing that is taking place. Wonderful are the works of the creative intelligence within me.”
Quotes are a good way to get you motivated and moving, but you must condition your nervous system to expect these results. Just by saying these things won’t make it happen. You must visualize and believe your words.
Your mind doesn’t know the difference between a thought imagined and reality. Just like saying “I want my heart rate to rise” probably won’t make it happen, but if you imagine walking down a dark alley by yourself and you hear footsteps getting closer and closer, your heart rate will probably increase.
You must live the goal in your mind before it can become a reality!
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