Habits are acquired patterns or routines of behavior that often occur automatically.
Repeated regularly, they tend to occur subconsciously, which means without directly thinking consciously about them.
In the late 1960s, researchers discovered that humans are born with the capacity to approach problem solving four ways: analytically, procedurally, relationally and innovatively.
But, at puberty, the brain shuts down some methods and uses only those thought processes established early in life and deemed the most valuable.
In most cases that means taking the easy route of "procedure" - which means "habit".
But guess what? Researchers subsequently found that when we consciously develop new habits, we create parallel synaptic pathways and even new brain cells which allows us to reboot our thinking process back toward the innovative.
In this sense, we are not the unchangeable creatures of habit we previously believed.
We can actively change ourselves by consciously developing new habits.
And the more new things we try, the more creative we become.
Old habits don't, however, go gently into that good night.
Routines become embedded into the hippocampus and the only way to usurp their authority is to deliberately ingrain new habits to create these parallel pathways to bypass the old routines.
Conscious vs Subconscious The human brain is truly amazing.
It is capable of running multiple simultaneous tasks, all with little or no conscious intervention.
The majority of these processes, like your heart and lungs functioning, run completely automatically.
The truth is that it's your subconscious mind that's really in control.
Everyday, most of our behaviors are done automatically by the subconscious mind.
This, in turn, frees our conscious mind to focus on other tasks we wish to accomplish: doing our job, studying at school, eating, exercising, etc.
I find it odd that many so called great thinkers say the subconscious is under the conscious or behind it.
For all we know, it can be all through the body.
But does it really matter where it is? Let's just be happy we have a way to change what is in it.
I believe we could have two subconscious minds.
One that is associated with the functions of the left brain and one associated with the right brain.
After all, when the two hemispheres of the brain are separated, and one is removed, you can still affect the subconscious behavior of the individual.
And you can condition the sphere that remains intact with functions of the sphere that has been removed.
The idea of having two subconscious minds might explain why when you affect the behavior associated with the left brain function, the functions of the right brain might only change a little or not change at all.
But if a person knows his or her learning (suggestibility) type then he can use this to craft a process of suggestions that really fits him or her uniquely.
So whether we agree or not on having one or two subconscious minds, I believe with most others that the subconscious mind or minds are ten times the power of our conscious mind or minds.
I look at a baby as all subconscious mind.
It has not been taught that it is weak.
That's why you can give something to a baby, like a small object, and if the baby wants to keep that object, you will have on heck of a tug of war.
The mother who sees the car fall on her teenage son runs over and picks up the car so he can get out from under it.
She was not thinking consciously about what she was doing.
Her consciousness was overloaded and it was the subconscious that took over, when fight or flight triggered the body chemicals (such as adrenaline) needed to take advantage of the full strength of the muscles in order to lift the car.
I know some of you might need to know where the subconscious mind or minds really are.
I'd love to tell you but no one knows precisely and it really doesn't matter anyway.
Suffice it to say that the subconscious is there and can be reached.
Habits Are Powerful Once something is habitual, whether it's a good or bad habit, your subconscious does it for you.
It's through a combination of the conscious and subconscious minds that you build new habits.
Patience and perseverance, therefore, are the final steps to changing behavior.
Remarkably, some of my clients have changed some habits within a matter of minutes.
For example someone who was fearful in a particular situation was able to alter the habit to being NOT fearful in that very same situation.
Repeated regularly, they tend to occur subconsciously, which means without directly thinking consciously about them.
In the late 1960s, researchers discovered that humans are born with the capacity to approach problem solving four ways: analytically, procedurally, relationally and innovatively.
But, at puberty, the brain shuts down some methods and uses only those thought processes established early in life and deemed the most valuable.
In most cases that means taking the easy route of "procedure" - which means "habit".
But guess what? Researchers subsequently found that when we consciously develop new habits, we create parallel synaptic pathways and even new brain cells which allows us to reboot our thinking process back toward the innovative.
In this sense, we are not the unchangeable creatures of habit we previously believed.
We can actively change ourselves by consciously developing new habits.
And the more new things we try, the more creative we become.
Old habits don't, however, go gently into that good night.
Routines become embedded into the hippocampus and the only way to usurp their authority is to deliberately ingrain new habits to create these parallel pathways to bypass the old routines.
Conscious vs Subconscious The human brain is truly amazing.
It is capable of running multiple simultaneous tasks, all with little or no conscious intervention.
The majority of these processes, like your heart and lungs functioning, run completely automatically.
The truth is that it's your subconscious mind that's really in control.
Everyday, most of our behaviors are done automatically by the subconscious mind.
This, in turn, frees our conscious mind to focus on other tasks we wish to accomplish: doing our job, studying at school, eating, exercising, etc.
I find it odd that many so called great thinkers say the subconscious is under the conscious or behind it.
For all we know, it can be all through the body.
But does it really matter where it is? Let's just be happy we have a way to change what is in it.
I believe we could have two subconscious minds.
One that is associated with the functions of the left brain and one associated with the right brain.
After all, when the two hemispheres of the brain are separated, and one is removed, you can still affect the subconscious behavior of the individual.
And you can condition the sphere that remains intact with functions of the sphere that has been removed.
The idea of having two subconscious minds might explain why when you affect the behavior associated with the left brain function, the functions of the right brain might only change a little or not change at all.
But if a person knows his or her learning (suggestibility) type then he can use this to craft a process of suggestions that really fits him or her uniquely.
So whether we agree or not on having one or two subconscious minds, I believe with most others that the subconscious mind or minds are ten times the power of our conscious mind or minds.
I look at a baby as all subconscious mind.
It has not been taught that it is weak.
That's why you can give something to a baby, like a small object, and if the baby wants to keep that object, you will have on heck of a tug of war.
The mother who sees the car fall on her teenage son runs over and picks up the car so he can get out from under it.
She was not thinking consciously about what she was doing.
Her consciousness was overloaded and it was the subconscious that took over, when fight or flight triggered the body chemicals (such as adrenaline) needed to take advantage of the full strength of the muscles in order to lift the car.
I know some of you might need to know where the subconscious mind or minds really are.
I'd love to tell you but no one knows precisely and it really doesn't matter anyway.
Suffice it to say that the subconscious is there and can be reached.
Habits Are Powerful Once something is habitual, whether it's a good or bad habit, your subconscious does it for you.
It's through a combination of the conscious and subconscious minds that you build new habits.
- The first step is making the conscious decision to change a habit.
- The second step is learning whether you are right or left brain oriented (how you learn).
- The third step is appealing to your subconscious to listen up by speaking in a language it understands.
- The fourth step is introducing the new habit to your subconscious (doing it).
- The fifth step is repetition (exercising) of the new habit.
Patience and perseverance, therefore, are the final steps to changing behavior.
Remarkably, some of my clients have changed some habits within a matter of minutes.
For example someone who was fearful in a particular situation was able to alter the habit to being NOT fearful in that very same situation.
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