Your brain is not fixed or hardwired, in other words, you have the ability to change the way that you think. The brain, especially the hippocampus, has a substantial degree of plasticity, meaning it is quite malleable.
Your brain can change! It has the ability to rewire itself, making new connections between neurons. That is where you come in. You play a huge part in the rewiring of your brain by not only intention to the behavior that you want to change but to the repetition of the new thoughts you will train your brain to think on.
A great place to start with retraining your brain is to think on those things that are good, lovely, praiseworthy, that are a good report, and that are peaceful. (Philippians 4:8).
Changing your thinking will change your behavior.
Experts have said that it takes around 21-30 days to change a behavior or habit. Neuroscientists believe it can actually take up to 66 days to change the way you think.
Changing or retraining your brain to think differently will take some time, and it may take longer than 66 days to get the desired result you are looking for. However, with daily discipline, you can learn to think differently about the stressors in your life.
Chronic stress may actually rewire your brain. Scientists have learned that animals that experience prolonged stress have less activity in the parts of their brain that handle high-order tasks, and more activity in the primitive parts of their brain that are focused on survival. What happens in the brain when it's under continual stress is it builds up the part designed to handle threats, and the part of the brain tasked with more complex thought takes a back seat.
We are learning that these brain changes may be reversible!
Homework:
For the next 66 days to help rewire your brain and maybe beyond if needed-
Set your intentions/goals on what you want to see changed in your thinking. Write it out with a date and an end date you would like to see your goals accomplished.
Every day write for the next 66 days and write out what you would like to see happen in your life. Write out that statement/vision 1ox for the next 66 days.
Take every thought captive into the obedience in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 10:5), and replace it with new thoughts. Thoughts that are lovely, a good report, that are praiseworthy, and that are peaceful (Philippians 4:8). Be diligent in practicing this exercise daily until you have mastered taking every thought captive. This will take time.
Write out on notecards declarations, scriptures, and faith-filled affirmations that you can speak out loud over yourself daily.
Reframe the thoughts that are causing your stress and/or other emotional problems. Thinking defeatists thoughts like, “I will never be able to get over that loss” or “ I just can’t seem to get it together,” is unhelpful and can lead to self-fulfilling prophecies. Negative predictions turn into self-defeating prophecies. A more helpful technique would be to reframe your negative thinking. Instead of saying, “ I don’t feel I can leave my house,” say instead, “ I am nervous about leaving my house but I believe God will strengthen me and surround me with His angels when I leave and come back.”
Prove your “negative predictions” wrong by taking one more step when you think you are not able to. Each time you prove your negative predictions wrong, you will train your brain to see yourself differently.
Focus on what you are grateful for daily, and write out (3) new things that you are thankful for daily. What you focus on most grows!
***Ask me about my book, “Disciplining your Mind, 30 Days to a better you!” if you did not receive your free signed copy yet! If you refer someone or yourself to my individual coaching and they/you book a session, I will send you 5 free signed copies of my book that you can give to those in your small group or who you believe would bless.
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