Re-wiring the Brain

Rewiring the brain, to be more positive, is like programming.  Here are some steps that have worked for me:

1.  Feeding the brain with new data, such as positive thoughts and positive images.  Think of anything good or something positive...like a nice conversation you had or think of your role model or think of your dog or cat that you love so much or your favorite yogurt.

2.  Repetition is the key to successful rewiring.  Keep thinking positive thoughts, images, people or events that make you happy, no matter how small.  Interior design makes me happy so I like looking at pictures in magazines, such as Architectural Digest or Better Homes.  I keep looking at the images and imagine how I can make my own place look like that...at some point in my life.  It makes me happy.  Repeat the images and thoughts in your head throughout the day and everyday.  Remind yourself about a good thing at least three times a day or more.

3.  Observation is also key.  To do this, try to be in the present.  Be aware...of your body, surroundings, the atmosphere, objects in front of you.  Then ask yourself how you feel at the moment.  Do you feel good or bad?  If so, why?  What's bothering you?  Are your shoes too tight?  Are you thinking about your weight or money or your job?  Or what are you liking at the moment?  Do you like what you're wearing today?  Do you like the weather?  The answers to these questions are called "data."  You need this information to know where you're at and what you can do about it.  Look in the mirror and ask yourself what you see and what you feel.  That's information you can use to make a plan of action to transform your life.

4.  Tweaking or Fine Tuning your strategy to make your day or your life more positive.  It's like when an artist is carving an object of art.  The artist makes a general shape and then chips at it until it's just right for him or her.  And then finally, he/she polishes it.  We can do the same when we re-program our brains.  Maybe this week, you just need to look at the small things you want to accomplish...like the basics...like building a solid foundation to build on later.

5.  Mastering the Basics.  To build anything, you need a foundation, and a strong one.  The basics of life are the foundation of life.  Just think of the basics, like sleep, health, hygiene, order, education, budgeting, leisure, fun, laughter, etc.  Of course you don't want to be a perfectionist and always think of balance.  Master the basics and you will learn so much about yourself.  When I decided to pay attention to my bedroom, I sat on my bed and just looked at the walls.  I realized I wanted to paint it something else.  Then I looked inside my closet.  I was just browsing, and in the process, found things I could throw away to make space.  And I also found things buried that now I can use.  I paced myself.  I did one corner of the room at a time.  When I got tired, I would stop, even if I weren't finished looking through everything, or cleaning this part.  What I learned was that my room was an important place.  And I learned to value my things because I got to know them.  So it's worth taking care of them.  Lessons like these are the building blocks for happiness and success.

Eventually, after doing this rewiring for a period of time, you will encounter a series of aha! moments...glimpses of the truth.  And then good things start to happen and life becomes so much easier and fun.