If you are looking to inspire people in your life to think in new ways
about their own potential and ability to learn, evolve and grow –
it’s important to think about what they believe.
Our beliefs are simply patterns of thought that have been activated many times.
(this is called ‘bottom up’ stimulus).
there’s a good chance that we get exposed to the repetitive behaviors, words, and biofeedback of emotions
which leads to myelination of networks,
which leads to ‘patterns of thoughts’.
Those patterns of thought become a ‘belief’ – a thought we repeat so often that we believe it to be ‘true’
that confirm what we already believe to be true.
As the Harvard Center for the Developing Child states, “experience builds brain architecture”.
the flavors of food she eats, sleep rituals, whether she gets anxious about new/different situations or people…
…all of these things activate different patterns of hormones, heart rate, and other cellular movements,
that then activate neural networks, which then lead to different brain mapping and ‘architecture’.
The good news…
even if our beliefs from our first environments are not helpful for us to thrive,
we can intentionally activate new brain networks that can disrupt, old maladaptive beliefs.
(Read J.M. Schwartz, MD – The Mind and The Brain: Neuroplasticity and the Power of Mental Force)
BOTTOM LINE: before we talk about ‘activities’, ‘behaviors’, and what people are ‘supposed to do’…. we need to reflect on what they believe…
“It’s the repetition of affirmations that leads to belief. And once that belief becomes a deep conviction, things begin to happen.” – Muhammad Ali