On average, we each think 60 to 70,000 thoughts a day. And unfortunately, 90% of these thoughts are the same thoughts we had yesterday and the day before. Thinking the same thoughts lead us to the same choices, and therefore, we end up taking the same actions. Same stuff, different day!
This means that our lives basically remain the same because these same actions are then going to create the same, or similar results in our lives – all because we continue thinking the same thought patterns.
The BEST WAY TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE, to create real and lasting change, is to change your habitual thought patterns.
What Is The Best Way To Change Your Life?
Doing the same stuff over and over again does not produce different results. TO CREATE CHANGE IN OUR LIVES MEANS THAT WE HAVE TO DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY. And this requires us to upgrade our thought patterns so they will produce new upgraded feelings and emotions in our bodies. And it is through the ‘NEW VIBRATIONS’ that our IMPROVED EMOTIONS EMIT that we will attract new and improved circumstances, conditions, and people into our lives to fulfill our goals and dreams.
Why Do You Think Negative Thoughts that limit Your Quality Of Life?
We are habitual thinkers. And psychologists tell us that for the average person, up to 60% of thoughts are negatively biased. That’s a really scary thought…. However, they also know that it’s not our intention to get stuck in these negative thought patterns.
So, where are the majority of our unwanted thoughts coming from?
Our environment is largely responsible for shaping the way we think. This means that it is the people we interact with, the unfavorable weather conditions, the work we do, the quality of our relationships, etc. anything and everything that we perceive with our senses has an effect on how we think, feel, and react. And it is how we respond to what we sense that gives rise to our feelings….. and this is important because our feelings are the cause of our happiness, sadness, and all other emotions we experience.
The problem we have when we are reacting to conditions, events, and people, (all of which are in our outer world) is that we lose control over our feelings! We become, in effect, ‘out of control’ and therefore at the mercy of these external circumstances and events as well as other people. However, this is not always considered a problem.
If our environment is causing us to react in positive ways, it benefits us. After all, who among us is going to complain if we are having more favorable outcomes than undesirable ones? But, if our responses to life’s stuff are typically driven by stress, anxiety, fear, anger, etc. then we are gradually, but surely, being weakened and sickened by the mere fact of living our lives by reacting to the environment outside of us.
And in this scenario, it will benefit us if we learned how we can take control of our thought processes so we can become more proactive in creating a better life experience.
Why Do Our Brains Replay Old Negative Thoughts Throughout The Day?
Our brains are just carrying out their proper functions according to their design. Our subconscious mind is essentially a record of the past. By default, they contain the memories of everything we have ever learned and experienced up to this moment in time.
And for much of our waking lives, we are replaying the most dominant and relevant content since we are not consciously engaging our minds with what we are currently doing. This is because, for much of our waking hours, we are in autopilot mode, and being in this mode allows our subconscious minds to determine what we will think.
This process of not actively thinking, for many of us begins from the moment we wake up in the morning. Automatically, we begin picking up on the thoughts we had before falling asleep the night before. We begin the day by thinking about our problems and the things we need to deal with during the coming day.
We may have had an issue with someone at work, we worry about why the kids are not performing well at school, why our partner has been emotionally distant lately, etc. And for each of these problems that we have thought about before, we already have a programmed emotion stored within our bodies’ cellular memories.
So, our bodies remember the associated emotions and relive them as if it was a current event. And this habit of thinking about and then feeling like we did in the past, keeps us, body and mind, trapped in that old energy.
THOUGHTS ARE THE LANGUAGE OF OUR BRAINS, AND FEELINGS ARE THE LANGUAGE OF OUR BODIES, AND TOGETHER, HOW WE THINK AND FEEL, CREATES OUR STATE OF BEING (WELLNESS OR STRESS.) AND BECAUSE WE ARE REPEATING 90% OF THE THOUGHTS WE HAVE HAD PREVIOUSLY, OUR LIVES ARE BEING DETERMINED BY WHAT TRANSPIRED IN OUR PAST!…. NOT WHAT WE ARE WANTING TO CREATE FOR OUR FUTURE’S.
Doesn’t this seem just a little crazy????? Wouldn’t you rather live a ‘better future’ than continue to repeat what you already know and have already experienced? (I think most of us would be quite happy to stop reliving the negative experiences we had in the past!)
Why Do You Become ‘Trapped’ By Your Past And Keep Repeating The Same Mistakes?
The more we think about the past, (or anything we think about often enough) the more our brains become hardwired to gravitate toward these memories again and again. And our bodies become more conditioned to experience this ‘past state of being’ as the current reality. This happens because our bodies are so objective that they don’t know the difference between A CURRENT REAL LIFE EXPERIENCE THAT’S CREATING AN EMOTION, and AN EMOTION THAT’S CAUSED BY A MEMORY OF OUR PAST EXPERIENCES.
And this is a problem for us when we wake up every morning and think of past negative experiences. Because, our bodies, through the emotions we are feeling, are believing that we are living the same experience again, and again, every time we think the same thoughts….
Then we get out of bed and go through the same morning routines every day. And with time, these routines become so familiar to us that they become automatic. They don’t require us to think to carry them out. So our body easily slips into ‘autopilot mode.’
This means that our bodies become a set of routine programs and habits, and these habits are dragging us into a future that is, unfortunately, 90% based on our past….. It’s no wonder so many people have a hard time creating new beneficial habits for themselves. It’s because they are not consciously engaging their minds ‘free will’ ability to create any new beneficial thoughts.
If you are serious about creating a better life for yourself, you really need to ask yourself this: Is more of the same content from my past what I want for my future? Or do I want to create something different and better?
To change our predictable future, we have to become something ‘greater’ than the emotions and habits that are already conditioned/programmed into our minds. We must find a way to overcome our environment as it keeps triggering us to remember and relive the emotions of the past. And, we must learn to become greater than our bodies’ memories (our habits.)
Why Is It Difficult To Change Your Old Habits?
If we keep doing the same things all the time, they produce the same feelings and thoughts within our bodies and minds. These thoughts and feelings then cycle back and produce the same thoughts over again. And this is a barrier to change because the neurocircuitry in our brains and our body’s hormones are staying the same….. because we’re the same!
We keep doing stuff over and again when there’s a ‘payoff’ for us. Like drinking coffee: The payoff is the aroused feeling, the heightened sensations, the rush of energy that we feel. And our bodies feel this, know this, and then crave it again and again.
So, when something in our outer environment (like coffee) produces a change in our internal state, this causes us to pay attention to what produced it. Then, the next time we feel tired or lazy, our brains send out a message like ‘we need coffee for the rush of energy we are craving.’ Our brains are automatically telling us that they desire to return to a previously known internal state again. And this is why we become conditioned/addicted to various things.
Trying to break a habit is difficult because our bodies are craving the ’feeling,’ the stimulation, the rush, the hormone release, etc.
To change requires that we overcome our environment, to be greater than the existing conditions of our environment that are prompting us to continue behaving in the predictable ways that we do.
How You Can Become Greater Than Your Mind, Your Habits, and Your Environment
We create positive change by learning how to progress from living in the known past (repeatedly thinking the same old thoughts that lead to predictable actions and outcomes) and begin placing our awareness in the ‘PRESENT MOMENT.’
The problem this presents is that becoming present in the current moment is an unknown quantity where anything can happen…. And many people are afraid of what they don’t yet know and understand. They would rather relive their familiar past, even if it wasn’t good!…. because they feel comfortable and secure with the known outcomes.
So, OUR CHALLENGE is to learn how to become comfortable with the unknown. And meditation and mindfulness practices are the best techniques for training our minds and bodies to become comfortable in the present.
Unfortunately, many people think it is difficult to meditate. However, if they just followed the process, they would find that it’s possible for everyone, as well as very beneficial. For once, we learn how to settle our bodies and minds down into the present moment, we can actively reduce our feelings of anger, guilt, frustration, sadness, depression, fear, etc.
We achieve this by teaching the body that it is not the mind! And when our bodies accept that they are no longer in control of how we will feel, we are open and ready for real change to occur. We can then begin to become ‘greater than our body’s old programs and habits. And then we can begin to exercise free will in our lives…. instead of being a mindless zombie who is following unconscious programs.
And once, we have taken conscious control over our thoughts, we will understand that we can influence our lives in positive ways. Therefore, we can begin to create a better future for ourselves.
Lasting Beneficial Change Begins With Firm Intentions!
Positive and lasting change necessitates that we create a FIRM INTENTION with such AMPLITUDE that the new LEVEL OF ENERGY CREATED is GREATER THAN THE EXISTING HARDWIRED PROGRAMS IN OUR BRAINS and THE CURRENT EMOTIONAL CONDITIONING IN OUR BODIES.
What we are doing is making our desire for a better future so clear, and then ‘feeling it’ with an elevated emotional state, (while meditating.) And when our desire for a better future (more love, abundance, confidence, health, etc.) are stronger than the predictable future that is already wired into our minds and bodies, we will have begun the process of reconditioning our brains and bodies into a better future, rather than remaining stuck in the past.
However, most people don’t go this far, and therefore they don’t change. They are happy to take the known familiar path and ‘put it off until tomorrow.’ So while they’re on the couch tonight with the TV remote, their iPad, and cell phone, their body doesn’t get the NEW information that’s required for change to occur.
And this is why most people remain stuck repeating their programmed habits……. and until their desire for change makes them do things differently, more of the same is all they can expect.
The desire for change often comes in the form of emotional trauma or pain, anything that produces a strong negative reaction in our minds or bodies (like an incurable disease.) This may wake us up to the realization that we are no longer happy to keep repeating the same circumstances day after day. And when we reach this point of deciding that we will do things differently, we bring our bodies and mind’s into the present moment. And this empowers us to begin building better habits that will lead us to achieve better futures.
Anything we do that supports the direction we want our lives to take is giving our bodies a taste of a better ‘emotional future.’ And when our bodies feel this, they believe they are in a new environment. This is because our bodies don’t know the difference between AN EXPERIENCE THAT CREATES AN EMOTION and AN EMOTION WE CREATE BY CHOICE WITH OUR THINKING…….. it gives them both equal importance.
So, if our body doesn’t know the difference between emotions caused by actual events and emotions generated by our thoughts alone, WE CAN JUST IMAGINE INTO BEING WHATEVER WE WANT!
Just Imagining the Positive Emotions You Wish to be Living in the Future Will Positively Change Your Life Now!
From a biological standpoint, if we imagined our desired future often enough, and REALLY FELT what it would be like living it, we would literally begin to erase the stuck emotions that have been stored long-term in our body’s cellular memories. This means the emotions that have been causing us pain, fear, confusion, jealousy, anger, etc. would be reduced or even completely removed.
And if we have been intelligent during our meditations, we would have been ‘feeling’ the new emotions that we want to become part of our future life experience. These are likely to include gratitude, love, abundance, inspiration, appreciation, etc. And by FEELING THEM DEEPLY, they become the basis for the changes we will experience in our future.
Why Will ‘FEELING POSITIVE EMOTIONS DEEPLY’ Give You a Better Life Now?
When we are constantly reacting to events in our outer world, our heart rhythms are all over the place. However, the more we meditate and come to find ‘the still point within us,’ the more our hearts settle down. Our hearts, because of the new positive and elevated emotions we are feeling, will begin to beat in a stable rhythmic fashion.
This reliable beating produces a measurable magnetic field that can grow out to approximately three meters wide around our bodies. Our heart’s energy field has a measurable magnetic frequency, which is information or instructions. And the instructions guide our brains to sync coherently with our hearts. However, there’s more to it than that…..
Because, the real magic occurs when our brains become tuned with our hearts (our elevated emotions,) and together they transmit our new signals/desires (higher vibration) out into the quantum field (the energy that produces all physical matter.) And our raised vibration is a magnetic charge that draws matching experiences back into our lives (The Law of Attraction.)
So the secret to manifesting, or attracting desired circumstances into our lives, is to first ‘experience the emotion of the outcomes we desire’ (love, wealth, success, etc.) And if we do it enough times, because our bodies don’t know the difference between reality and what we are imagining, we will RETUNE OUR FREQUENCY and BEGIN TO VIBRATE IN HARMONY WITH OUR DESIRED OUTCOMES. And then it is only a matter of time before the love, wealth, health, confidence, etc. we desire becomes our reality!
This Is Not Difficult. So, Stop Procrastinating and Just Do It!
Change is a process that takes time. And because we are trying to rewrite a lifetime’s worth of bad programming, big changes are not how it normally happens….. (although it does for some people.)
Typically, most of us, when rewiring new habits and patterns into our bodies and brains, will begin recognizing small changes as synchronicities, serendipitous coincidences, and opportunities showing up in our lives. We will then begin to feel that the universe is responding to us as more and more of what we desire is showing up in our lives.
And it’s at this point that we stop believing unconsciously that we’re a victim of our life, and we start KNOWING THAT WE ARE THE CREATOR OF OUR LIVES. And when this happens we become inspired to do it again and again because we know the process works, and we don’t want the magic to end!
So, go now and sit on your mat and decide how you want your future life to be, and then create that feeling within your body, here in this present moment…. And do this process often.
Then enjoy the manifestations as they begin to become part of your actual lives…. And please, let us know in the comments below how you are getting on with the process of creating a better life for yourselves.
Hey Andrew.
I like how you espoused this with good numbers and statistics. I was a little shocked when you mentioned 90% of what we do daily is from our past events. Upon further thinking, I realized this to be very true. It’s helped to understand why we’re often stuck in habits and routines as you said.
I’ve often heard the ‘Mind over matter’ phrase. It’s really crucial to put the body in its place, and make it realize it’s not the mind! I strongly agree learning to have the mind rule over our physical needs makes us stronger humans, and helps us make better decisions.
Thanks a lot. I’ll make sure to bookmark this so I read it often.
Cheers,
Femi
Hi Femi,
Yes, we are ruled by habits. And unfortunately, not all of our habits benefit us.
However, we can break them and replace them with more beneficial habits if we choose to become more conscious of our thoughts, more of the time…. and this is the trick… we must create an amount of energy that aligns with our desired results that are greater than the negative existing habits. And then, magic happens…. we are able to begin creating our futures the way we want them to be, rather than just repeating the same old stuff over and over again.
Remember, life is a journey, not a destination. And if you can have fun with your creating rather than looking at it in a negative way (like ohhh, I’ve got to change this bad habit) your life will become easier and more fulfilling 🙂
I wish you a happy day 🙂
Andrew
Hey Andrew,
Thanks for your great article and stark reminder to watch my own thoughts. I have read before that negative thoughts are bad for me but I like how you have explained how and why.
Being trapped in the past and this vicious circle of past memories, negative thoughts, mental energy wasted, negative effects on our mindset and daily lives – repeat – repeat.
This is not good. I’ll check out some of the meditations you suggest.
Can I ask a question? I am frequently waking at 2-3 AM when I am too busy. So lack of sleep is a killer too. Do you have a recommended nighttime routine or nighttime meditation in order to “process” the harshness, busyness, issues we face from our daily lives?
Hi John. It’s nice to see you back on my site again.
Lack of sleep is a major problem for an ever-increasing number of people.
Although we live in the most affluent period of history, our lives are increasingly filled with stress, and this does take its toll on us, mentally, emotionally, and physically. Our attention is preoccupied with stimulation from the ‘outer world’ which is the world we experience with our senses.
We are constantly being exposed to sights, sounds, smells, and sensations that draw our minds to what is happening in our environment. And all of these sensations elicit a response from us….. most of which is a ‘pre-programmed response from our memories and habits. Our responses are in the form of more thoughts, feelings, and then the associated emotions and reactions.
Essentially, we are overstimulated to the point that our minds and our bodies never get to switch off and rest. The rest we require, of course, is a good night’s sleep. However, it’s not possible to sleep well when our bodies and minds are going to bed while still engaged in the problems we have had throughout the day, or worrying about the issues we will be facing tomorrow.
In answer to your question regarding a nighttime routine, I can repeat what others say works for them, (and much of it does)
– switch off all social media and TV at least 30 minutes before going to bed
– drink camomile tea an hour before going to bed
– adopt a meditation, visualization, breathing practice for 20 to 30 minutes before sleep
– Do some basic gentle floor stretching/yoga poses before sleep to stretch out your body and release tension, etc. etc.
However, the best and only real and lasting solution to the problem of stress….. is not to become stressed!!!!!
This sounds ridiculous, right? However, it’s just common sense!
If we are not stressed, to begin with, then we don’t suffer all of the consequences that come with being stressed, including not being able to sleep.
And how can we ensure that we have less stress in our lives?
– simplify your life by taking on less instead of more…. eliminate the stuff that doesn’t serve your desire for a better life
– adopt a meditation practice and make it a part of your life, not just a 20-minute practice once a day…..
– become more mindful of how you are responding to your environment… are your responses creating wellness or stress/disease for your body, mind, and emotions?
– Time a moment to breathe deeply before responding to events, situations, and people, so that your responses will be beneficial for all concerned
All of these solutions come down to becoming more consciously aware of yourself, your feelings, and your responses to life. And if you can do this, you will, through your intentions, create a better life for yourself instead of a more stressful life!
Know thyself, and you will do no harm!
I wish you all the best, John,
Have a great day,
Andrew
Wow. Fabulous website!
It is lifting, believable and captivating
Thank you for spreading your energy as many of us can learn a lot from it.
Cheers
Tania
Many thanks for your kind words, Tania.
I have a belief that words have power, and we can use them to build better lives for ourselves and a better world for everyone, or……. (the alternative is not worth thinking about.)
I hope to see you again, soon,
Have a great day 🙂
Andrew