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Daily Mindful Moments

Dawn Bergeron • February 7, 2021

Daily Mindful Moments

Rewire Your Brain

It’s estimated that 95% of our behavior runs on autopilot—something we call “fast brain.” That’s because neural networks underlie all of our habits, reducing our millions of sensory inputs per second into manageable shortcuts so we can function in this crazy world. These default brain signals are like signaling superhighways, so efficient that they often cause us to relapse into old behaviors before we remember what we meant to do instead.

Mindfulness is the exact opposite of these processes; it’s slow brain. It’s executive control rather than autopilot, and enables intentional actions, willpower, and decisions. But that takes some practice. The more we activate the slow brain, the stronger it gets. Every time we do something deliberate and new, we stimulate neuroplasticity, activating our grey matter, which is full of newly sprouted neurons that have not yet been groomed for the fast brain.

Shifting the balance to give your slow brain more power takes some work, though. Here are some ways to get started.

  1. Put Your Yoga Mat in the Middle of the Floor: If you intend to do some yoga or to meditate, put your yoga mat or your meditation cushion in the middle of your floor so you can’t miss it as you walk by.
  2. Sticky Notes on Your Mirror: Update them regularly. Say you decide to use sticky notes to remind yourself of a new intention. That might work for about a week, but then your fast brain and old habits take over again. Try writing new notes to yourself; add variety or make them funny so they stick with you longer.
  3. Create new patterns: Try a series of “If this, then that” messages to create easy reminders to shift into slow brain. For instance, you might come up with, “If office door, then deep breath,” as a way to shift into mindfulness as you are about to start your workday. Or, “If phone rings, take a breath before answering.” Each intentional action to shift into mindfulness will strengthen your slow brain.
 
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We are so grateful for our clients and we love to help them live optimally! To learn more about our services, visit www.zenagewellness.com. Happy Wednesday!
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