Part 5: Leveling up: Mind Management

In our final installment of Leveling Up, we’re going to focus on your biggest critic, your worst enemy, and the entity we can control but instead we usually let it run the show: your own brain. Your own mind is the voice you hear every waking second of your life, and yet most of us do little if anything to try to rein that beast in to work for us. Instead, we let it run wild and free to create whatever chaos and destruction it likes – or really, just anything it likes at all! This is similar to letting a toddler run amok in your house all day simply because it’s easier than trying to gain control. Sound like a mess? Let’s grab that screaming, tantrum-throwing toddler (your brain) by the scruff of the neck and take control.

How do you do that – just take control of your brain? First, we need to start listening to our brain. What is it saying or telling us all day long? Is it sending positive messages, negative messages, or a lovely incongruous mix of both? You can find out by taking notes throughout the day as you hear the messages your brain is sending (this active listening to your brain takes practice, grasshopper, so be patient with yourself). There are so many stories your brain tells you all day long. Some examples might include:

·         I always have a hard time getting out of bed in the mornings.

·         I’m not a morning person.

·         I must have coffee to function (this may be true if you’re addicted, however coffee addictions aren’t that hard to break).

·         I’m always late for everything.

·         I’m a terrible driver.

·         I’m always busy.

·         I’m overwhelmed.

The list could go on and on, but these are all literally just stories your brain is telling you. There is no reason to let your out-of-control toddler of a brain define you! How can we lasso this lunatic? Once you’ve recognized the messages your brain is sending (the hard part), the next part is simple: just replace your brain’s stories with the truth.

·         I always have a hard time getting out of bed in the mornings. Getting out of bed wasn’t easy this morning because I stayed up late last night, but I usually get right out of bed with the alarm clock in the morning.

·         I’m not a morning person. I find that I enjoy quiet time first thing in the morning so I can gather my thoughts and plan my day.

·         I must have coffee to function (this may be true if you’re addicted, however coffee addictions aren’t that hard to break). I don’t need any drug to have a great day, but I do enjoy a nice hot cup of coffee in the morning.

·         I’m always late for everything. There are times when I don’t plan well or last-minute things come up, but I typically try to be on time or early for scheduled appointments because I respect both my time and others’ time.

·         I’m a terrible driver. I make mistakes like any other human, but I try to be the best and safest driver I can be.

·         I’m always busy. I’m happy to have a lot of positive activity in my life and I know that if I overschedule myself I have the power to change the schedule.

·         I’m overwhelmed. I have overscheduled myself, but I have the power to change my schedule.

These are only examples and yours could be very different, however you can see that once you recognize the stories your brain is telling you changing those stories is a piece of cake (although changing the stories does take persistence).

What’s the best thing you get from taking control of your brain? Freedom. Freedom from the chaos your toddler-brain creates for you when you’re not paying attention. Freedom from the negativity your brain can create for you. Freedom from the poor self-image your brain tends to create. And peace.

I wish for freedom and peace for each of you! Have you had your own experience wrangling your brain? I can’t wait to hear all about it!

Kelley