This is related to the idea that each person who sees a thing will see it filtered through their own perceptions. So none of us really see any situation objectively. This is known as confirmation bias. Each person sees life with their own beliefs, preconceptions, interpretation, and attitude. It means that the way we see things reflects who we are.
One example is how we react or perceive problems in life. If we see a problem as a burden, our perception tells us that we are a negative person. If we see the problem as a way to improve ourselves, that perception tells us that we are a positive person.
Do things happen to us or do they happen for us?? The works of Byron Katy will question everything that you believe or been diagnosed with. In fact you may feel uncomfortable reading some of my newsletters. They definitely create questions in my readers.
I am often asked why I avoid TV, media news outlets, poor quality foods, processed carbohydrates and sugar. This is because they stimulate the sympathetic part of the central nervous system. They play havoc with our gut by keeping us even more in our left brain and anxiety mode. Both sugar and emotions drive your brain function down to lower levels of survival. This is a state of survival is known as FEAR. The results are increased impulsive and instinctive behaviour, making you more fundamental and reactive, you’re less adaptable, angry, frustrated and distressed.
It takes no effort to use this part of your brain and it’s certainly not the part of your brain equipped for self or life mastery. In fact it is where we are naturally driven each day if we don’t seek out the things that develop us. This is why my biggest expenditure is always my education and food chain. As Mark Twain stated: “Don’t let your schooling get in the way of your education”.
Your imbalanced perceptions create polarized emotions and the impact of your volatile emotions on your mind is the equivalent to sugar’s impact on the body. Think of it in this way, if you will. You’re activating your survival brain (fight or flight), you act before you think brain. It’s difficult isn’t it. I am always working on being a better listener, taking action rather than reaction.
Dr.John Martini introduced me to the notion of the executive centre. This is the part of your brain that’s wise to develop if you’d love to master your life. This part of your brain, your executive centre, is responsible for calming the more reactive amygdala, it’s capable of balanced thinking, strategizing, foresight, resilience, looking at both sides, being objective and neutral, seeing the priority steps to take to achieve your inspired goals. It’s the source of your greatest genius, innovation, creativity and leadership.
Unlike the survival brain, your prefrontal cortex or thrival brain takes effort to develop. It’s something you develop and expand or something you shrink and decrease as you go through the journey of your life. Very much a case of use it or lose it. Those who have the greatest executive function are the leaders, the innovators, the visionaries of life.
There are signs and symptoms that reflect the level of your brain you’re using:
If you’re blaming people and circumstances on the outside, if you think life is unfair and working against you, if you’re experiencing high levels of polarized emotions, if you’re unclear on your vision, these are all signs you’re not fully dialled into your executive centre. The executive centre which is also known as the prefrontal cortex in the forebrain.
If I can do it, so you can you. As above so is below. This is not about pointing the finger , blame or shame . This is about having awareness. Once we have awareness, we can work on our 5% conscious behaviour rather than our 95% unconscious action, habits and choices.
“Fundamentally, all pain and suffering are the results of an insufficient consciousness-force in the surface being which makes it unable to deal rightly with self and Nature or unable to assimilate and to harmonize itself with the contacts of the universal Energy; they would not exist if in us there was an integral presence of the luminous Consciousness and the divine Force of an integral Being”. Sri Aurobindo
Bibliography
Paul Mort media
Paul Chek podcasts
Arjuna Isyaya media
Dr.John Martini media
Collette Corcoron media
Matt Wallden coaching
