Have You Evolved?

We think that with our iPads, smart phones, electric cars and wireless connections that we have evolved tremendously since the time we rose up on two hairy limbs and walked upright.

 

The truth, however, is that while all of these are phenomenal advances, our brains are still “reptilian” in nature, with one of its primary purposes being to keep us safe and secure, just as it did millions of years ago.

 

Add to that the fact that we are creatures of habit, and that the way our brains work actually supports the development of habits, and one can quickly see how we can get stuck in ruts that keep us in safe, monotonous lives.

 

Chances are if we examine our lives, the vast majority of our day would be made up of the same activities done at roughly the same time over and over again.  Living in these ruts and habits is vital to our survival though.  Without them, we might not be able to function efficiently given the infinite number of possibilities and opportunities that exist in the world.

 

But, the same brain that is designed to keep us in safe habits also has an amazing quality known as plasticity – the ability of the brain to grow new neural pathways and change itself.  These new pathways allow us to think and do things differently.  Essentially, plasticity is the ability to rewire our brains with an infinite number of new ways of being.  It is like calling a tow truck that can come pull us out of our rut and old, tired habits.

 

Want proof?  Check out the unthinkable . . . and witness the power of the human brain, body and spirit. 

 

As scientists learn more and more about the brain, we are starting to realize its infinite capability. The challenge for us is to evolve beyond our habits and old tired thinking that keep us stuck in similar patterns and fearful of trying new or different things.  It is only by pushing ourselves to think differently and step beyond our comfort zones that the thrill of being alive can be experienced and the unknown can be discovered.

 

If you keep on doing what you’ve always done, you’ll keep on getting what you’ve always got.            – Dr. Lair Ribeiro

 

 

There is an amazing world out there waiting to be discovered and explored.  Challenge your thinking and old ways of being!  Challenge your beliefs and your habits!  Don’t just go through the motions in your life.  Choose to live each and every moment!  In doing so, you will witness a whole new world unfold before you.

 

Here are some unconventional tips to shake free of old habits and build some new neural pathways in your brain.

 

• When you bathe each morning, wash your body in reverse order and use the opposite hand.
• Brush your teeth differently each day.
• “Do one thing everyday that scares you.”
• Meditate (the focus on and awareness of your thoughts can help break habits)