Our brain is set up with what is known as a Reticular Activating System. What the heck is that you are probably asking. Well, it is a network of neurons in your brain. Check out this info by Mel Robbins. The job of this system is to filter out experiences, sights and sounds. You see there is too much stimulus for us to take in with our conscious mind. So, this system runs in the subconscious.  Without this system we would not be here and we would not have survived as a species. We cannot make sense of this world with all of the stimuli out there if we don’t filter it down. We need the Reticular Activating System sort through the info and bring it down to a feasible chunk size that we can interpret. But that system keeps info from getting to your consciousness. So, if you have ever had the experience where you were looking for the salt and you are unable to see it. You ask “where is the salt?” You hear the answer “it is in the cupboard” and you say “no I’m looking in the cupboard and it is not there.” They come up beside you, reach into the cupboard you are looking at and grab the salt and hand it to you. That is the Reticular Activating System doing its job.

How does this work with emotions or feelings? Let’s look at those of you who feel unlovable. Well guess what you are filtering out all the experiences or things that are in front of your eyes that would help you to feel loved by this reticular activating system (RAS). See this system will put at the forefront of your conscious mind all evidence that can be construed as fulfilling the belief or filter you have set up. If you believe you are not liked at work the reticular activating system will be looking for evidence to back up that belief and it is the only thing that it will let the conscious mind, see. You see what you see because of what you believe. The belief has to come first. “Believing is seeing” according to the evidence and scientific work done on the RAS.

I get that this RAS is important but how does this apply to the habits of the most successful people. The answer is successful people purposefully program the RAS. They do this through visualization. When doing visualization, they close their eyes. Then in those visualizations they see a specific picture of what it looks like in your life when yourself worth has improved. You visualize how you speak up more because of your feelings of self-worth. You will see yourself being connected, defining boundaries, and feeling complete. You are going to see the value that you have. You will see yourself doing the things that will get you to the life you want. In that vision state.

The next thing that you will do after visualizing the specific purpose is to consciously think of the positive emotions you will experience. You will see yourself happy, healthy, and strong. You will know that you will stand taller. That you will be able to share your unique gifts with this world because of knowing who you are. Doing this is actually training your brain to have a totally different filter. If you can make it a complete experience with senses and emotions your brain will process them the same way. There is no difference to your brain between real and imagined experiences. When you visualize this way, it encodes it as a real memory. As you visualize in this way you will gain more confidence, security, and the actual skill needed to do it.

Please subscribe to this podcast and leave a rating and review, to help others find this podcast. Also join the Facebook group. Here is the spot to click and set up a time so we can discuss how you can use these tools and others to get your amazing life!