Habits are patterns of behavior that run on autopilot. A habit also becomes effortless.
Did you know that I am a bit of a science geek? I actually specialized in Ob/Gyn, but was interested in astrophysics and the science of the evolution of the universe from a very young age.
Then again, anything spiritual fascinates me too. (One reason for becoming a Reiki Master).
On the intersection of the brain and the mind is neuroscience…
Without the brain, the mind cannot find an expression. And without the mind, the brain is just a, well, mindless automaton.
Neuroscientists have found out that patterns in the brain, paths of nerve cells, can be reprogrammed or overwritten by CONSCIOUS CHOICE! Not too long ago it was believed that the brain cannot regenerate or change…but it does and YOU can change it! You definitely can change a habit that doesn’t serve you.
Habits take time to becoming established. Like a river that has ground out a bed through the rock, neural pathways have been ingrained in the brain over years. It takes effort to change the river’s path. Sometimes, like with a traumatic event (e.g. an earthquake), that riverbed is altered fast. Most of the time it takes great effort.
Neural pathways in the brain take between 22 and 32 days of intense “training” to become established so they flow effortlessly, as a habit.
It makes sense therefore that new habits get practiced frequently (3 times a day is ideal, but at least in the morning and evening) and for 4 weeks to have the brain recognize the patterns as defaults.
What are some habits you wanted to over-write? Was it hard to do?
What do you do to break undesirable habits? What did you have success with? What can you suggest to others?
Please let everyone know!
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