YOU HAVE THE POWER

When my children were small, they used to watch a TV cartoon called "He-Man." Many afternoons I heard the booming, masculine, cartoon voice cry out from the television, "I HAVE THE POWER!" The little children were mesmerized by this strong, solid, benevolent hero.

As I learn more from the study of neuroscience, I realize that we, each one of us HAVE THE POWER too; we only need to know how to, and choose to, use it.

Last newsletter I spoke about "neuroplasticity," which means that the neural connections - the wiring - of our brains can change in response to new learning and experiences. And this change in the wiring, the neural connections, in our brain affects our thinking, our actions, our re-actions, our relationships, our ability (our availability) to learn, our stress level, our health - all aspects of our well being.

What is necessary for the new wiring to become strong and stable however, is attention, that is, ongoing awareness and focus on the new thinking and new behaviors we want to acquire. Where we put our attention, we create connections, and the more often we put our attention on the new learning and behaviors we want to acquire the stronger the neural connections supporting those new ways of being become. Conversely, the less attention we pay to our old life-limiting habits (thinking and talking about our "victim" story, our resentments, fears,self-blame, guilt etc), the weaker the neural connections that support those old habits (and the behaviors that result from them) become.

So, back to how YOU HAVE THE POWER. Research has found that we think thousands and thousands of thoughts everyday. We have little control over the thoughts that "pop into" our mind, but we CAN have control over the thoughts we choose to pay attention to. A study in 1983, found that when our brain sends us an urge to act - to say or do something – that urge begins about 5/10 of a second before we actually take the action (do the behavior or say the words). When we decide to walk across a room to say hello to someone (or to yell at them), our brains (and body) already began that process 3/10 of a second before our conscious mind became aware of it. What the researchers found was that in the last 2/10 of a second (long enough) we do have voluntary control over whether or not to take that action. We have the ability, in 2/10 of a second, to CHOOSE to act or not act on that urge! We only need to learn to become aware in that 2/10 of a second of what is going on within us – that is become aware of where we are heading behaviorally.


So, even if we have a habit, even a strong habit, of acting or reacting, we can strengthen our practice of AWARENESS - NOTICING something we are about to do or say, before we do or say it! Then we have the CHOICE - we are not simply acting or thinking on "automatic.". In time, and with practice, the old unconscious "reaction habit' weakens and the new habit of responding with mindful awareness, attention, and choice grows strong - and then truly, YOU HAVE THE POWER!


An Awareness Practice: Begin to practice noticing when strong emotions/sensations rise in your body (these emotions may urge actions that you might regret). Pause! And take a deep breath; then notice what your urge is impelling you to say or do, take another deep breath, talk to yourself and focus on making a conscious, intelligent choice.


“What we think, we become.”

~Buddah