Coaching the Brain

If you don’t coach your brain then someone else will.

There are two ways our brains are being coached:

1. External: coached by outside means, such as social media, news, politicians, etc.

2. Internal: self- talk, own thoughts

The brain is the organ of behavior, and weighs in at about 3 lbs. This organ is allowing us to see, feel, and to listen. It allows us to do it all in color while it is in total darkness. And sometimes our perceived ability (confidence) and actual ability (competence) are not the same. When our biased beliefs set limits, we end up limiting many of our capabilities.

The brains of those we provide servicers to are locked, as we need to assist them to change and open them up. They will default back to old patterns if they don’t have a reason to hold onto the change.

The body is the brain’s support system, and the brain defends what it feels is true. Our body changes with the thoughts we have. The brain does not always let the best in. Sometimes it makes a lie into a truth. A positive example of this is the belief Santa Claus is real. Now this type of example is not always harmful, but in our situations when their brain is locked, it can be very harmful and hard to change it. This is especially true when people are set in their ways.

To begin, being able to navigate change we need to be aware of basic human needs (as per Maslow’s Pyramid):

• Self-Actualization and Identify
  the desire to become the best you can be

• Self-esteem
  respect, recognition

• Love & Belong
  friendships, connections

• Safety Needs
  feeling of being safe

• Physiological
  air, water, food & shelter

When any of these needs are challenged people might pick up unhealthy coping skills as a matter of survival. It can be tricky to change the beliefs or limits that the brain has set. In order to try to navigate towards a change is to be mindful of the following: everyone has their own perspectives, demonstrate active listening skills, maintain empathy, and ask open ended questions.

Our body changes with the thoughts we have. By putting our brains on a thinking diet, we can actually provide self-regulation of emotions, thoughts, or beliefs. As they say, “change your thoughts, change your world.”

In conclusion; It’s not what we say from our mouths, it’s what we say in our thoughts!