4 Ways to Actively Reprogram Your Thoughts

By Michael Pietrzak

“He can’t help it; he’s set in his ways.” The folk wisdom that adults can’t change is being challenged by new research. Our personality is not cast in stone in childhood; the brain is highly reprogrammable at any age.

Neuroplasticity refers to the brain’s ability to form new neural pathways, interconnections between parts of our nervous system. This happens after injury but also in response to our environment, thoughts and emotions.

As with building muscle, the more we “work out” certain neural pathways, the stronger they become. Robust pathways become our favored psychological “highways.” We can generate more happiness, calm and kindness in our life simply by practicing these emotions.

Throughout our lives, we have unwittingly used this technique to program negative emotions, but we can do the same for patience, love, passion and joy.

How many of you know something intellectually but fail to apply that wisdom? You know jealousy will push your partner away, but you get angry when they talk to the opposite sex for too long, anyway.

“When judgment or negativity comes up, it means your internal dialogue is off,” says Thais Gibson, a personal development expert.

Thankfully there is a simple fix. “Your subconscious mind works more through feeling than language,” Gibson says. By leveraging strong emotion, we create a direct line to the operating instructions of your subconscious.

Think about a time you were incredibly angry or hurt and changed a belief that you now hold? In my case, when I lost a business deal, I used my anger to replace an attachment to one specific version of success.

Here are four methods you can use to train yourself to think and feel anything:

1. Tony Robbins’ Priming Method

Tony Robbins says emotion is created by motion. A change in your physical “state” will change how you feel. Last month I attended his Unleash the Power Within seminar and learned about priming, which harnesses this principle.

Here’s how it works:

1. Sit down with your eyes closed and raise your hands above your head.
2. Breathe heavily in and out through your nose for three sets of 30 breaths.
3. On each out breath, pull your arms downward, making fists.
4. After three sets, feel gratitude and self-love.

In the resulting state, you can easily plant healthy new thoughts and beliefs in your mind.

2. The Demartini Method

Human behavior specialist Dr. John Demartini also uses neuroplasticity to reprogram the brain. He asks his clients a series of questions to help them neutralize negative emotional charges and replace them with emotional equilibrium.

His method alters several structures of the brain, including the hypothalamus and amygdala, which are responsible for expressions of fear, guilt and aggression.

How does it work? When facing a challenging situation, Gibson says, “Question the situation itself and ask what good comes from it.” Look for the benefits, because there’s always at least one.

Maybe your enormous strength, which you value so greatly, comes from a parent abandoning you as a child or a physical illness? Seeing the good can help you drop unhelpful beliefs quickly.

3. Affirmations

“Whatever we plant in our subconscious mind and nourish with repetition and

emotion will one day become a reality.” ―Earl Nightingale

Over time we can become set in our ways. Repetitive thinking leads to stronger connections between neurons, and the brain defaults to these deeper pathways. We get stuck in a rut. But there is hope. It’s possible to be the architect of our own Scrooge-like metamorphosis using affirmations: phrases repeated often and daily.

Our subconscious is the factory that generates many of our thoughts—positive and negative—and can be reprogrammed not only with strong emotion but also through repetition. Affirmations lodge new operating instructions into your subconscious the same way that listening to a song on repeat will leave it stuck in your head for days.

Tony Robbins bridges the gap between repetition and emotion. His “incantations” are affirmations done with explosive emotion and conviction.

If your affirmation is “I am a persuasive speaker,” then your incantation would be the same words, shouted while beating your chest and jumping around. The idea here, upheld by the science of neuroplasticity, is that our brains are more susceptible to reprogramming under conditions of heightened emotion.

4. Visualization

“What you imagine, you create.” ―Buddha

Visualization works like affirmations to rewire our neurons and attract the thoughts and feelings we want.

Vividly imagining yourself doing or having whatever you want works well for quickly getting your dream job, house or relationship, but it can also work for attracting healthy emotions. If you consistently visualize yourself reacting to challenges with calm and compassion, you will manifest this behavior.

Take time every day to visualize yourself having the emotional resilience or the positive beliefs that you want. With even five minutes of daily practice, you will start to see powerful change.

After 15 years, I still meditate at least 10 minutes each day. But after 15 years, I still struggle with insecurity, fear and anger. I had little choice but to seek out a way to actively install new patterns.

Meditation pulls me out of the stream, but with the new tools, I’m building a boat to better navigate the flow without getting soaked. You can do the same, but be patient—you’ve taken a lifetime to wear in your neural grooves. Consistent and skilful practice is the way.

Have patience; you’ve got this.

Dining in the Dark

By Bob Cox

When Christine Ha decided to participate in the third season of Master Chef U.S. on Fox, she knew that the odds were stacked against her. Not only would she be competing against 30,000 other aspiring chef’s, she was the first blind person to enter the contest! Joe Bastianich, a judge on MasterChef, summed up Christine’s miraculous victory quite nicely...

Midway through this year's competition, my money would not have been on Christine for the win – and not just because of her disability – because she just didn't come across as the typical frontrunner. With Christine, slow and steady won the race. She subtly climbed her way to the top by performing consistently well, triumphing over her own self-doubt, all the while maintaining her signature grace and integrity. It was thrilling to watch. And I can say with absolute confidence there was no one more deserving.

When the California Council of the Blind decided to hold its annual statewide convention at the Sacramento Marriott in Rancho Cordova from March 22-25, their CEO Paul Shane decided to reach out to Christine to see if she was willing to lend her culinary skills to the cause. Christine eagerly accepted the invitation and will be the guest chef at the Dining in the Dark event.

I spoke with Paul recently to learn more about how his organization is helping nearly one million blind and low vision residents of California.

Q: What’s your experience been like with the the California Council of the Blind?

A: It has been “eye opening” to say the least. Prior to coming on board in 2016, I had never directly interacted with someone who was blind or had low vision. Now after being immersed in their culture, challenges and accomplishments, I am proud to call them “my extended California family”. If there was only one thing that I could stress to your readers is that people who are blind and low vision are just like you; they work, have college degrees, raise families, play sports and pay taxes. They just do these things without the ability to see like we do. The preconceived notions that people have and the images that we receive from the media about blind people are completely off base.

The California Council of the Blind turns 84 years old in 2018 and prior to my appointment was made up entirely of blind and low vision volunteers from all corners of California who have accomplished many amazing feats and overcome barriers that most people would consider to be insurmountable. But don’t take my word for it, come out to our convention at the Sacramento Marriott Rancho Cordova and see for yourselves. We have many exciting events to participate in and extensive volunteer opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds.

Q: What is your organization’s primary function and mission?

A: The California Council of the Blind is an 84-year-old grassroots non-profit advocacy and service delivery membership organization with chapters and affiliates across California. We come from all walks of life and work collaboratively to improve the quality of life for all Californians who are blind or have low vision. Our vision is that the culture, laws, programs, and attitudes throughout California are inclusive of all people, especially persons who are blind or have low vision. Our mission is to increase the independence, security, equality of opportunity and quality of life for all Californians who are blind or have low vision.

Q: What has your organization done that our readers may be familiar with?

A: Some of the things you may be most acquainted with include:

1. Establishing the White Cane Law that gave people who are blind and low vision the right to travel independently and gave pedestrians who are blind and low vision the right-of-way on California streets.

2. Working collaboratively with financial institutions to bring about the installation of the first talking ATM’s in the country.

How John Wooden Led His Teams to a Victorious Life

By Craig Impelman

My lesson today centers on a man who, in my opinion, was the best basketball coach—college or pro—to ever live: the great John Wooden.

To most he was known as the “Wizard of Westwood,” the UCLA basketball coach who guided the Bruins to an unprecedented 10 national championships over two decades. For those who played for him, he was much more than a coach. He was a teacher, father figure, mentor and master motivator who got every inch and more out of his players.

When I heard of his passing last June, my mind was flooded with many memories of this great man’s life, and the impact he had on so many people, including me. I was also reminded of memories and life lessons I shared with him personally.

I spent some time with Coach Wooden a few years ago at his modest home in Los Angeles, where he lived for more than 30 years. It would have taken several hours just to read all of the plaques, memorabilia and awards that adorned his walls.

For three weeks, I prepared for our meeting, and I had my questions ready. I came away from that day with stories I will treasure for the rest of my life.

Wooden’s Creed for Life

I want to share with you the simple creed Coach Wooden kept in his wallet since his father gave it to him at the age of 12. The words on this tattered paper served as his guidepost his entire life:

Be true to yourself.

Make each day your masterpiece.

Help others.

Drink deeply from good books.

Make friendship a fine art.

Build shelter against a rainy day.

Pray for guidance and give thanks for your blessings every day.

For 87 years, this creed molded Coach Wooden’s life. When I asked him how successful he was in keeping each of these principles, he said, “You know, Craig, we’re never perfect. But every day I still try to live up to the creed.”

What a great lesson to us all. Wooden was at the pinnacle of success and still strove to live up to those principles in his late 90s.

Most of you reading this are interested in winning and learning how you can get ahead. I want to share with you two things that helped set Coach Wooden apart from other coaches.

A Life of Discipline

First, he achieved personal victories before he led his team to victory. One of the things you’ll notice quickly when you look at John Wooden’s life is he was truly disciplined. Many people feel that a leader’s biggest challenge is leading other people. I don’t subscribe to this opinion. The biggest challenge as a leader is living the life of a leader. As I listened to Coach Wooden that day, I asked myself, how could he bring such success to the teams that he led? The victory he had over himself allowed him to help others become victorious.

Our standard of excellence and code of conduct is summed up by Coach Wooden’s strategy to find happiness. He said happiness comes from making and keeping nine promises:

1. Promise yourself that you will talk health, happiness and prosperity as often as possible.

2. Promise yourself to make all your friends know there is something in them that is special that you value.

3. Promise to think only of the best, to work only for the best and to expect only the best in yourself and others.

4. Promise to be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.

5. Promise yourself to be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.

6. Promise to forget the mistakes of the past and press on to greater achievements in the future.

7. Promise to wear a cheerful appearance at all times and give every person you meet a smile.

8. Promise to give so much time improving yourself that you have no time to criticize others.

9. Promise to be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear and too happy to permit trouble to press on you.

I learned so much from John Wooden that day in Los Angeles. The time we spent together is etched forever on my mind. His words continue to touch lives the world over. And I don’t say this about a lot of people, but after I left his home I said to myself, “I want to be just like him.” Thanks, Coach. You will be missed.

How to Rise Up After Life Knocks You Down

By Alex Jasin

“It doesn’t matter how far you might rise. At some point, you’re bound to stumble.”

Oprah Winfrey spoke these words while giving a commencement speech at Harvard University, and I continue to find more truth in this statement the longer I live.

Each one of us experiences a few “stumbles” in our life. Some of us have the mental scars to show for it, too. Maybe you just got fired from your job and don’t know how to start over. Or maybe you’re trying with all your might to find a new one without any luck.

Sometimes we work hard for the things we truly believe in, only for life to not go according to our plans. In these moments, you might feel like throwing in the towel. Or that it’s just not worth the heartache to go after your dreams.

These feelings of pain and doubt are normal, but they shouldn’t stop you. In fact, when you realize you’ve hit rock bottom, there’s only one way to go, and that’s up. The process may be a difficult one and may even take away all your energy, but with a strategy and will, it can surely be done.

Here are some of the best steps you can take to achieve your definition of success after life knocks you down:

1. Take time to feel your pain.

When you’ve hit the ground on all fours, you may feel the need to deny your situation or take it for granted. Don’t. Instead, allow yourself to be vulnerable to the way you feel. If you feel angry for being fired, inadequate for a failed business or depressed that your spouse left you, accept what you feel.

Taking time to feel your emotions and grieving your situation is a good start to refocusing yourself for what’s to come. You can’t rise from a fall by avoiding the fact that you fell and actually got hurt. If you do so, the pain will pile up and weigh you down at a later time. So grieve, cry if you feel the tears and scream at the top of your lungs if it helps you feel better. And it will.

2. Accept what you can’t change.

This is like grieving, but more about understanding that what’s happened can’t be undone. If your business failed and you’re deep in debt, you can’t change that fact. Not in a day, at least, and definitely not by numbing or ignoring the situation you’re in.

If your spouse walked away from you and your kids and it hurts, it might hurt for a long time. But you can’t change any of it. So try to accept it and start thinking of what comes next. This comes after you’ve stopped screaming.

This is just part of the healing process, and the sooner you’re able to accept and understand what you can’t change, the better.

3. Be kind, and forgive yourself.

When life knocks you down, it’s normal to feel guilty, blame yourself and even add self-hate to that pile. However, at the end of the day, you must learn to forgive yourself and find a door within the darkness.

Think about all the people that have been in your situation and successfully lived through it. What did they do to recover? Do your research and read about it.

The truth is, in the midst of all your troubles and depression, someone else has been in your shoes. Someone else has felt what you’re feeling now.

4. Evaluate your options, and redefine your goals.

Once you’ve forgiven yourself and are ready for the next move, it’s time to evaluate your options. Ask yourself what can be done differently by assessing what went wrong.

If you made mistakes, write each one of them down to learn from your behavior. If it was something you didn’t do, think about how you’ll change things up next time around. And if you didn’t make a mistake and yet you still failed, focus on the future. There’s probably an aspect from your experience you can learn from.

As you evaluate, also think about your larger vision. What is it that you want to achieve and when do you want to achieve it? Remember that one of the daily habits of successful people is goal setting. You, too, should write down your long-term goals and break them down into smaller daily goals.

5. Map out a plan for your goals.

“A goal without a plan is just a wish.”

This quote by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry is a great reminder that just having a goal is not enough. You can write it down, break it down into as many small daily goals as you want, but if you don’t have an action plan to execute it, all will be in vain.

So make plans around your goal. If your goal is to heal from a breakup and one of your smaller goals is to read inspirational books, make plans to buy the book. Even this plan could include smaller tasks, like identifying the right book by searching online or asking for referrals.

But most importantly, remember to not give up. You haven’t failed until you quit, so keep at it.

Trusting in Trust

By Bob Cox

On a sleepy Sunday not so long ago, my wife Diana came into the bedroom with the sweet sound of excitement in her voice as I was slowly waking up. She explained how she had an amazing discovery to share with me in the living room, so I knew I was in for a treat!

I eagerly crawled out of bed and wobbled down our narrow hallway and after a quick detour to the restroom; I traversed the final few steps until I sank into my favorite recliner next to Diana. She looked into my eyes and said, “I’ve been watching this powerful TV program and it’s going to change everything!”

I rewound the show called Super Soul Sunday to the beginning and watched Oprah Winfrey interviewing Iyanla Vanzant about the powerful insights in her newest book titled Trust. Iyanla went on to explain that the key to her transformation from an abused and fearful child into a confident, wise and compassionate adult was rooted in what she calls the four essential trusts: 1. Trust in self 2. Trust in God 3. Trust in Others 4. Trust in Life.

As I listened to the soul searching conversation between these two very enlightened women, I knew instantly that their perceptions of life closely matched mine. Iyanla believes that the foundation for creating a better life begins with a deeply rooted core of trust in yourself.

Trust in yourself sounds like an easy thing to do, so why is it so hard to achieve? Like Iyanla, I believe that the seeds of self doubt are planted in the fertile soil of our earliest memories. As children, we were taught to always listen to and follow the instructions of people that were older and more experienced. If we failed to follow their rules and do what we wanted, there would typically be a price to pay for such disobedience.

In an ideal world, each child would be gradually given more freedom to make more decisions. If one of those decisions has a positive outcome, the adults in the room would enthusiastically lead a celebration. On the other hand; if the result was negative, those adults would share their insights while guiding the child through their decision making process until the child discovers exactly where the plan went awry. From the ashes of our mistakes, an even mightier forest rises.

If you want to create a healthier and happier life for yourself and the ones you love, take my advice and follow Iyanla’s advice: TRUST YOURSELF. This advice may be hard to follow, but trust me...no trust Iyanla...no, trust your own inner voice of wisdom, which will set you free from the dreaded demons of self doubt.

Whenever you’re faced with a difficult decision to make, is your mind relentlessly pounded by the disturbing voices of self doubt? If it is, imagine those voices coming from a small childhood version of yourself and be the adult in the room. Listen to those concerns carefully, without fear, guilt, shame or judgment. Once all the concerns are out, listen to your wise inner voice and come up with a plan to make a quality choice. Trust yourself and then go for it!