What Does Science Say About The Mind (Part 1 Of 2)
Neuroplasticity
Let’s talk about science and a little snippet of what science says about your mind (thoughts, beliefs, mindsets, and attitude).
Your thoughts are the foundation of both beliefs and mindsets. There would be no such thing as beliefs and mindsets without the underlying pattern of thoughts.
Beliefs are built by consistent patterns of thoughts within your mind, and they may or may not be based on truth or have supporting evidence that the belief is actual fact. Sometimes the word “conviction” or “opinion” is used to help describe “belief.” Your beliefs may be negative, or they may be positive. If you have a pattern of negative thinking, it’s probable that you may have beliefs that are of a negative nature. Just as if you have a pattern of positive thinking as it is probable that you may have beliefs that are of a positive nature.
We have on average 50,000 thoughts per day. Do you ever take note of how many of your thoughts are negative?
Mindsets are a “way of thinking”. Your mindset is a combination of your thoughts and beliefs and can be looked at as your “attitude.” Mindsets determine how you will interpret and respond to situations.
Thoughts are things. Do you know what a thought in your brain actually looks like? A thought can be described as looking like a “tree-like” structure.
A positive thought resembles a more bushy tree, while a negative thought resembles a more thorny scraggly structure.
What goes on in our minds creates various chemical responses and feelings (our emotions). This thought cycle which includes a chemical release and emotional feeling, impacts our complete well-being (your mind, body, and spirit). It can create addictive behavior patterns as well.
Our network of thoughts in the brain (tree-like structures) can be restructured and reshaped. We can add branches, remove branches, and reshape branches. Science calls this concept “neuroplasticity.”
Through our thinking process, training, and practice, a new you with new mindsets and new beliefs can emerge.
When a thought is first introduced to you (ex. through the outside environment – other people, media, internet, books), we have two choices. We can accept the thought into our own memories and thought networks where it can take root. Or, we can reject the thought or block it from entering our thought network. Some call this “free will.”
We have the same choices for the thoughts (memories) we already have in the thought network in our brains. We can choose to keep the thought and reinforce its network ties or start to loosen and rid the thought by replacing it with something more in line with what we would like to be thinking.
Check Out >>> “The Mind: What Does The Bible Say (Part 2 of 2)”
