Something for your mind
Everything we experience in life is a convergence of moments compiled into memories. These memories shape how we reflect on and experience the present. They form our perceptions, ideologies, and beliefs, playing a role in how we behave, interact, and engage with the world around us.
Our bodies subconsciously absorb and process this information, helping us synthesise and understand our surroundings. We feel, see, hear, smell, and touch, creating vivid images in our minds to reflect on as time passes. Each moment we experience becomes an extension of our current self. Our subconscious mind is constantly communicating with us. Even as we sleep, it works to keep us alive, monitoring and controlling vital organ functions, blood circulation, and everything related to parasympathetic nerve activity. Our brain is in constant dialogue with us, which manifests physically or verbally.
Our subconscious mind underpins who we are. We are our subconscious, and our subconscious is us. Through our experiences, thoughts, feelings, and memories, we transfer subconscious thoughts into conscious thinking, thus formulating our reality.
According to a study conducted by Cornell University, researcher Jiawei Zhang noted that, on average, the brain houses “100 billion neurons,” and signals pass through as many as “1,000 trillion synapses.” These signals help us breathe, repair, talk, digest, feel, monitor, and behave. In addition to everything it does to keep us alive, the brain is home to the construction of thought. Although this simple yet intricate function differentiates us from many other lifeforms, it can also lead to our undoing.
Biologically, our brains are wired for survival. Our thought processes have not evolved to match our 21st-century world, leading us to live in a heightened state of fear. We no longer live as Neanderthals, weary of being attacked by bears, nor are most of us hunting for food. Our lives have significantly changed. However, our primitive level of anxiety is compounded by the added stresses of modern life, exacerbated by societal and personal factors. Living in a state of panic, worry, and constant overwhelm fractures our relationship with our minds, which become flooded with a fear of thinking and feeling.
Ultimately, only you have the power to change the way you think. Only you can change your thoughts and actions. This is where it becomes important to reflect on what we value and how we view ourselves.
How will you reset?
Disclaimer: This blog post is not intended to provide psychological or medical advice. Olivia Triantafillopoulos does not guarantee that the content in this article is accurate, reliable, or suitable for any specific purpose. Please do not make decisions or take action based solely on the information provided in this blog post without consulting a professional.