Our brain is amazing!

It’s prime function is to keep us alive and keep us safe. Our brain learns what is right and wrong from what we think and experience. The biggest impact is formed early in our lives, when the brain has the least amount of instructions as we are learning so many new things every day and exploring the world.

When I was 6 years old, myself and some of the other girls in my class were colouring. I had painted a sunflower, with bright yellow petals and a big brown seed head.

One of the girls looked at my drawing and commented loudly another girl, “Brown and yellow colours look ugly together. Don’t you think?”

This was a split second comment but it sowed a seed in my head. I chose colours that look ugly together? Many years later when my husband and I were decorating our first house I struggled to choose paint colours and fabric for our curtains and it felt impossible to settle on a colour scheme. I was still telling my brain that I chose colours that didn't look good.

Our brain likes to take the easy way, the safe way. If you always think ‘I’m not good at public speaking’, you’re giving your brain that instruction and that becomes familiar. And if you think ‘I’m a good public speaker’ - guess what? This positive instruction becomes familiar and the brain starts to accept that public speaking is not a threat. So when you are about to walk on stage your brain will be relaxed and confident and you can enjoy your time in the limelight.

Have you ever consciously listened to your own self-talk for just one day? Give it a go and consider if that is what you really want yourself to believe.

If you could write a brain instruction manual for your best friend, your children or your partner what would you write? I am a good friend. I am a good cook. I am a great mum. I can choose great colours for my curtains!? 

What will you choose to write in your own instruction manual? 

If you would like some help to change your old habits of unhelpful self-talk or limiting beliefs just get in touch.