this is why i love love love discovering about the brain and its incredible functions. we don't conscious harness the power of the mind. most of what we lived on are the memories of our past experiences. but the component of the brain; the reticular activating system, tells us otherwise.
it's funny how when i googled RAS, most of the search results that came up were not the theoretical science stuff, but resources insanely applicable to everybody's life (motivational type things)taken from reticularactivatingsystem.org
At any given time during your daily activities, your mind is bombarded with millions of bits of sensorial stimulations from the physical environment where you are. Sounds, smells, tastes, sights, and feelings are continually being downloaded into your system, and your mind needs a way to filter that information. Well, in a brilliant bit of either creative thinking or evolution, depending on your beliefs, it is the purpose of the RAS and why it came into being.
The Reticular Activating System sits in your brain and acts as a customizable filter which adapts to different type of situation and react instantly. Just for the love of metaphor, the RAS can be seen as a bouncer at the door of your mind. Your beliefs tell the RAS what is or what is not important, chiefly making a list of all the information invited to the party, and your RAS then acts like the club bouncer letting whoever is on the list in and thrusting the rest to the curb. Of those millions of bits of information cited earlier your RAS only lets in around 130 pieces of those information per second in your conscious mind because that’s about all what your central nervous system can handle at one time, and the details you let in are the ones that you have deemed over the years to be important enough for yourself.
This is where the work comes in, and the awesome results follow. Over 30 days, if you think about it and imagine yourself experiencing something new, or affirming an additional, recent belief like “the world is full of amazing and incredible people”, slowly but surely you are molding your filter so that this new statement is having access to your mind and a new mindset is taking place. As you give access to your mind for new convictions, new thoughts are making their way in your subconscious. We all know that no matter our beliefs, especially where they normally deal with other persons, there are plenty of opinions to prove one right or wrong out there in the world. If you believe people are jerks there will be plenty of people around that can prove you right. If you believe people are great, there are just as many people out there waiting to prove that belief right. In the end, it is about what belief you choose to embrace and impress upon your subconscious.
The query now turn into why not be the best person you can be, and believe the best possible things about the world you live in? It is things like the existence of the RAS that makes positive thinking more than just a good exercise that releases endorphins. It’s the reason you could walk right by an opportunity if you don’t believe it will occur and it’s also the cause why there are stories of natives factually not seeing conquering ships imminent from a distance because they didn’t have faith in the existence or the likelihood of ships that large. How many great chances, great people, as well as great experiences are you willing to overlook before you begin to do something about it? Taking action now by affirming, feeling and visualizing the life as you want to live it can rewire your mind and very rationally take your head first into the life of your dreams. It’s all up to you!
