Do you feel like you’re missing out?

Every second of our waking state we are taking in 400 billion bits of information and yet our brain can only handle 2000 bits of information each and every second. And of that 2000 bits of information coming in from the environment around us, our brain passes it through a filter called the Reticular Activating System (RAS). This filter is under our subconscious control. It’s a filter which has a memory of our habitual likes and dislikes, our beliefs, our identity and without our conscious control, the RAS is doing a great job forming opinions and judgments of every waking moment based on our personality we have built over many years. Whilst we have this protective filter to maintain our identity that we’ve built over many years, when the time comes that we get serious about wanting to make real changes in our life it can be a force to be reckoned with. The RAS doesn’t want change, it doesn’t support breaking habits, it doesn’t like you changing routine and it doesn’t want to start perceiving the world around you with a different perspective!

Here’s an example. Let’s say we had a long-term relationship that ended in rejection and heartbreak. Anyone who looks like your ex-partner will subconsciously get filtered into your RAS and no doubt you’ll be reminded of them. Maybe you’ll also experience emotions of sadness and resentment that are still trapped inside of you and as a result you’ll automatically form an opinion about this stranger even before your conscious mind has acknowledged the present moment. Another example would be if you’d really like to own a Range Rover, your RAS will ensure you notice every Range Rover in sight. If you have a deep-seated belief that dogs are dangerous, your RAS will ensure you notice every dog on the street and even the ones in pictures that looks like they could possibly bite you, all to confirm your belief. If you think most drivers are idiots, you will truly not only notice other drivers making mistakes, but you’ll attract every reckless driver on the road. Our RAS works really hard to ensure that our habitual patterns are prioritised and upheld. So even if the habit is extremely destructive, it doesn’t matter, the RAS will continue to maintain your current opinions and beliefs.

Essentially, if we’re not aware of this happening, you could say, we’re living in the past in every present moment. So, what’s wrong with that? If you want to make changes in your life but your viewing everything that’s happening in your life now through the lens of the past, then you can’t make any changes. We’re not noticing the person who held the door open for us, the smile from a stranger, the bird dancing in a puddle of rainwater, the power and majesty of a tree that we pass by every day. And if we’re missing those things then maybe we’re going through each and every day missing out on other opportunities too? Remember, the brain can only deal with so much information each and every second. The question is where are we focusing, what are we missing, and can we make a shift to being aware of the things in our environment which can bring about a new perspective, a new understanding, a new field of vision from which we can leap into new experiences?

Most of the information coming into your brain is deleted, the rest is passed through the RAS to be distorted to suit your beliefs, opinions and current habitual patterns

We all know that trying to change anything with the same mind that created the problem in the first place is futile! This is where the practice of present moment awareness comes into play and a regular meditation practice.

A great way to learn how to be consciously present and start to allow new things to flow into our RAS is to consciously choose to become acutely aware of what is around you in the present moment. Here’s a great mindfulness practice I do with my meditation students.

Find a comfortable seat and close your eyes, relax. Do a few deep long breaths and then simply focus on what you can hear. Remaining in a relaxed state notice any sounds in the environment around you, the hum of an air conditioner, the chirping of birds, distant traffic, a lawn mower or a dog barking, you may even hear your heart beat. Then shift your awareness to your sense of touch. Feel the texture of the clothes on your skin, perhaps your feet on the ground, your body against the chair, air on your face, the energy in your fingertips. Placing your awareness on taste, maybe you still have the taste of coffee in your mouth, toothpaste, does your mouth taste slightly acidic, maybe there is no taste, that’s fine. And then shift to your sight, placing your awareness on the space behind your eyes, what do you see? Do you see colours, moving shapes, darkness, a vastness of space? Doing a simple exercise like this on a regular basis introduces new information into the mind and starts to create a heightened sense of present moment awareness.

The only way we can access the subconscious mind is through the conscious mind. So if you want to believe you can start your own business, you can lose weight, you can change your lifestyle or you can kick a habit you’ve been doing for the last 20 years, we start with the affirmation, ‘I do have the ability to run my own business.’ And even though your subconscious programming really doesn’t believe it, you’ve got to start somewhere. So, the affirmation comes first and then we bring in the power of emotion. We use visualisation so you can see yourself as a successful entrepreneur. If the visualisation is powerful, you will naturally generate the emotions. So, you begin to feel what’s it’s like to run your business in your mind and in your body. These kind of powerful visualisations feed into the subconscious and start to over-ride some of the habitual programming. Essentially, you’re pruning apart old neural networks in the brain and creating new ones to support your vision.

If you’re serious about change and you’re willing to put in the work, present moment awareness is a great place to start.