THE BATTLEFIELD OF THE MIND

BATTLEFIELD OF THE MIND

The greatest opponent one will ever face is oneself.

How do we take command of our minds and do what is in our own best interest?

How do we fix the kinks in our armor?

How do we escape from being stuck in a B.F. Skinner box?  (a rat in a box whose behavior is determined by seeking pleasure or avoiding pain and who can easily be manipulated by others)
Can we retrain our mind in order to regain control?

The first step is awareness.  We must first be aware of what is happening in order for us to make a change.  Our brains are wired to help us not do anything that is uncomfortable or scarey.

Carl Jung talks about the underlying structure of consciousness.  He believed that much of our behavior is influenced by what he called the collective unconscious.  Jung claimed that you are not the master of your house.  Your unconscious is more sophisticated than your conscious.  Why should you believe that the more newly developed biological part of the brain, the cerebral cortex which enables us to communicate with language and abstract thinking is the more sophisticated one.  Why shouldn't the older systems of the brain be in charge?  They are far older and so deeply embedded in your brain that they can make you do their bidding.  Beware of what you don't understand about yourself.  These older systems of the brain were structured for survival and have an active influence on our personality and can induce destructive behavior.

Fear, anxiety, anger and jealousy may stop you from taking moderate risks that you should take in order to better your life.

These shadow emotions can make you afraid to grow, end bad habits, leave dead end jobs, cut off unhealthy relationships and toxic people and prevent you from being able to take purposeful action to better your life.

These thoughts start to influence the concept of who we are.  We make our decisions on who we believe ourselves to be.

The good news is these thoughts are not who you are.  We are not the passing traffic on the highway, we are the space in which the traffic flows.

Take time to observe your thoughts, then you will realize you are not your thoughts, you are the observer of your thoughts.

Each day we have a series of conflicts between the right way of operating and the easy way.  Don't seek a comfortable life, seek a rewarding one.

Positive change comes when we overcome negative behavior.  Self transformation is possible.

Do challenging things,  build better habits, clarify your goals and then pursue them.  Try not to avoid problems, try to resolve them.  Cultivate your personality.  Re-adjust your comfort zone.

Little victories add up, a few successes make up for hundreds of failures.  If you get knocked down and get up again, your not a failure.  HIT BACK!!

Don't be stuck in a victim mode, the road to success is taking responsibility for your actions.

Steer your emotions and thoughts in the direction you want them to go.  Fear is a reaction and courage is a decision.

Everytime you feel pain, remember that you felt pain before and overcame it.  Being grateful for what you have can get you through tough times.

If you always do what you always have done, you will always be what you have been.  Nothing will be different until we think differently.  Who you become is directly connected with the price you are willing to pay to get there.

ON POLITICS

I try not to speak with anyone these days about politics.  The problem is that people are treating politics like a football game rooting for their team.  The trouble with this is that we project our own weaknesses and faults on the other, rather than dealing with our own shadows.  Us or them?  If they are not us, everything they say and do must be a lie and is destructive to our society.  This type of thinking can stop us from clearly seeing the true state of affairs.

CONCLUSION

Everyday you wake up in the morning you wake into consciousness; be grateful and committed to improving yourself to the world.  Guide your feelings and actions along the course that you choose; become the person you want to be.  Invite things into your life.  The better your attitude, the better your ability to overcome the challenges and difficulties you will experience everyday.

Everyone that gets their act together has the ability to influence others and change the world in a positive direction and make the world a better place.




About the Author:  Judd Bank is the President of CPI Investigations and a life long Martial Artist.
http://www.privatedetectiveny.com