Much like a computer responds to commands, your brain can be programmed to accept any changes you might want to make in your life. However, many of your current behaviors stem from unconstructive programming you received as a child that may stand in the way of change.<\/p>\n

Dr. Maxwell Maltz, in his book Psycho-Cybernetics, published in 1960, says, \u201cBeliefs about ourselves have unconsciously been formed from our past experiences \u2026 especially in early childhood.\u201d So keep in mind, when you want to change a particular habit or belief, that the unwanted behavior was built on patterns developed over time.<\/p>\n

In this classic book, Dr. Maltz introduced the idea of a mind-body connection and that positive outcomes are achieved through changing our attitudes. Here are some simple steps that can help you overcome self-sabotaging tendencies, much like installing new software into the computer of your mind.<\/p>\n

Identify the issue. Write down everything you know about the habit, such as when it started and why. Be as detailed and truthful as possible because it\u2019s hard to change what you don\u2019t acknowledge. And list all the reasons you want to change. According to Dr. Maltz, \u201cChange the self-image and you change the personality.\u201d<\/p>\n

Set realistic goals. If you want to lose weight, for instance, simply saying, \u201cI want to lose a few pounds\u201d is not enough to bring about lasting change. However, if you state \u201cI will lose 10 pounds before my birthday\u201d then your mind has a distinct path to follow. And make sure your goal is both realistic and attainable so that you set yourself up for success.<\/p>\n

Use \u201ccreative visualization.\u201d Using your imagination to picture how you want to behave gives you a huge edge in overcoming unwanted habits, because the subconscious mind sees in images. For example, as you recall what you had for breakfast, do you picture the words \u201cI ate scrambled eggs\u201d or do you see scrambled eggs on a plate? So \u201csee\u201d yourself as having accomplished your goal.<\/p>\n

Act \u201cas if\u201d you have achieved your goal. Imagining you have already accomplished your goal goes a long way toward actually achieving it. For instance, someone 10 pounds lighter may exercise more or be more confident, so if you already act as if you weigh less, you will automatically start moving more and feeling better about yourself.<\/p>\n

Use positive affirmations. Power words or phrases spoken as if you mean it keep you motivated and help you turn negative programming into positive change. And the great news is: according to many experts, including Maltz, it usually takes only 21 days to effect change in our self-concept. So you are just three weeks away from achieving your goal from the day you start!<\/p>\n

Reward yourself. Don\u2019t forget to give yourself a pat on the back for every positive step you make towards your new goal. It\u2019s important to reward yourself with something that will make you feel good about yourself and to \u201cimprint\u201d your newly forming positive habit.<\/p>\n

According to Maltz, the brain itself is simply a \u201cgoal-striving mechanism\u201d that operates very much like a computer. Your mind is the software that makes you uniquely you. Following the steps offered above is a means of \u201chacking\u201d your brain, changing the programming and creating the life of your dreams.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Much like a computer responds to commands, your brain can be programmed to accept any changes you might want to make in your life. However, many of your current behaviors stem from unconstructive programming you received as a child that may stand in the way of change. Dr. Maxwell Maltz, in his book Psycho-Cybernetics, published […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[27,29],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.drilonatobin.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/251"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.drilonatobin.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.drilonatobin.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.drilonatobin.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.drilonatobin.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=251"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/www.drilonatobin.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/251\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":252,"href":"http:\/\/www.drilonatobin.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/251\/revisions\/252"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.drilonatobin.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=251"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.drilonatobin.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=251"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.drilonatobin.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=251"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}