Jul 24, 2019
This week’s conversation with my friend Dr. Shannon Irvine means so much to me because we’re talking about the idea of taking our thoughts captive and rewiring our brains. Fear can be subtle, so we often accept certain things in life that keep us stuck. Do you ever think “I’m just always going to be the bridesmaid,” “There are too many people with a similar message in my industry—why would I even try?” It’s time to remove fear from the driver’s seat of your life. Dr. Shannon helps entrepreneurs train their thinking to transform their businesses and their whole lives. She has a PhD in neuropsychology, where she studies the science of success.
The Science of the Brain
- Minds are neutral—that is why scripture says to renew your mind.
- Our brain is automated, but once we take our brain off of autopilot we can decide if the narratives we have been following are actually serving us well.
- Habits of a successful person: “What they’ve repeated over and over again is the truth according to the better versions of themselves.”
- Thoughts move like they’re on the freeway + have to jump if they’re to get off the path.
- When we repeat thoughts, the ‘freeways’ become glued together/automated.
- Most people think good habits take 21 days, but it really takes about 60-67 days to stop the old thoughts and choose to make your mind go to the new thoughts.
How To Manage Your Thoughts
- Sit down and say “God, what do you want? Where are we going?”
- Think “I will become the creator of my thoughts.”
- Recognize that your thoughts create your reality.
- Look around at your life—that is evidence of your subconscious programming.
- Bottom line: stop being on autopilot.
Trust The Process
- Go through a typical day and recognize when you’re feeling tired, stressed, in resistance, in tension.
- “Does that thought take me to where I want to be or keep me from it?”
- If you want to amplify it: put yourself in situations that stress you out with the intention of hearing the thoughts.
- All of us, particularly women, have negativity bias where we think more negative thoughts toward ourselves than toward others.
The Four ‘R’ Process
- Recognition
- Focusing on the thoughts will not amplify them, it will help us address them.
- Record
- Write down the thought exactly as it came up in your mind.
- Removing/Refuting
- Choose somebody you love more than anything, and say out loud your thought but place it on that person (not to their face though!!). This will make you see the lie for what it is.
- On paper, start writing what is true for that person. It is a mirror truth… true for you also.
Visualization/Brain Priming
- Two base lies: worth and value. It boils down to “I am enough.”
- Brain priming: paint the picture in your mind of your potential with all of your senses. Your brain will start seeing it as true.
- “Step into the version of ourselves that we want to become.”
- We start to show our brain from a conscious level “This is what I believe” and the brain starts to store it as truth and automate it.
- “You get to decide what to think.”
What If The Thing Isn’t Supposed To Happen?
- “God gives you the desires of your heart.”
- “Don’t put limits on what God wants to do for you.”
- “You don’t know the capacity to which He has called you until you start believing for more than where you are right now.”
Now I KNOW you all want to keep up with Dr. Shannon. Her signature program is “The Epic Success Academy,” but if you want to just get your toes wet, grab your brain priming audio here: https://drshannonirvine.com/mindyourbusiness. You can also connect with her on Instagram at @drshannonirvine, Facebook at “Dr. Shannon Irvine,” and her Facebook Group “Epic Success Tribe.”
Thank you so much for listening to the podcast and being part of this community! Be sure to hear over to our Instagram @therefinedcollective to share your thoughts about this episode on our post!
Hey, single ladies— are you frustrated by the dating world? This episode is brought to you by my free guide called “6 Tips to Activate Your Dating Life with Intention and Clarity.” These resources helped propel me from sitting on the couch to out on a date. Head over to Bit.ly/trwdating to check it out! With you on the journey.