The reticular activating system….helping your brain work for you

Your brain is an amazing tool and the study of neuroscience leads to new findings all the time. A fascinating area is the study of of the reticular activating system, which acts as a filter of all the information and detail you are faced with at any one time.

The reticular activating system

The reticular activating system is a network of nerves in the brain which filters the millions of pieces of information you could process at any particular second. (Think of how your five senses are bombarded at any particular moment with conversations, activities, thoughts, what’s happening all around you.) You couldn’t possibly take in every single detail so your brain tries to give you what it sees as the most important bits of information for you.

To see how this works think about a time when something has been on your mind….perhaps you have been thinking about getting a new car. Suddenly you start to see the cars you have shortlisted everywhere and you’re much more aware of the cars people you know might drive. It’s because your brain knows what you’re focussing on and highlights cars for you. It can be compared to cookies on your computer which personalise adverts for you so that information on what you’re interested in comes up!

Sometimes this can work in your favour and sometimes this can hold you back. For instance if you’re feeling a bit down and lacking in confidence your brain might give you feedback about times when things have gone badly for you.

How to get your reticular activating system working for you

Working on your mindset to feel more resilient and positive is very important as when you are feeling more positive your reticular activating system is also likely to be more positive. Take a look at my previous blog on improving your mindset here.

You can see your reticular activating system as similar to a sat nav. You can give it clear directions as where you want to be. It’s interesting to notice that many people don’t know exactly what they want or why. Breaking down your goals can be really helpful. Writing things down can clear way of focussing attention on your goals or desires….or reframing your fears.

Of course if your goals or desires are too big your brain can tell you this is never going to happen which is why I help clients take small steps towards their goals. Small steps help you take action rather than procrastinate and they build confidence towards the bigger goals.

Another powerful way of working with your reticular activating system is visualisation. This is used by athletes and I also use it with clients who want to do well in an exam or interview. Seeing yourself doing well and feeling calm and in control is a positive message for your reticular activating system….giving you evidence of having achieved what you want to.

How this fits in with the law of attraction

You may have read about the law of attraction and manifestation which is very popular. It is certainly true that thinking positively can help you towards your goals but you need to take action too. So if vision boards or affirmations support you in visualising a positive future that’s great but they won’t work on their own. You need to take action….and the more you do that the more positive your reticular activating system will be able to become.

Breaking it down with me

If you would like some help with this mindset work, I can support you with hypnotherapy to visualise the future you want to create for yourself. This can set you on the right track for the future you deserve. Get in touch here.