The greatest net effect on our lives is what we repeatedly do and think.
So many podcasts, blogs, books, articles, talk spaces, forums, and so on, chalk full of useful and inspiring information about how to live better. It’s easy to become inundated by the waves of recommendations being hurled our way. Everything we read, like, and subscribe to is being tracked, sent through an algorithm, then used to deliver curated content to our feed. Whether we’re aware of it or not, we rely on algorithms to inform us, motivate us, inspire creativity, or keep us entertained. We’re feeding them daily, even when we don’t mean to(thanks microphone).
Similarly, repetitive thoughts and behaviors, and beliefs and values are codes of instruction running in the subconscious—your mental algorithms. Meditation is such a popular practice in part because it helps bring what’s unconscious into conscious awareness. Once we’re aware of something, we have more control over it. You will breathe automatically, but you can entrain your nervous system through the pattern of your inhale and exhale, for example.
Why do unfortunate events tend to happen in tandem? Why do fortunate events happen in tandem, for that matter? The subconscious interacts with the world on a powerful psycho-spiritual level, constantly drawing like energy towards like energy. Shitty moods are difficult to get out of for this reason. Once you’ve decided it‘s a shit day, a shit day you will have unless you consciously, with effort stir yourself in the other direction.
The subconscious does not know good or bad, negative or positive, empowering or disempowering, it simply executes whatever is suggested upon it. It’s vast, expansive, and runs very deep. The caveat is that most of what is programmed in the farthest recesses of our subconscious was done very early in life. That’s why so many of us are in therapy, attend self help workshops, join vision quests, pick up a bad habit, find ourselves attracting the same type of people. I’m sure you know someone in your life who‘s achieved personal success in ways you’d like for yourself. Maybe they’ve healed an illness, overcome trauma, or are genuinely happy with their life and their choices. These are the everyday master coders. We are capable of healing and guiding our life.
Taking responsibility for your life does not mean that everything is your fault. However, it’s important to acknowledge the role you’re playing. When any aspect of your health is suffering it’s important to take a step back and take notes. How are your repetitive thoughts and behaviors contributing to the problem? What can you do differently? What is within your control, what is not? Once you’ve got some answers, start recoding your subconscious mind like a programmer would a computer program. Start showing yourself more of what you want or what would facilitate the healing and growth you’re after, stop liking and subscribing to things that keep you unwell.
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