The human mind is powerful–more powerful than we can comprehend. The adage “If you can think it and believe it, you can achieve it” is absolutely 100% true. The thing is, a lot of people forget that our conscious thoughts are only 10% of our whole mind. The other 90% –our subconscious mind–is made up of emotions and past wiring. habits. On the Mechanic to Millionaire podcast, my husband Dave talks a lot about a law called “The law of non-resistance” which states that “when we resist a condition, person, or thing that we don’t like or want, we are adding power to it,” and “what we resist persists.” It’s Dave’s favorite law because when you understand how to apply it to your life, it adds so much positive power!
I notice that many people misunderstand this law by thinking they can just block negative thoughts and/or ignore challenging people or situations. Many will create vision boards and recite “I Am” statements. I am not saying that these are not good things to do–I DO THEM! I am saying that oftentimes people think these are the only steps that need to be taken in order to life a dream life.
I disagree, and here’s why.
Much like computer hardware, our subconscious mind–the part that that occupies 90% of our brain– is filled with emotionally charged memories and interpretations of experiences that run the show. Most of the time we don’t even realize they are there, and they have become so habitual that they take over. When we fill our conscious mind (the 10%) with positive thoughts and affirmations, it’s like bringing a small troop of novice soldiers that could never survive against a mature and mighty army-at least not without tons of reinforcement.
The good news is that the habitual thoughts, feelings, and behaviors of the subconscious can be taught to work with our positive thoughts until they become our habits. THIS is what the Law of Non-Resistance is all about.
I learned this term or technique in my very last bachelor level psychology class called “Name It to Tame It.” When subconscious emotions are left unnoticed and unnamed, they tend to take control of the whole brain, like an unseen virus on our computer hard drive. Before we can tame them–and thus really allow our conscious thoughts to become the power in our mind–we need to give them a name. We need to notice them! Trying to block them is like putting a lid on the pressure cooker without allowing a valve for the steam to come out. Eventually it will explode! By acknowledging negative feelings that are going on inside of us–like that negative voice we all have that says things like, “I can’t do that”, “I’m too dumb to do that” “I’m clumsy, annoying, fat, etc” we allow our logical, conscious mind to take part in the thought process. We are then able to reason with ourselves: Thinking and believing thoughts like “I am stupid” doesn’t feel good, and it definitely is not true!
Here are some of the tips I’ve learned:
- Acknowledge negative thoughts. Write them down.
- Write the opposite! What is the opposite of “I am stupid”? Maybe it’s “I’m brilliant, intelligent, knowledgeable. I love to learn.” All of those power words that are way more true than the negative.
- Destroy the list of all the negative things that you hear yourself saying to yourself.
- Focus on the power statements.
For me, a lot of times, these four steps are not enough. Habits are too strong. Even just writing those power “I Am” statements feels like a war that those negative thoughts are going to win. This is why I have added a fifth step: - Behave into Belief. I need to do things to reinforce my power statements. And…sometimes I have to back off and start small. I take baby steps that engage the whole power of the mind in a conscious way–to get from hopeless to believable. For example, if I’m working on “I Am Beautiful,” I put on lipstick and/or take photos of myself that make me feel beautiful, or at least like I look pretty good. If I’m going for “I Am Powerful,” I create a power stance and/or find a photo of myself that looks powerful. Actions like this tell my mind, “See? Yes I am!” Soemtimes I like to do artwork with these photos (something I learned from Brené Brown.) I paste a picture of that powerful pose or of me feeling beautiful in the middle of a page and write my power statements all around it. Being creative calls in more reinforcement to my new way of thinking. I also add music and movement–like dance or walking. So, by speaking “I am beautiful,” writing “I am beautiful,” seeing beauty in a photo, creating artwork around it, etc, I’m engaging several different parts of my brain and firing several neurons at the same time. “Things that fire together wire together.” Soon I have a strong and healthy army of conscious, powerful thoughts. When I take control of my mind, I create power in my life.
Remember, You are brilliant. We all are brilliant! The Almighty Creator of the Universe has given us beautiful minds, bodies, and spirits. He made us who we are, so how can we be anything less than amazing?! For me, THAT is thought that feels good. My purpose and passion to find ways to believe in who I really am, and then to help others do the same.
