Train Your Brain To Shut The Hell Up
Kristyn Meyer is on a journey to make herself the best human that she can be. These posts are a reflection of that. She welcomes your support via reading and through commissioned affiliate links within her posts! To stay up to date on all of her shenanigans, please subscribe to her email list! (psst…there’s a free gift involved)
Do you know that list of items that you want to do? That bucket list of things that you filed away either mentally or physically? Or maybe even on a Pinterest board like myself?
When you think of that list and you contemplate what you want to tackle next, or even tackle at all, what is the number one thing that stops you?
What is it that makes you hesitate and start pumping the brakes?
Anyone? Anyone? You in the back?
It’s you! You and your brain are the ones that are the figurative dream block when you consider making headway on your goals and dreams.
It’s that voice in the back of your head, putting every single thought known to man out there to stop you from doing what you want to do. It’s what contributes to a decrease in self-confidence.
That voice is you getting in your own way. It’s what stops you from getting out there and trying, from seeing what will happen if you actually work towards those dreams of yours.
For so many people, it’s just a knee-jerk reaction. It’s how you train your brain throughout the years. Due to that, our brains become so rooted in these types of habits that it’s just what we know. And as an unfortunate result, it then becomes natural for us to go in that direction.
My husband and daughter are like this, for instance. I always make fun of my husband because he’s the type that will take a simple situation and make it seem like the Titanic is sinking along with it. It’s not really that drastic, but he will want to sort through every scenario that could POSSIBLY occur if we were to take something on. It’s not always a bad thing, but it can be a hindrance.
The reason being that it isn’t just privy to the serious events in life. This could take place with something simple like sending the dog to a family member’s house while going away for the weekend.
He will literally find anything that could go wrong during that time.
And now we have seen that it can be passed down, because our daughter is slowly becoming the same. She’s a little more extreme than her dad though. For instance, the other day she pointed out that the plastic coating on her swing set chain was torn a bit. I said it was okay because it’s just a plastic coating so that our fingers don’t get hurt. She was concerned that her swing was broken. I said no, a small tear in the plastic won’t break it. She then went on to ask:
“But what if there was a tornado, and the tornado came into our yard, and it went by the swingset. Then, when it got to the swingset it broke the chain?”
Well, that escalated quickly.
But whereas my people overthink daily things, many of us overthink taking the initiative to do something that we actually want to do, but may just be scared to take on.
How many times have we used an excuse to not do something? Probably more than you realize. I think a common one is money. Not having the funds to do something, or needing to utilize it for something else. But there’s also the time excuse. “I just don’t have the tiiiiiiime to do that.” And then there are the ridiculous cop-outs: “I would love to do “x” but I just don’t think I’ll be able to” or “that would be a cool experience, but I just don’t think I can justify it”.
WHAT DO THOSE EXCUSES EVEN MEAN?
And you know what? More often than not, it’s none of those things in reality. Those are cover-ups for what it really is. And what it really is is fear. You are scared to do it, but you don’t want to admit it.
You are scared to embark on something so different from your norm. Likewise, maybe you are overwhelmed by the thought of it and you don’t know where to start. Moreover, and this is the craziest, you are afraid of succeeding at what you set out to do and are scared of loving it that much?
Yes, that is really a thing. Crazy as it sounds, it’s a thing. The possibility of a new reality is scary at times.
A super simple way to calm your nerves and still make strides towards getting out of your comfort zone, building your confidence and achieving your goals is just one step.
Break it down.
Train your brain to break it down.
That’s it. Take something that seems so crazy, big, and scary and break it down into small micro-goals. Take the time to research the appropriate steps and items that you will need and then coordinate your micro-goals with it.
Crazy example:
Say that you have always wanted to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. But you have literally never hiked in your life, let alone climbed.
What do you do?
You BREAK IT DOWN.
- You research hiking/climbing/mountain climbing/successful Kilimanjaro climbs. Anything you can get your hands on. YOU LEARN.
- Figure out what you need to do to get to that place. ie do you need to up your fitness level? Do you need to buy special equipment? When is the best time of year to undertake this feat?
- Create the micro-goals. Start small, with short day hikes. Slowly start acquiring the materials you will need. KEEP RESEARCHING.
- Keep going. Add more hikes. Make them longer. Talk with people who have successfully made the hike. KEEP RESEARCHING.
- Up your goals as you learn more. Take the long hikes. Expose yourself to the elements that you will face at Kilimanjaro. KEEP LEARNING.
Are you starting to get it? By training your brain to think in smaller steps, it saves us from getting overwhelmed. Why do you think Couch to 5k was such a big thing? We start to see things as what they are – accomplishable. No task is too big if we prepare ourselves in the right way. And the first and most important way of doing that is to conquer our mindset. We need to train our brain to boost our confidence. By switching from a negative/excuse frame of mind to an “everything is figure-out-able” one, it makes us stronger and gives us more joy in our lives.
And it gets our brains to shut the hell up and mind their own business.
Comments
You are so right. Our brains can bring us to a grinding halt. But they can also drive us to get that thing done that would have seemed impossible!
Haha this is entirely ironic because that is exactly what my brain did when I thought about starting a blogging journey. I eventually took the leap of faith and continuing to work hard. It is crazy what your brain can sometimes talk you out of.
Haha I love the title of this post. Gotta tell that darn voice to shut up sometimes!
I use my exercise to to think so my brain does not shut up. Now at bed time I need my brain to be quiet.
I will try this out. Sometimes my brain won’t stop, and it drives me nuts, especially when I’m trying to sleep.
Hell yes. I needed this right now. There is so much going on around me and sometimes my brain just goes bonkers. Thanks for all these tips.
really great read. Mind is something that we always to keep control. Loved reading your post & sure going yo follow!
So true! the ability to completely switch it off is very important for any person
Amazing work..this is actually what everyone needs right now..this blog is much inspiring and interesting..Thanks for sharing such great info…
We all do need at times. Great insights, it is also for our mental health. Thanks for this great write.
I’ve been working on meditation to help get my brain to be quiet. It can be so hard!
This is so relatable, so many times we blow up things only in our heads, while in reality they aren’t as difficult to handle. Its so important to keep our minds calm and especially in the troubled world that we today live in.
You know how many times I wanted to shut up my brain? Especially when I want to go sleep is hundrends thoughts in a minute
Haha, i love this. you’re right — your brain does get in the way so much!
I’m so bad at following through on things! I’m really going to keep this advice in mind!
I agree that with brain training one can get a different perspective of things that otherwise isn’t easy to come.
Yes thats right, there is always time for everything, so as to tame our brain from resting so it can regrow.
It is critical to learn how to calm down and relax and turn to other things.
I am a bit like your husband and daughter, hehe. But I do realize that by doing this I miss out on things. So I am doing exactly what you suggest in your article: I am training my brain to stop being so cautious.
I have been trying since so long to shut my brain.. These ideas are helpful though.
I must admit a lot of times my brain kills my dreams
This was exactly what I needed to hear to push me towards getting out of this funk! Sometimes we seriously are our own worst enemies.
I definitely needed to read this. It can be so hard to navigate through life when your brain is overthinking or causing you self-doubt. Thank you for this!
I need this badly. My brain hardly stops and it is frustrating and annoying. I hope I can finally learn to make it stop