Our Default Settings

Whether we're walking or driving somewhere using a route we use all the time, we often reach our destination without remembering much about the journey. The same applies for any action we make on an extremely regular basis.

During this time we're often thinking of other things while the physical body carries out the task automatically. This is our subconscious mind using its default setting that we have inadvertently programmed in to it.

From a very early age we begin collecting these default settings for many things in our lives, like tying our shoelaces and making a cup of tea or coffee. But along the way we can also take on some not so helpful default settings, such as irrational fears of spiders or just following a routine set by someone else without questioning the reasons for it being done in such a way. So it's usually when we begin to ask those questions that we wake up our conscious mind and start to feel that a change of some kind needs to be made.

The great thing is that the brain is constantly malleable so can be reprogrammed at any time with new default settings. So the old saying "You can't teach an old dogs new tricks" is actually not true.

Depending on what it is we're trying to change, it can take differing amounts of time and methods to achieve the desired result. But one thing is for certain and that is the need to pro-actively engage our conscious mind in order to reprogramme the subconscious.

A simple way of programming or reprogramming the subconscious mind is by using regular practise, much like when we learn to walk or to drive a particular route. If we carry out the action enough times then we can condition the brain to relocate the effort from our conscious to our subconscious.

For those default settings that are more deeply entrenched, it may take a little more effort to remove or re-programme them. This is where the methods of neuro linguistic programming (NLP) can be useful. After completing a foundation course a few years ago I have a rudimentary understanding of just how powerful it can be for self development as well as for helping others in their own efforts to make changes.

Some of these methods were part of the process I wrote about in my article on emotions being the key. So if you haven't already read it, take a look to see if this could help you make the positive changes you'd like to make.

The subconscious mind is very powerful, so why not let us use it in our favour?

If you'd like to find out more about making some changes, big or small, then an introductory coaching chat could set you on the path in a positive direction.