Post #84 Synchronize your Mind and Body
You know exactly who you are, and you know why you say and do the things you do, correct? Maybe? As a busy student, the answer is undoubtedly “No.” If you think experienced adults are in tune with who they are, think again. Learn what it means to be in tune with yourself and how it can empower your life.
Cognitive Dissonance
Let us start by using the word dissonance, which means disagreement or inconsistency. Throw the word cognitive in front of dissonance. This involves acting and behaving in ways that are against your thoughts and beliefs. As an example, you want to study and do well on an upcoming exam. You tell yourself you will be diligent and meticulously study a few days prior. Yet, the time comes for you to diligently study and you procrastinate. You find excuses, any excuse, to not have to sit down and study. In this example, your thoughts are inconsistent with your behaviors (see Post #18, “Do you have to Cram for an Exam?”). In addition, you beat yourself up and create negative self-talk for not doing what you believed you would do. This is one example of not being in tune with yourself.
Step One
Why do we think one thing and do the opposite? I am no psychologist expert so we will not get deep into a technical answer. However, as a life coach I will share knowledge from the worlds of positive psychology and psychotherapy. There is a very powerful tool you can apply to your life right now. It is a higher-level explanation as to why we do the things we do: 1) your thoughts generate your feelings, 2) your feelings drive your behaviors. That’s it. Every time you act, it is due to a feeling. Every feeling you have comes from your thinking. A small caveat: we have anywhere between 40,000-60,000 thoughts per day! Some come and go in a flash, others linger forever. You cannot possibly detect every thought going through your mind. However, the next powerful step toward being in tune with yourself is…
Step 2
Your behaviors are driven by your feelings, your feelings are produced by your thoughts. Common sense here tells you that it is critical to understand what you are thinking. It is imperative to know what you believe because these beliefs directly affect your behaviors. And guess what – you are fully, 100% in charge of your own thoughts and beliefs. You get to choose the thoughts that run through your mind. You have the ability to take control over your brain, do not allow it to run wild without your supervision. Your brain likes to offer familiar thoughts as it is programmed to be efficient. Just because your brain offers thoughts and beliefs does not mean you have to abide. Make conscious decisions to choose your thoughts strategically. Your life starts with the way you are thinking, so take command and think on purpose.
In summary, your thoughts and beliefs generate your feelings; your feelings drive your actions. If you can manage and control your thoughts, you will produce a well-managed life. That is what it means to be in tune with yourself!
For additional tools and brain exercises to help you manage your COVID-19 circumstances, visit my YouTube video: Managing Student Life During COVID-19
