Life on the mountain
When I came to the mountain I had a vision.
It’s why most people climb out of mediocre lives that occupy our time and energy, we want a fresh perspective.
Habits, programing and routines form our waking lives.
We seek approval from peers, family, coworkers and friends.
What is it that holds us back from being true to ourselves?
Debt, fear of failure, lack of confidence, and low self esteem begin a long list of negative reasons why we settle for less.
There is another reason why we choose choices that keep us locked in small cages.
There is a small almond shaped gland located about an inch beneath our temples. It is a part of the brain that regulates our fight or flight response.
It is the amygdala.
The following is taken from Wikipedia
Hemispheric specializations
There are functional differences between the right and left amygdala. In one study, electrical stimulations of the right amygdala induced negative emotions, especially fear and sadness. In contrast, stimulation of the left amygdala was able to induce either pleasant (happiness) or unpleasant (fear, anxiety, sadness) emotions.[9] Other evidence suggests that the left amygdala plays a role in the brain's reward system.[10]
Each side holds a specific function in how we perceive and process emotion. The right and left portions of the amygdala have independent memory systems, but work together to store, encode, and interpret emotion.
The right hemisphere of the amygdala is associated with negative emotion. It plays a role in the expression of fear and in the processing of fear-inducing stimuli. Fear conditioning, which is when a neutral stimulus acquires aversive properties, occurs within the right hemisphere. When an individual is presented with a conditioned, aversive stimulus, it is processed within the right amygdala, producing an unpleasant or fearful response. This emotional response conditions the individual to avoid fear-inducing stimuli.
The right hemisphere is also linked to declarative memory, which consists of information that can be consciously recalled. It also plays a significant role in the retention of episodic memory. Episodic memory consists of the autobiographical aspects of memory. The right amygdala plays a role in the association of time and places with emotional properties.[11]
Well known to government, media, religion and social structures, the amygdala’s functions are manipulated to control our actions.
When we operate in fear we are allowing the properties of the amygdala to control our actions based on the fight or flight response.
Many of us operate in this mode without realizing the consequences.
There is a simple method to flip this switch to the positive mode.
Picture in your mind a light switch.
Now, turn the switch to the off position.
That’s it!
Simple and easy.
By doing this simple exercise any time you find yourself in a fear based negative mode you can turn your life towards a positive direction.
You may feel a physical sensation when you try this exercise.
You might even feel a little disorientation or vertigo.
It will quickly pass and you will find clarity in your thinking and decision making.
Climb out of your rut and get a fresh perspective on what you want out of life.
You may even want to come to the mountain, breathe in the clean fresh air and taste the fresh flowing water.
Look for me on the mountain, lets talk story and laugh at life.
