Have you ever felt like your brain is working against you? Like no matter how hard you try to change, your old habits and thought patterns keep pulling you back?
Dr. Joe Dispenza explains that your brain is not fixed—it’s flexible. It can change and rewire itself throughout your life. This is called neuroplasticity, and it’s the key to creating lasting change.
Your Brain is Like a Garden
Think of your brain like a garden. Every thought you think and every action you take is like planting a seed. The more you think a thought or repeat a behavior, the more you water that seed. Over time, it grows into a strong, well-established plant.
But here’s the thing: you can’t just pull out the old plants (your old habits) and expect the garden to thrive. You need to plant new seeds (new thoughts and behaviors) and nurture them until they grow strong enough to replace the old ones.
For me, this meant becoming aware of the seeds I was planting. I noticed when I was watering negative thoughts—like I’m not good enough or I’ll never change. And I realized that if I wanted a different garden, I needed to plant different seeds.
Mental Rehearsal: Practice in Your Mind
One of the most powerful tools Dr. Dispenza introduces in this chapter is mental rehearsal. This is where you use your imagination to practice new thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. By mentally rehearsing the person you want to become, you can create new neural pathways and train your brain to support your new identity.
I started doing this every morning. I’d close my eyes and visualize myself as the person I wanted to be—calm, confident, and in control. I’d imagine how it felt to think positive thoughts, to take action instead of procrastinating, and to handle stress with ease. At first, it felt a little silly. But over time, it started to feel real.
Emotions are the Secret Sauce
Here’s the thing: thoughts alone aren’t enough to rewire your brain. You need emotions too. Emotions are like fertilizer for your brain—they make the new neural pathways grow faster and stronger.
For me, this meant connecting my mental rehearsals to positive emotions. Instead of just visualizing myself as confident, I focused on how it felt to be confident. I tapped into emotions like joy, gratitude, and excitement. And the more I did this, the more my brain started to believe it was real.
Practice Makes Permanent
Change doesn’t happen overnight. It takes consistent practice to rewire your brain and create new habits. But the more you practice, the more automatic your new thoughts and behaviors become.
I’ll be honest—there were days when I didn’t feel like doing my mental rehearsals. But I reminded myself that every time I practiced, I was planting a new seed in my brain. And over time, those seeds started to grow.
Final Thoughts
Chapter 5 was a game-changer for me. It reminded me that my brain is not fixed—it’s flexible. And with the right tools and practice, I can rewire it to support the person I want to become.
If you’re feeling stuck, take a moment to check in with your brain. What seeds are you planting? What habits are you watering? And most importantly, what kind of garden do you want to grow?
Remember, you’re not stuck with the brain you have. You have the power to rewire it and create a new reality. So, what are you waiting for? Start planting those seeds today.
