Understanding our Inner Paradigm
Liberating ourselves from the ways we were programmed
The inner paradigm refers to all kinds of thoughts and habits, sheltered in our subconscious mind that we are not aware of. These habits are the result of life experiences and beliefs we formed in our life journey.
To change one’s inner paradigm is to make these subconscious habits conscious — to analyze the thoughts and decisions one makes, without thinking so much where these automatic ways of operating are coming from.
Ten percent (10%) of our behaviors, actions, decisions, and the ways we express ourselves in the world, comes from our conscious mind. Ninety percent (90%) of how we function in the world, comes out of what is the subconscious or unconscious part of us — the ways in which we’ve been shaped by our past experiences.
We change unwanted habits and patterns through conscious repetition of behaviors we want to keep. Let’s say we want to start exercising daily… start by doing it 63 days in a row, and see what happens! Correcting maladaptive habits and thought patterns could take us anything from 200 to 400 repetitions.
The Neuroscience of Habit Formation
When we understand how we form habits, we get to the root-level of our mental building blocks. And from here we can access and reprogram all the patterns that are no longer serving our personal and professional growth.
Our brains are constantly being shaped wittingly or unwittingly and we have an opportunity to take more responsibility for the intentional shaping of our own minds. — Dr. Richie Davidson
Many of our old patterns are fear-based survival mechanisms, born in our very early childhood. We grow into adults and never question our thoughts, habits, or behaviors. Until life throws us a curve ball!
The most significant finding of modern-day neuroscience is the concept of neuroplasticity — our brain’s capacity to grow and change throughout our lives. Good news, we are not stuck with our early life conditioning and inherited patterns. With focus, attention, and discipline we can change our very wiring.
Is it easy? Not initially, but after enough discipline it gets easier. Imagine our habitual patterns as a superhighway, while the building of a new neuropathway as starting a new trail in deep snow. The more we use a neural pathway the quicker and stronger it becomes. So let’s learn to walk in deep snow!
Without awareness and intention (autopilot mode), our brains will happily take us down the easiest path (OLD HABIT), without arriving to the CHOICE POINT and the possibility to build a NEW NEURAL PATHWAY. Rewiring the old and deep neural structures from childhood, requires: awareness, intention, and effort (credit to Ann Betz).
Awareness
This is an uncomfortable stage because it requires sobriety in looking at the gap between what’s not working and what our desires are. It requires us to look at old thoughts and behaviors that have become unhealthy and identify new ways of thinking and being that are in alignment with what we want.
Intention
This stage gets us to the CHOICE POINT where we need to intentionally choose new thoughts and behaviors (one at a time). This takes effort and commitment, if we don’t want to fall back into the old conditioning and unwanted outcomes. Let’s just remember how we tend to behave when we are tired and stressed.
Effort
Exercising the new neural pathway is where the big work is. It requires us to embrace and push through discomfort repeatedly, until what was once difficult becomes easier, and one day automatic. This practice could take 200–400 repetitions before we can see new outcomes.
What flows through the mind sculpts your brain. Immaterial experience leaves material traces behind. — Jim Hickman
Switching from Autopilot into Awareness Checklist
- Do I know myself?
- Am I clear of what I want to achieve?
- What are the unhealthy habits or thought patterns that prevent me from moving forward?
- Do I have the patience and discipline to work through my maladaptive habits and thought patterns?
- What do I want my future self to be about?
- Have I set daily realistic goals that could bring me closer to my future vision?
- Have I set daily reminders of these goals or journal about my experience?
- Do I have accountability points to make sure I work on my future-self daily?
- Do I have enough patience and self-compassion for those overwhelming days when I feel like giving up?
- Are my daily goals achievable or do they need adjustment?
- Am I reflecting on my progress weekly?
When a behavior or thought pattern is practiced enough, our brains eventually adapt and turn it into a new habit.
Mental hygiene is as important as physical hygiene if we are to liberate ourselves from the unhealthy crutches of the past. Choosing new beliefs that are aligned with the habits we want, requires us to plant them in the place of the old beliefs in our subconscious mind.
True change and growth emerge from the willingness to engage with all parts of ourselves, even those we might find difficult to accept. By bringing the unconscious into consciousness, we can heal, grow, and foster a more profound sense of connection with ourselves and the world around us.
