A simple technique to make a decision and take action

To answer these questions, let’s first understand how the brain works. Prefrontal areas of the cortex, the cerebral cortex, are largely responsible for social, cognitive skills and creativity. When we experience emotions, both positive and negative, stable neural connections are formed in the brain and thus a certain thought pattern is fixed. If we often repeat the same actions or experience the same feelings for a long time, stable neural connections are formed not only in the cortex, but also in the limbic system of the brain, which is responsible for the formation of unconscious behavioral responses, learning, long-term memory, motivation and emotions. .

Repetitions can become automatic, and then the connections will become firmly established in our cerebellum – a department whose work affects fine motor skills, coordination, sense of time, reactions to fear and pleasure. It receives information from other parts of the brain and processes it to fine-tune motor activity. It is thanks to this that we, for example, drive a car and at the same time talk on the phone, breathe and walk without thinking about it at all. These actions are “recorded” in the deepest parts of the brain and are performed automatically, without the involvement of consciousness.

When we are stressed, the body releases the hormone cortisol. It blocks the work of the prefrontal zone, impairing memory, cognitive functions and emotional abilities. And even when the need to worry passes, “side effects” do not disappear overnight.

Prolonged exposure to cortisol in the brain reduces our concentration and will, prevents us from making adequate and timely decisions. Being in constant fear and stress, we cannot objectively assess the situation, hesitate in making decisions, do nothing or act inappropriately. Emotional reactions and unconscious fears hidden in the limbic system of the brain come to the fore.

When something good happens to us, the pleasure center in the temporal lobes of the brain is activated and dopamine, a hormone that gives feelings of euphoria and happiness, begins to be produced. Its action is quite short: up to a maximum of three days. This is how nature works: the acute joy of victory lasts a maximum of several days, and we suffer from a break with a loved one from six months to three years.

Another interesting fact: the center of pleasure is adjacent, practically coincides “territorially” with the center of dependence. That is why, when we get pleasure, we want to prolong it. This is how nicotine, alcohol, drugs, sex, food act on us. By the way, physical exercises too – as soon as we start to get used to them. So we can literally run away from stress.

But one sport in a period of severe stress is not enough. It is extremely necessary to consciously, by an effort of will, activate the pleasure centers so that the level of dopamine increases and the work of the cortex returns to normal. To do this, you need to introduce dopamine into the diet of your “emotional nutrition” in the ways available to you: draw, listen to music, watch your favorite movies, cook your favorite meals, strive to get more positive emotions.

To get out of depression, it is important to maximize the use of all cortex zones: motor, visual, gustatory, olfactory, cognitive. This is the basis of the technique of working with the unconscious, which I often use in practice.

If possible, try to change the situation, go somewhere where you can be alone with yourself. For example, I go to the sea. I found this method intuitively long before my passion for psychology. Once, at a critical moment, I had to cope with a difficult situation and make an important decision. I dropped everything and flew away for three weeks to the sea.

One day, walking along the shore, I noticed an advertising poster, he called for paragliding. To say that I am not a sports person is to say nothing. It is not clear how I ended up on the mountain in the company of athletes and decided and jumped with them.

I remember well the indescribable feeling of free flight. Sun, wind, sea and land below. Before going to bed, she asked the Universe to suggest a solution, it came simply and naturally, in a dream. When I woke up, I made a choice and have loved this technique ever since. I hope you love her too.