The Groove in The Brain

The Groove in the Brain

Our new rat made me think of this post.
We have two new rats. One is very outgoing and the other seems very fearful.
I noticed that the fearful one gets "stuck" in a state of fearfulness. She huddles in a corner for indefinite periods of time.
It occured to me that her brain may be stuck, so I took her out of the cage. When I did that, it jogged her out of her trance and she became a different rat. She became curious and friendly. Now, when she's taken out of the "stuck" corner and she's allowed to climb back into her cage on her own, she immediately wants to get back out to snuggle and explore some more. She had developed a groove in her brain that told her that she should be afraid.

Everyone has a set-point, or a habit of thought on a particular subject. On the positive side, the set-point may be Eagerness or Appreciation, or, on the negative side, Frustration or Irritation, or Overwhelmed or Worried or Fearful or Guilty or Sad, etc.….

Every single time the subject is noticed, the brain goes to its set-point.
Then, thoughts are generated by the brain which match that set-point, so the feelings are sustained until the thinker decides to change his mind.

It’s as if there is a groove worn in the brain and when a subject comes up, the thoughts skip immediately to that groove.
The brain is very creative in that it will search for a reason to justify the feeling.
Then the thinker believes the issue is what is making him feel bad, when in fact it’s feeling bad that is making him feel bad.

The thoughts you think, the groove you have worn in your brain, attract more circumstances that feel the same. It’s as if you have no control over what happens. But you do.
Your control is not in controlling circumstances, your control is in how you chronically think.

Set-points are changeable! Merely focusing your thoughts on purpose toward feeling better whenever you notice you are not feeling good, changes your set point.

For instance, let’s say lately that whenever you think of money, you feel an immediate sense of worry and your mind goes to thoughts about things you do not want to happen.

That tells you that the groove you have worn in your brain is that of Worry (or Fear or Dread.) Your mind immediately dials into that groove and you are drawn to thoughts that illustrate all kinds of scenarios you think you need to prevent or defend against.

Staying on the groove of Worry will not feel good and it will simply attract more events to worry about.

Your power is in changing the groove. There is no value in planning for the worst.

Think a thought that makes you feel better. Often the thought that feels better is a more general thought about money, but it needs to stay on the subject of money in order to change your set point.

For instance, “I’m okay right now. This bill doesn’t have to be paid right now. I feel a change coming, and this will mean nothing tomorrow.”
Once you say something to yourself that makes you feel better and you acknowledge that you feel better, you put the choice of your set-point in your own hands.
The set-point will not fall back to its previous point.

And when you know you can change the way you feel, your power is restored and your life will begin to show you a different result.
Do it again and again each time you notice a strong negative feeling about any subject.

Change your mind about it. And your life will show you the change.

We used physical means to snap the rat out of her groove, but outside that fearful groove her life is bountiful.