Well, have you ever peeled an onion layer by layer? You start with the protective outer skin, then the harder layer lying right below. Then you reach that third layer. That layer is where the onion starts to soften, has more moisture and so it goes layer by layer. Your mindset is like that onion. Understanding why there are layers to your mindset gives you an insight into why each step of the way is so crucially important.
The outer layer of protection.
Like your onion, you too have adapted an outer layer of protection. Each of us has a different thickness to or even a different number to that layer(s). Few of us are willing to wear our hearts on our sleeve anymore and our brain helps us protect that beautiful heart.
Our subconscious creates its responses to our thought patterns. Its sole purpose is to keep us alive and safe (I like to think of it as a dramatic illogical entity). Everything is life or death and logic gets left behind. That means that the first work you do in mindset is evaluating your protection and how your brain uses it.
That sounds great, right? Sometimes, our logical conscious brain understands that things are one way. But, our drama brain takes over and sabotages us to keep us from dying (yes, dying, I told you it was dramatic.). This makes us behave contrary to how we know we need to.
Let’s look at the next layer.
Now, this layer may still have some built-in protection. When working on these sub beliefs and thought patterns you may still get rerouted by your drama brain.
Yet, you will find in this layer, that there are also some slightly deeper more introspective beliefs. You will be able to see why the outer protective layer evolved.
And on we go.
Each layer below the one before will reveal a link to where you started. You will be able to see how you internalized thoughts, created beliefs, and layers. Pulling back those layers one by one until you find the core will guide you to the very root of your belief system. You will learn how your thoughts create emotions. How your emotions drive behavior. And in turn, how behavior creates a result.
Looking at science we know that a repeated result until disproven is thought of as fact. We know science evolves, has breakthroughs, and can then know that that “fact” can be disproven. All the time you are working towards the center your drama brain will be working hard to keep you safe. It will use those old neuropathways until something stronger is created.
As with science you too can evolve, learn, grow. Break patterns. Disprove beliefs. Change behaviors. Create new thought patterns. New neuropathways. It will take peeling layers, breaking old ways of thinking, of being, and breaking those old habits.
What about those old habits?
Ah yes, those pesky habits that you are so comfortable in are all part of the cycle your drama brain keeps you safe with. Your drama brain doesn’t worry about thriving or growing. It strives for the comfort and safety you have been living in. That is why, depending on what study you read, it is suggested that repetitive daily action must happen to establish new habits.
Back to the core.
Why worry about peeling all the layers to the core? Remember how you can trace the inner layer to the next layer, then the next (and so on) until you trace all the way back to the protective layer? That means you need to find where it started. Your core belief system is what drives you. To create more than a breakthrough, a true lasting transformation you must understand your core. To learn more about core beliefs click here.
Why are there layers to mindset work?
In the end none of us want to be the onion that didn’t take care of all its layers and rotted from the inside out. Or the onion that forgot its purpose starteeld to sprout, but shriveled. Peel those layers. Use them to serve yourself and use that beautiful core to sprout new healthy growth.
