Unfortunately, our complicated world regularly triggers our reptilian brain. We are stimulated more than any other animal. The body can’t assimilate the overload of chemicals secreted when operating in prolonged protection mode. The result is what we’ve come to know as “burnout.”
Also, adrenalin and cortisol wear out the body, causing high blood pressure, heart disease, ulcers, hormonal imbalances, a weakened immune system, a host of digestive problems and possibly cancer.
Ridding ourselves of conditioned fear, anger and resignation is difficult. We can’t “just do it.”
The first step in outsmarting our brains is being aware of what triggers our protective reactions.
We must learn how to focus on the present moment to sense when our brains perceive danger. We must partner with our feelings, not try to hide them. Feelings are the portal in which we can determine what caused the emotional reaction in the body, whether the source is external (what we perceive and sense) or internal (what we think about).
On the other hand, if you choose not to feel—to deny the existence of an emotional state—you are simply ignoring, not ending, the emotional reaction. You have merely disconnected your brain from your body. Your body still suffers. To truly bring more peace, creativity and health into your life, you must heed your feelings so you can begin to distinguish what is a real threat and what is not. Then over time, you can reprogram this portion of your brain to react less often. Steps for doing this are provided later in the book.
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