Your To do List

Are you constantly on auto-pilot thinking of all the things you have to do or should do? You have to schedule your kid's dentist appointment, your own doctor appointment, email the teachers, buy gifts for an upcoming birthday, plan your next vacation, etc. You can’t find any way to relax or ever quiet the mind because there are so many things to do. Not only do you perseverate on these lists, but you are also beating yourself up for not accomplishing these endless tasks promptly. Guess what? You are human with a human brain. The primitive brain is in charge because it has been on autopilot for years. It keeps you feeling restless, inpatient and overwhelmed and beats you up because it believes that you will become lazy and might even die.

The good news is that you also have a pre-frontal cortex which can override the primitive brain and take charge. It can bring awareness and teaching to the primitive brain which then allows for creativity, time management, and planning and execution of goals. Examples of thoughts that can serve you include, “I make time for what’s important. I prioritize my self-care. I am doing the best I can at this moment. My mental wellbeing requires me to relax and reset.” The skill of putting the pre-frontal cortex in charge instead of the default primitive brain is really powerful and rewarding. What can you do now to bring more awareness and allow the pre-frontal cortex to guide you with intentionality and purpose?