Mastering the Mind's Gateway: Harnessing the Reticular Activating System for Breakthrough Success

Unlock the secrets of your brain's filtering system with our deep dive into the reticular activating system (RAS). Just as social media algorithms curate your digital experience, the RAS shapes your perception, focus, and habits from infancy to adulthood. In this captivating exploration, we peel back the layers of this cerebral sentinel, discussing its pivotal role in what captures our attention and what fades into the background. Ever wonder why shaking off a dislike for exercise feels like an uphill battle? We dissect how the RAS fortifies our habits, making the journey towards healthier routines a formidable quest.

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Hey guys, welcome back to updated AF Collective the podcast. I am your host, megan worth. Okay, today we are gonna be talking about something that is one of my absolute favorite topics. And Just a side note, as if you if you don't know me, I am not a doctor, I am not a Therapist, psychiatrist or anything like that. But what I have learned about this topic? I have dove into and Read multiple books on it. I listened to multiple different podcasts from people who are doctors talking about this subject and I feel like I have a really good grasp.

Speaker 1: 0:40

If you've never heard of the reticular activating system, that is what we're gonna be talking about today. Why does it matter to you? Because it has a lot to do with just like our last podcast episode motivation, and also it dictates the world around you. Let's dive in, guys. Welcome back to the show. Welcome to the updated AF Collective podcast, where we celebrate the power and resilience of women. Join me as we dive into inspiring stories, engage in meaningful Conversations and explore topics that empower women from all walks of life. I believe that every woman has a unique strength within her waiting to be Unleashed, whether you're an entrepreneur, a leader, a creative, a caregiver or simply on your own personal journey, this podcast for you. Together, we'll share stories of triumph, discuss strategies for success and provide a supportive space for women to connect and grow. Get ready for real, authentic conversations that ignite your inner strength and inspire you to chase after your dreams fearlessly. Welcome to the updated AF Collective.

Speaker 1: 2:00

Okay, guys, reticular activating system, also known as RAS. Why is it important to you? Why does it matter to you? If you've never heard of the RAS, I'm about to blow your freaking mind literally, figuratively. So let's jump. Let's just jump into it on RAS, reticular activating system Literally, filter for your brain. Think of it as like I like to think of it as like an algorithm. You know how, like your social media For example, instagram is famous for that or even tick-tock, it filters out the things that it thinks that you would like based on what you have looked at in the past. So when you are scrolling social media and you are liking things, the algorithm is picking up on that, because it's only it's only job the algorithms only job is to keep you engaged, to keep you coming back to the app to see things that Interest you, that fascinates you, the things that you want to see.

Speaker 1: 2:58

Your brain, your reticular activating system, does the same exact thing. You have a filter in your brain that is feeding you information all the time. Now, think about it the average person has, what they say like 80,000 to 90,000 thoughts a day. If your brain took all of that in and Absorbed into your RAS, you would be going crazy. So you have what's called neurotransmitters in your head, and it's constantly taking in Everything around you everything, I'm talking like things that you don't notice because RAS, things that you don't notice because your RAS is taking all that in and saying, nope, this is an important, oh, that's important. Oh, she's into this car. Now we're gonna show her a thousand White cars or white Tesla's, or it's literally processing all of this information for you and only showing you things that are important to you.

Speaker 1: 3:57

It's Technically, it's it. I think it's created. They said it's created because it's meant to keep you safe, sane and alive. Yeah, I said, say, I read, saying when I was reading this book a long time ago on the RAS. It's literally like I said it keeps you from going crazy, because if we were Constantly processing information all day, I think we would all like lose our, lose our friggin minds. So, like I said, though, you have these neurotransmitters that are taking all this information, and then you have your RAS.

Speaker 1: 4:28

So your RAS actually starts forming from the from in the womb and it's picking up on things that it's sensing, it can, things that it's hearing all that stuff. So it doesn't know what it is yet right, but, for example, like a mother's voice. So when a baby is born and they hear their mother's voice for the first time, it's actually very soothing, it's safe. So the RAS is saying no, this is safe, this is a safe sound. Then, all through childhood, your, you're pretty much teaching your kid or your kid is self-taught things that are dangerous, things that are safe, things that are hot, don't touch. You know, it's one of those like systems that is formed over the first. I don't know how many years, but it's formed. I. I think they say up to 20 years. That's what I'm remembering properly. So about 20 years. Until that everything is quote, unquote, sentence don't. And that's when it's harder to form new habits. They say that's usually around. The time is 20 to 25.

Speaker 1: 5:37

It's really hard to form new habits because your RAS is this system that you have programmed over a long period of time that, for example, you say you grow up, you're in your 20s, you're like I hate working out. Working out is not for me. I hate being sweaty, I hate working out. It's disgusting. And then you realize one day you have health problems and you want to lose a few pounds or whatever the case, so you just want to be healthy. And you're like, ok, well, I hate working out, but now I have to go do it. And you force yourself to go to the gym. You're hating every second of it, hating every minute of it, because your RAS is sending signals to your neurotransmitters that no, we don't like doing this. Remember, we don't like doing this. You don't like doing it. It's not comfortable, which, again, one of the jobs is supposed to be, so it's comfortable. Also, another good one is a lot of girls, especially my age, who are single, who have convinced themselves that there's no good men out there.

Speaker 1: 6:44

Again, these are the things, the thoughts that are programming our RAS, and this is why a lot of people have a hard time stepping out of their comfort zone or trying new things or expanding or growing. It's because your RAS is saying, hey, no, this is not what we like to do, this is not comfortable, this is not at all how I'm programmed and they're showing you your algorithm. For example, going back to the car thing, say, you're going to go buy a white Tesla. You've never really seen too many white Teslas out there but you're like no, I'm going to go buy a white Tesla. So you go buy the white Tesla and then, all of a sudden, there's white Teslas everywhere, because your reticular activating system was like oh, we like white Teslas. I'm going to show you all of them that are around you at all times. You're always going to know where your white Tesla is at all times. And so, again, it's an algorithm and our brain is wired to show us things that we have programmed to do our head.

Speaker 1: 7:51

So how do you, for example, stay motivated or change your brain, change your mind, if you are stepping out of your comfort zone, changing careers, a career that you've had for 10 plus years or whatever, and you're scared and your RAS is telling you like no, we can't go anywhere, we're safe here, we get a paycheck. I don't want to be an entrepreneur, that's dangerous. How do we shift those thoughts? Because we have to build new neurotransmitters. You have to build new ones so that the new ones can get to your RAS and your RAS can calm down and then become more comfortable. I'm telling you now, it's not easy, but you can do it. You can change it, and it takes a lot of different work and luckily I found a lot of different coaches that are amazing. So how do you change it? This is why you need coaches, life coaches, stuff like that too, because when you are having a big shift for example, me leaving law enforcement and going into becoming an entrepreneur I was terrified.

Speaker 1: 9:11

I didn't leave my job for four years, even though I was ready. My brain was like absolutely not, because you're a single mom, you get a steady paycheck, it's an easy job. I've been doing it for so long. So, of course, my algorithm is something that is more steady, more, I guess, living on autopilot in a way, so more predictable. That's what your RAS is very comfortable with because it created all of your habits. So that whole saying of muscle memory, that actually isn't muscle memory. I used to think muscle memory, like muscles, had their own memory. I guess no, it's your RAS. It's that part of your brain that sits in the way way back next to your brain. I think it's like a bundle of nerves next to your brainstem and that's actually controlling everything and how this is like.

Speaker 1: 10:17

There's like so many pros and cons, obviously, to having a predictable life and everything else. Because it's safe. The RAS, like I said, its main job is to keep you safe. So getting stuck in autopilot is the RAS's fault. And ways to get out of that? Easy you need to change your subconscious. When you think of something, it obviously goes to your neurotransmitters and then the RAS will say, okay, well, this is important, we're absorbing this, that white Tesla, we're absorbing that. Oh, a red Tesla, get rid of it. It goes to your subconscious mind so it can be pulled up from your subconscious mind. But if you don't ever want a red Tesla, it won't ever get pulled up from your subconscious mind. It'll literally stay back there.

Speaker 1: 11:08

There was a time in your childhood where everything was magical. Everything felt safe. You had a really good childhood. It just seemed like everything was possible. You could grow up and be the president. You can grow up and be a pop star or whatever you want, right? We all learn at an early age that all of the things are possible and as we grow and as we learn and we're influenced by our family members, teachers, everybody that has authority over us is telling us that, like well, you should probably go to college, you should probably get a degree, you're not going to make any money, so on and so on. Right, so we're absorbing all of that information in and our neural pathways are just taking it all in. And when the time comes, when you are sick of your nine to five job whether you were corporate, whatever it's going to be a little bit more difficult.

Speaker 1: 12:14

I had to reprogram my entire belief system my money beliefs, beliefs around entrepreneurship and learn everything all over again. And the first four years that I became a single mom, I was also working in law enforcement. So I knew I wanted out, but I was so scared I mean it's I was living my life on autopilot. I wasn't happy, but everything was predictable. I knew how much I was going to make. Every two weeks I was taking care of my daughter we always had just enough which I was so sick and tired of living with just enough money to get by. And I started listening to podcasts, and I think the first podcast I ever listened to was the manifestation podcast with Stephanie Keith, which we had her on the podcast, we've had her on ours right, she's a friend and she's the one that introduced me to subliminal messaging and stuff like that. I mean, if you haven't heard of subliminals, they were literally doing subliminal messaging in commercials like Coca Cola and Apple and stuff like that before they became illegal.

Speaker 1: 13:29

Subliminal messages are messages that were paired with like a piece of music, somebody talking and advertisement telling you pretty much to buy the product, and your subconscious, your neurotransmitters, was taking it all the way back into your brain where your neural pathways would take it all to your RAS and hearing that on repeat. Say, you've watched a Coca Cola commercial for a year and it's telling you to buy that product. Well, after a year you're going to be like I really want to go buy soda. I don't know why. What I really want to buy is because your RAS is picking up on those, because, over and over and over again, they're like wait a minute, we need this information because, for whatever reason, she's listening to it on repeat, and so we're going to pick it up stored in our subconscious and we're going to bring it over to the RAS and include it in your algorithm. Okay, stay with me. I know this is a lot of like weird information, but you have to picture it in your head.

Speaker 1: 14:28

And so I started doing subliminal messaging. And Stephanie Keith has an app called Manifest it Now and I downloaded her app and there's subliminals that you can listen to while you sleep and it's just like a piece of music, like it is like like ocean waves or so on, and you can't hear the messaging behind it. And Stephanie will put the messages on an app, like in the app, like what you're listening to, you can't hear it. That's the whole point is to just listen to these subliminals and just listen to the music, because there's messaging behind it over and over and over again. And I was taken like I would sleep, to subliminals because it's just again sounds like piano music, elevator music or some ocean waves, it's, but you can't hear the message behind it, right. So I listen to it at nighttime and I would listen to it in the morning.

Speaker 1: 15:24

Sometimes I was taking a shower, sometimes like if I'm just in the kitchen cooking or whatever, I'll have that on, and that really did start to make me feel, oh my gosh, like I can do this, like I feel safe enough to quit my job, but it takes time. This was like over a span of a few years, right, but nothing works that quick, okay, so subliminal messaging can help change your brain's algorithm, as well as affirmations. So when you're standing in the mirror, you know, even therapists tell you like, stand in the mirror, say all of your I am's I am beautiful, I am smart, I am this, I am that those really do help. But again, it's consistency. Consistency is key, right, because you are creating brand new neuro passageways brand new and on my course. So I created a vision board mastermind course and I have a video on there again, like, if you want the course, just send me a message on Instagram or an email or whatever and I'll send you the course for free. But I have the video of a brand new neuro passageway being connected like growing, actively growing, and it's obviously time. Like the time is sped up on it because it does take time. I mean that probably the video that I have on my course probably was like a span over a couple years, but it's crazy. That whole like you can't teach an old dog new tricks is absolutely wrong.

Speaker 1: 16:53

You can create brand new neuro passageways by listening to subliminals, by doing your affirmations every single day, by listening to an inspiring podcast every morning. The first 20 minutes of every single morning. You should be listening to an inspirational podcast. The resilient mind podcast is my go to when it comes to motivation. It has people like less brown, eric Thomas zigzag or like the best of the best motivational speakers. You guys should be listening to that while you're in line for your coffee, at the gym or even just getting dressed. I always have it on when I'm like doing my makeup. You have to start off with something super positive because, again, like, consistency is key. Also, it helps build motivation.

Speaker 1: 17:43

I know I said motivation is a scam. I still do believe it is a scam. You are not going to find motivation externally. It all comes from within and I'm telling you, listening to just 20 minutes of a motivational podcast or even 20 minutes of a subliminal doing your affirmations, writing in your journal All of those things can help you change your mind. Okay, we have to let that new information in, because we have been told since we were kids oh, don't touch that, that's hot or don't. You know? Make sure you look across again.

Speaker 1: 18:16

All good things, right stuff that I say to my daughter, but we're not learning on our own. You know, like I tell my daughter all the time, like, don't touch bugs, for example, and there's a good chance, like 80% of these bugs around us are probably safe, but I'm creating a fear. So her RAS now, thanks to me, she's afraid of every bug. Ras is saying butterflies are dangerous, caterpillars are dangerous, like everything. So now she's definitely afraid of everything, including the lies, because I was doing that to her when she was young. I would react out of my own fear and project it onto her, versus her learning like, hey, let's go over, these are the ones you don't touch, but everything else is safe. You know, obviously, like black widows, snakes, we're not doing any of that, but everything else is good to go. So I just always yell at her not to touch things. So her RIS now is saying all bugs are dangerous, including butterflies and everything else.

Speaker 1: 19:22

Are you guys still tracking? I know it's a lot of information. This is going to be one of those episodes you might have to do a couple of times, but again, like it's, it's not easy. We do have a lot of work. If you are looking for motivation or you're looking to like find the courage to leave your nine to five, don't do it yet. Start looking at different life coaches and see what they have to offer.

Speaker 1: 19:45

Hypnotherapy, christina Campbell, that is. The whole point of a hypnotherapist is to rewire your brain while you're having your hypnotherapy appointment with her. If you guys do a virtual session with her or whatever, if you are consistent, say you have it like once a week, twice a week or whatever, even like once or twice a month the consistency of that. She is talking to your subconscious brain to release some of those things that you learned from childhood that, like, life is actually really freaking, great and magical and you can do and become anything you want to do. All of that information is still there. You just have to go back into the attic and go pull it back out so your RAS can absorb it and you have a new algorithm.

Speaker 1: 20:30

Okay, guys, that is a lot of information I but I've been thinking about, like, what episode am I going to record today? And again, like, this is one of my absolute favorite topics is on the RAS. It is so freaking. Just it's incredible. It's crazy. Like you know, instagram and social media weren't the inventors of algorithms. Are brain actually the invention of algorithms? Test it out. Tell yourself like I want to see a pink car today, right? So looking yourself in the mirror while you're doing your makeup and like, mm-hmm, I'm going to see a pink car, right, how many pink cars would be actually for? Can see, and and this is a good way to test out your RAS Like I want to see a pink car, I guarantee your brain will be on the hunt for RAS or not RAS, I'm sorry. Your brain, your RAS, will be on the hunt for that freaking pink car and you might see a couple of them. Now this is where it kind of gets a little confusing and this might be a good episode to have like for next time, like a part two for the RAS angel numbers you guys ever noticed that like you get fixated on 444777 or whatever, and you're like it's my angels and my spirit guides like communicate with me, which I do.

Speaker 1: 21:47

I do believe in that, right as I have, I have a crazy, freaking story about angel number angel numbers that we'll talk about next time. Crazy story, guys. I think I even called my best friend Gabby because the story was just that insane, and I do believe that our spirit guides communicate through us or to us oh, my God, I need coffee to us through numbers like repetitive numbers like three, three, four, four, whatever. But be careful that you are not convincing yourself that like to only be on the lookout for angel numbers, like you see them on license spaces, they're driving everywhere. Angel numbers should be seen in a time of when you need to see them and when you need that reminder that you're not alone.

Speaker 1: 22:34

Versus when I was in law enforcement, I saw angel numbers all day, all of them 999-666-555, all day long. Because what do I do? I'm running license plates. So I didn't really think too much into that. I was like, okay, I knew what angel numbers are and I was like that's awesome, but unless I actually needed to see an angel number and it was one of those angel numbers. For example, there was a day on patrol.

Speaker 1: 23:03

Again, this is the time I was really depressed. I could miss my daughter. I was working so much I hardly got to see her, and 777 to me means that I am fully supported and I'm on the right track. Right and for whatever reason. I was just having a really off day and I was seeing 777 everywhere. The radio call numbers that were assigned to me had 777. I would see driver's license. I saw three different driver's license that same day, guys, three different ones, and those three all had 777 on it. So I was like, okay, there's a theme here. So if there's a theme that's a little bit different, pay attention. If you go through your whole day and all you're seeing is 444 or 333, that's a little bit more of your spirit team communicating with you.

Speaker 1: 23:54

Okay, we'll talk about angel numbers on another episode, but you guys, if you're getting anything out of this podcast, if you're loving it, if you could just do me a favor and thank you. Oh my freaking gosh, like last weekend I had four people two of them I know really, really well, which I love you guys so freaking much. You guys know who you are. Two of them I know really well that I grew up with and they reached out and complimented me and said the podcast is really good, it's so interesting, everybody's learning a little bit of everything. I just want to leave a review. Take that text message or that DM that you're going to send me and put it on the Apple review. Just go, scroll down to all the episodes and says leave a review and then put it there. It takes a couple of days but I'll see it and it helps the podcast so much.

Speaker 1: 24:45

Also, it helps to share. If you guys share the podcast episodes with a friend or family member, or if you share it on Instagram, tag me in it and then I will obviously repost you and say hi, add me on Instagram. I will follow you back because I want to know. I want to know who everybody is, who's listening. And yeah, you can click the links and the show notes of how to get to updated AF Collective Instagram or follow me on my personal Instagram, texas Real Estate Doll. It's all there, guys. Go leave a review. I appreciate you so so much. I hope you got something out of this one. It's again one of those episodes that you might have to go back and listen, but I promise you, if you listen to what I'm saying and then picture it in your head, it might make a little bit more sense. Okay, guys, I will see you next Friday. Have a good weekend.