We all spend a great deal of time waging internal wars that nobody else can see. We talk to ourselves
and argue with ourselves constantly. Allow me to illustrate:
YOU: Should I have that cheesecake?
Also YOU: NO! YOU’RE TRYING TO LOSE WEIGHT.
YOU again: But cheesecake is so, so delicious and I had such a crappy day. It will make me feel better.
Also YOU again: NO! YOU ARE TRYING TO LOSE WEIGHT. THIS IS A TEMPORARY FIX THAT KEEPS YOU
FROM YOUR GOAL.
OR….
YOU: It’s time for bed. Now’s the perfect time to plan my day tomorrow.
Also YOU: NO! GO TO SLEEP! YOU HAVE A LOT GOING ON AND NEED YOUR REST.
YOU again: I know, but if I spend the next few hours thinking about it, it will probably go better.
Also YOU again: FOR F@CKS SAKE! GO TO SLEEP!
Sound familiar?
This is the difference between our logical brain and our emotional brain. This is the difference between
immediate gratification (emotional brain) and healthy goal setting and planning (logical brain). They are
both super important to our peace (and piece…lol) of mind but they also struggle to see eye to eye.
The funny thing is that they both have the same goal – balance! They both want to have all of their
needs met. They both want you to feel better. They both want you to be happy. They both want the
exact same thing!
The problem is that they have different methods of getting there. The emotional brain is all about
instant gratification. It has no patience and wants to feel better RIGHT NOW. The logical brain is about
strategy, planning, and patience. It is able to see the big picture and how seemingly meaningless
decisions often play a huge role in goal attainment. It will wait for the goods.
These parts of our brain treat each other like enemies on totally different teams instead of partners in
the quest for your health and wellness. And the really key thing to remember is that if they are fighting
and one comes out the winner, one most certainly comes out the loser. And since they are both part of
YOUR brain, you lose no matter what!
So instead of allowing them to fight with one another, what would happen if they have some sort of
meeting and talk about their wants/needs. What would happen if they both lay all of their cards out on
the table and start to negotiate between immediate gratification and long-term success and wellness.
These are two sides of the same coin. And the sooner you stop fighting and allow the parts of your brain
to work together, the happier you will be today, in the moment and the happier you will be down the
road, in the future.
