Summary| You Are Not Your Brain (2011)

What is it?  You are not your Bain:​The 4-Step Solution for Changing Bad Habits, Ending Unhealthy Thinking, and Taking Control of Your Life talks about negative thoughts in our minds and the resulting unhealthy behaviors. The book explains why we can manage it to redirect our brain toward the positive using the four Rs approach: relabel, reframe, refocus, and revalue. 

​Why bother reading it? If you have negative thoughts or unhealthy behavior, reading this book can help you gain a new perspective and pursue a positive change. 

The Key Ideas The four Rs approach include: relabel, reframe, refocus, and revalue. 

• Relabel means practicing mindfulness to cultivate self-awareness. We can recognize negative beliefs and relabel them with new labels like "That's a lie" or "That's fear."  
• Reframe demands reframing our perspectives and detaching us from harmful thoughts. 
• Refocus retains attention to constructive and helpful behaviors.
• Revalue reclaims a positive image of ourselves and establishes a positive and compassionate mindset.

​The book mentioned two interesting physics laws: 

• Hebb's Law refers to the phenomenon that the connection between the two cells becomes stronger when a cell persistently activates another nearby cell. 
• Quantum Zeno Effect, also known as the Turing paradox, refers to a feature of quantum-mechanical systems that allows a particle's time evolution to slow down when measuring it frequently enough under some chosen measurement setting.

Hebb's Law supports the book's statement that performing intentional intermission of positive thoughts can rewire our brains. The Quantum Zeno Effect upholds the idea that intentionally hindering native thoughts can regain control of our minds. ​

Favorite Quotes 

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“The biggest challenge you will face as you start using the Four Steps is in believing that you are worth the time and effort required to challenge the deceptive brain messages and not give in to their commands.” 
― Jeffrey M. Schwartz, You Are Not Your Brain: The 4-Step Solution for Changing Bad Habits, Ending Unhealthy Thinking, and Taking Control of Your Life