Evolution of the brain
Have you ever wanted to take a risk, but you flood yourself with doubt? You’re not weak, but your brain is wired for survival.
Our brains revolve around survival, even though now it’s a lot easier to survive than it was thousands of years ago. Which is why we have to adapt and educate ourselves how to thrive, even in an updated world around us.
Millions of years ago, humans lived in the wild. With that comes threats, predators, hunger, and other humans. To survive, our brains had to be hyper-focused on danger and threats. That’s why we are constantly scanning what could go wrong, because that’s the evolutionary way our brains are wired. Even though we aren’t running from lions, our brains act like we are.
Our brains have evolved over the years with three layers, also referred to as the primitive brain, influencing our behaviors:
The reptilian brain, also know as as brain stem, is our internal security system. It’s responsible for automatic functions and keeping us alive.
The limbic system, which is the emotional part of the brain, was evolved later on. It was evolved to help us feel sense of belonging and love, which increased our survival rates because we started to join tribes.
The neocortex, the thinking and logical layer of the brain, is the newest layer of the brain. It handles reasoning, logic, success, and looking into the future.
Though we’ve evolved new parts of the brain, the primitive brain is faster and more emotional, so it takes priority. When you’re faced with challenge or risk, we tend to revert back to survival tactics, and do things that make us feel safe. For example, you may back down on a risk or avoid conflict.
Survival = comfort, predictability, safety.
Success = risk, change, and uncertainty.
How to reverse it?
Thanks to neuroplasticity, we can create new connections and reprogram old responses. Each time you do something uncomfortable and survive it, you just proved that discomfort doesn’t mean threat to your life.
That’s how confidence grows. Not by being fearless, but by proving to yourself that you’re capable.
I used this exact mindset when I started eating all natural. At first, it felt uncomfortable to change my habits. But the more I did it, the more I proved to myself that I could trust my choices, which built my confidence from the inside out.
So the next time your brain tries to talk you out of taking a risk, whether it’s starting something new, speaking your mind, or stepping into the unknown, pause and remind yourself that you’re safe.
Your brain’s done its job keeping you alive.
Now it’s your turn to teach it how to help you live.