Did you know that your brain is capable of lying to you?
Well, it is, and it is doing it so low-key that you can almost never notice. The sooner you realize that your own brain is often trying to trick you, the sooner you will be able to achieve that peace of mind you’ve been craving for so long.
But, how is the brain able to lie?
Well, just think about all the assumptions, conclusions, and theories you have come up with while overthinking. How many of them were actually based on solid facts and tuned out to be real?
One thing you need to know is that sometimes your brain is, unfortunately, an unreliable source of information. That’s because it mainly functions on personal truth, which consists of the way you filter reality through your own perspective. Therefore, the truth is quite a subjective matter.
For instance, many people become victims of their own minds by filling them with negative thoughts. This type of mindset soon turns into a pattern that creates stress and anxiety. What such unfortunate souls fail to understand is that the majority of thoughts that cross their minds have nothing to do with reality. In other words, it’s all in our heads.
So, what are the lies your brain is telling you every day?
1. “Everything is either black or white.”
In certain situations, your brain refuses to believe that there might be a grey zone where things are not good, nor bad, but at least acceptable. Instead, it perceives everything either black or white, denying the possibility of an in-between alternative.
2. “The sky is falling.”
Sometimes, the problem appears much more serious in your head than it actually is. That’s when your brain is tricking you into imagining that the absolute worst thing that could come out of the current issue.
3. “Everything is bad.”
This particular lie is often seen in people who have gone through emotional abuse. Their perception is so severely damaged by the trauma that they only see the negative aspects of any situation.
4. “Your efforts are not enough.”
This con is closely related to perfectionism. When you are striving for the top, everything you do seems incomplete or insignificant. Therefore, you ignore the small but progressive steps you have made, and you focus only on your flaws.
5. “They think I’m worthless.”
That’s when your brain is trying to convince you that others are often talking about you behind your back. In your mind, they have a horrible opinion about you.
6. “But I did nothing wrong.”
This is the lie you tell yourself when your brain has managed to persuade you that you are in the role of the victim. In such cases, you blame the ones around you for everything that happens to you.
Every little lie your brain is trying to tell you aims to halt your personal growth. It keeps your mind off of the things that matter. However, you can still defy this tendency and regain control of your thoughts.
If you want to counter the lies your brain is telling you, here are several things you could do:
- Observe your thoughts patiently to see at what point your brain decides to trick you.
- Accept that sometimes your thoughts are not correct.
- Reframe your thoughts in terms of focusing on growth.
- Actively practice self-care.
Learning how to recognize when your own mind is lying to you won’t be easy.
However, it will definitely be worth the effort, as it will allow you to take the wheel and start living your life the way you want to, free of the toxicity of negative thoughts.
