The Reticular Activating System, or RAS, is a bundle of nerves at the base of your brainstem that acts as your brain’s filter. With thousands of pieces of information competing for your attention every second, the RAS decides what to focus on and what to ignore. It does this based on your consistent thoughts, beliefs, and priorities.
Imagine you’re car shopping. The moment you decide on a specific make and model, you suddenly start noticing that car everywhere. That’s your RAS filtering your environment to prioritize what’s important to you.
You're not alone in wanting to rewrite the stories you tell yourself. Which of these resonates with you most?
Whichever option you choose, know this: so many people share these struggles, and transformation is possible. Together, we’ll explore how to take control of your thoughts and create a mindset that empowers you.
How the RAS Reinforces Beliefs
The RAS doesn’t distinguish between helpful and harmful thoughts—it filters based on repetition and emotional intensity. Here’s how the cycle works:
Thought: A belief like “I’m not good enough” pops into your mind.
Filtering: Your RAS looks for evidence to confirm this belief, like recalling a past failure or ignoring a recent success.
Reinforcement: Each time your RAS finds “proof,” the belief feels more real, strengthening the cycle.
Over time, this process becomes automatic, embedding unhelpful beliefs deeply into your subconscious. But the RAS is programmable, which means you can teach it to focus on empowering beliefs instead.
The good news is that you can interrupt this cycle by deliberately shifting your focus. By introducing new, positive beliefs and practicing them consistently, you retrain your RAS to filter for evidence that supports your worthiness.
Example of Reframing:
Old Thought: “I always mess up.”
Reframe: “I’m learning and growing, and mistakes are part of progress.”
Over time, your RAS will begin to highlight moments where you succeed or handle challenges well, reinforcing the new belief.
Reflection Exercises
This is meant to help you uncover recurring thoughts that perpetuate unworthiness and begin recognizing those patterns.
Step 1: Identifying Recurring Thoughts
Take 5–10 minutes to reflect and answer the following:
What are the most common negative thoughts you have about yourself?
(e.g., “I’m not smart enough,” “I don’t deserve happiness,” “I’ll never succeed.”)Where do these thoughts show up most often?
(e.g., work, relationships, personal goals.)Do you notice any patterns in these thoughts?
(e.g., They’re tied to certain situations, people, or past experiences.)
Step 2: Exploring the Origin
Write a few sentences about where you think these thoughts came from. Ask yourself:
Did someone say something to you that made you believe this?
Was there a specific moment or event that triggered this belief?
How has this thought impacted your actions or decisions over time?
Step 3: Gaining Awareness
For the next 24 hours, carry a small notebook or use your phone’s notes app to track when these negative thoughts arise.
Write down the thought, the situation, and how it made you feel.
Example:
Thought: “I’m not smart enough.”
Situation: During a work meeting where I didn’t know the answer to a question.
Feeling: Embarrassed and small.
Step 4: Reframe One Thought
Choose one recurring thought and rewrite it as a positive, empowering belief.
Example:
Old Thought: “I’m always messing up.”
New Thought: “I’m learning, and every step forward matters.”
Repeat this new thought to yourself whenever the old one appears.
Your RAS is incredibly powerful, but it works on autopilot until you take control. By identifying the thoughts that don’t serve you and practicing new, empowering beliefs, you can retrain your brain to focus on your worthiness and potential.
Share this post