Reprogram Your “Subconscious Software”
Think of yourself as a computer without an operating system. This may be hard to imagine but it’s how every person on the planet arrives at birth. From the last trimester of pregnancy through age 7, our brains function in Theta waves, a hypnotic state that allows us to download our family’s behaviors, moods, reactions, stresses, patterns, and core beliefs as truth. These truths are downloaded into our subconscious mind and become our “software package.” Our minds are programmed to download every signal that our families, teachers, friends and experiences present to us as truth. We don’t question the downloads because they’re coming from people we either know, trust or fear. This is what makes up our unique software package. Every human being downloads software into their subconscious mind, but no two people download information with exactly the same meaning. Identical twins can grow up in the same family and each have downloaded different software because of their own unique perception.
Your Subconscious Mind
The function of your subconscious mind is to store and retrieve data like a record / playback machine. Its job is to ensure that you respond exactly the way you are programmed making everything you say and do fit a pattern consistent with your self-concept; your “master program.” Your subconscious mind affects (and often determines) your decisions, actions, thoughts, responses and emotions. Anything that we do automatically that becomes habitual comes from our subconscious software downloads. For instance, once we learn how to talk, walk, swim, ride a bike, drive a car, brush our teeth or read, the subconscious mind has the program locked into place and can do these functions automatically for life.
We all experience the power of our subconscious minds (quite unconsciously in fact.) This is evidenced by our subconscious mind being in charge 98% of the time. Research shows that the subconscious mind processes about 400 billion bits of information per second and the impulses travel at a speed of up to 100,000 mph! Compare this to your conscious mind, which processes only about 2,000 bits of information per second and its impulses travel only at 100-150 mph. Who’s the winner here? Your subconscious programs that you downloaded in your first seven years are in charge.
Most of these downloads are vitally important to our survival, however some are simply toxic to our development and future. Experts estimate that the mind thinks between 60,000 – 80,000 thoughts per day. Of those thoughts, 80% are negative and 95% are repetitive thoughts that we thought the day before and the day before that. Why? Because those thoughts are coming from our software programming downloaded in our first 7 years.
It’s the negative programs that rule our thoughts and can sabotage us over and over. If the subconscious mind is in charge 98% of the time and that’s where the programs are originating, it makes sense that we repeat behaviors like overeating for instance, because we downloaded some of these familiar messages (software) from our families:
“What’s wrong with you…why aren’t you eating?”
“Eat your carrots, you don’t want to go blind.”
“You’re going to sit there until you finish everything on your plate, no matter how long it takes.”
“I’m bad if I don’t eat everything on my plate.”
Another belief driven by downloaded software that I see in my practice is rejection, which can have more tentacles than a full-grown centipede. Rejection can manifest in ways that touch every part of our lives. If your parent, teacher or coach makes a dismissive comment or gives you a negative look before age seven, you will download the software that says “I reject you.” It hurts but we rarely deal with those feelings. We’re wired to stuff our feelings down into our bodies. Failing a test, not being chosen for a sports team, your BFF gets mad at you and won’t have anything to do with you, punishment without explanation are all actions that will trigger the rejection software in your subconscious and the program will run instantly, over and over. It permeates the fabric of your daily life and can manifest as a secondary belief of, “I’m not good enough”.
The job of the subconscious is to store and retrieve data. Your subconscious mind is subjective; it does not think or reason independently, it merely obeys the commands it received from your conscious mind. We call this proof. Your subconscious will always deliver the proof that what you’re feeling is true because you downloaded it as a child. It is not time-bound and cannot differentiate between childhood and an older age. The software runs automatically; it doesn’t know that the download is hurting your ability to move forward, nor does it care. It’s doing its job; automatically running the software program to keep you safe. Safety is the number one job of the subconscious mind.
If you’ve downloaded “rejection” and “I’m not good enough” software as a child, every time a situation comes along that has the potential for growth and advancement, like trying out for the high dive team or moving up the corporate ladder, your subconscious will automatically run the downloaded software and flood your mind and body with negative thoughts to hold you back. As Henry Ford said, “If you think you can or if you think you can’t, you’re right.”
Unraveling the Tentacles of Rejection
As an EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) Tapping Practitioner and PSYCH-K® Facilitator, I work with many clients to unravel the tentacles of rejection. I share this story, with permission, as an example of how far reaching rejection can span.
Madeline arrived at our EFT appointment with mixed feelings about a disappointment she had experienced. I asked her to describe how she was feeling and she said, “hugely disappointed, angry and disrespected.”
“What was the event that caused these deep feelings?” I asked.
“Well… she explained, I was enthusiastically encouraged to respond to a Request for Proposal by a colleague that I trusted and believed was sincere. After weeks of work and spending a substantial amount of money on producing the necessary elements, I submitted my response. I was confident that my colleague, who was on the judging committee, and who had strongly insisted that I submit, would make sure that I was one of the 10 chosen women.”
Madeline’s negative energy was palpable. She continued, “Not only did I NOT get picked, they didn’t even have the courtesy to let me know. I checked their website and saw the roster of the 10 chosen speakers and was devastated not to see my name! I felt like my colleague had been completely disingenuous and had taken advantage of the situation to woo me into participating in the event at a lesser vendor level. I felt used.”
This was the perfect moment to bring in the EFT Tapping protocol and begin our work of changing Madeline’s software around rejection. We began tapping lightly on the designated meridian points as Madeline repeated the EFT set up and reminder phrases that described how she was feeling. She was on her way to emotional freedom.
“Even though I feel like I was lied to, I accept how I feel.”
“Even though it hurts my feelings that I wasn’t chosen, I accept myself just the way I am.”
“I feel so violated.”
“How could she betray my trust like that for her own gain?”
“I feel so used.”
“It makes me feel like the committee thinks I’m not good enough to be a speaker.”
“I feel so rejected.”
“I feel so rejected.”
“How could she do this to me?”
Tears filled Madeline’s eyes and gently ran down her face. She raised her hands to cover her face in an effort to hide her emotions but there was no holding back. Through the Tapping, her subconscious brought up a time in second grade that was devastating to her. She recalled being so proud of her coloring work that day and had gotten special permission to take it home for her Mom to see. She remembered bounding down the three school bus steps and running into the house eager to share her masterpiece.
“Mommy, Mommy, look what I did at school today! Miss Cathy said I could bring it home to show you but all the other kids had to leave theirs at school,” she announced bursting with second grade pride. Then with great care, Madeline unzipped her backpack and presented her coloring work. Her Mom put on her glasses, looked down at the coloring and said, “You went outside the lines here and here and here. What’s so special about this?”
At such a young age, Madeline’s only way of coping with the shock and pain was to stuff her feelings down into her body as her subconscious instantly downloaded the “not good enough” software. From that moment on, every time she felt as if she was being judged by anyone, even herself, her subconscious would run the “not good enough” software to keep her safely in her comfort zone. This software program was locked into her subconscious as a limiting belief, always at the ready to protect her from trying new things and moving forward.
Madeline could now see that she had a false sense of confidence around submitting the proposal response based on her colleague’s strong reassurance that she would be a shoe in to be chosen as a speaker. And when she wasn’t, all of the pain and shame that she had felt in that second grade moment rose up to the surface.
As we continued with our EFT Tapping, Madeline began to connect her Mom’s rejection to her current feelings of rejection around not being chosen as a speaker. The understanding of how the two scenarios were related was indeed a moving experience for Madeline. Releasing all of the emotions that had been trapped inside for so many years allowed her restore a much healthier sense of self-worth.
Louise Hay loved to say, “Honey, if you want to clean the house, you need to see the dirt.” In our fast-paced culture, everyday life can present constant feelings of stress and anxiety. Not enough time, the insatiable need for a technology fix because we believe paying attention to a constant info feed is not only necessary but expected. How many times have you gone into a public place and seen everyone looking down at their cell phones? Some are engaged and doing valid work tasks but most are shy or anxious about interacting and use their phone as a prop to hide the fact that we’ve lost the art of human connection. It’s been traded for technology.
We could even draw a parallel between cell phones and the subconscious mind. We all have millions of subconscious software programs in place to keep us healthy and alive (like a cell phone). The function of our subconscious mind is to store and retrieve data (like a cell phone). The subconscious mind is subjective. It does not think or reason independently; it merely obeys the commands it receives from our conscious mind (like a cell phone).
EFT Tapping is research based and scientifically-proven to rewire the subconscious mind and restore balance to our mind-body connection. The latest research shows that Tapping sends a calming signal to the amygdala in the brain, naturally lowering the stress hormone cortisol allowing the brain and body to feel safe, and thus the anxiety to dissipate. Through EFT Tapping we’re actually able to reprogram the brain to no longer be overly sensitized, allowing us to come back to a more natural, balanced state where we can better differentiate between real threats of danger and everyday events. Andrew Bernstein so wisely said, “Negative thoughts stick around because we believe them not because we want them or choose them.”
To enjoy the benefits of emotional freedom, I recommend these three easy steps:
- Take some time to examine your negative beliefs and make a short list.
- Make an appointment with me.
- Together we’ll clear what’s been holding you back from being your true self.
Karen St. Clair is a highly skilled EFT Tapping Practitioner, PSYCH-K® Facilitator, Matrix Re-Imprinting Practitioner, Usui Reiki Master of Masters and Founder of Reiki Tap Renewal with a true gift for facilitating her clients’ life-changing outcomes.
Book an appointment today at Touch Point Studio in Cumberland Foreside, ME or via Zoom video conferencing. 207-878-8315.
KarenStClairEFT.com.
ELM™ | Maine
