What is Repatterining?
What is Repatterning?
Definition of Repatterning:
Repatterning is a much simpler term for self-directed neuroplasticity. The method I created is science-based and is used to break bad habits, change physical and emotional reactions to stressful events, and cope with change.
How it all began
I was struggling with understanding why I was having such difficulty building a successful business. I quit 3 businesses before I launched this repatterning technique. No amount of positive affirmations, or other mindset work got me to the place I needed to be.
Self-doubt rang strong.
What would be possible if you saw the world differently?
What would change if you could stop making the same mistakes, again and again?
What would you be doing if you could stop fearing or doubting yourself?
These were the questions I was asking myself the night I quit my third business.
The night I quit my third business, I awoke to a familiar feeling of panic starting to wash over me. Panic was something I had come to know all too well over the decades, and it was strongest after I had done something that had me tossing and turning in my sheets, such as I had done that afternoon when I walked away from yet another business partner.
I had two choices, lie there and give in to the panic or get up and move. I chose the latter.
Quitting the first business had seemed like a reasonable thing to do. I recalled feeling compelled to walk away after someone (a stranger at that) had made a negative comment about my initiative. That comment had stung! — Enough to convince me that the business idea was no good. However, tonight, as I reflected, I could see how magical my thinking had been as all the evidence pointed to the contrary. The business had been featured on CBC news and had attracted the attention of an international sponsor. Rationality had obviously not been part of my decision-making process.
Ditto for the second time I quit. Again, other people’s opinions weighed heavily on my mind. Again, the idea that I was displeasing others generated a feeling of panic that caused me to quit.
And now, here I was, having done it for the third time. Three viable ideas. Three different business partners. Several sponsors. I had turned my back on all of them, leaving chaos, anger and frustration in my wake.
Yet despite my being responsible for all of the chaos surrounding my entrepreneurial attempts, I still found myself wondering “was it solely my fault? I had spent decades exploring, and applying, countless traditional and alternative therapies. Why had none of them been effective at helping me be free of this pattern of quitting?
And so I went to work, with an open mind. I drew on what I had learned as a meditation facilitator and my Master’s in Humanities, both of which provided me plenty of opportunities to study the human mind, both subjectively through my meditation, and objectively through my studies and working with my students. In short, I turned myself into an object of study.
The immediate question for me was: why was I quitting and making the same mistake, again and again. So many others I met described the same pattern. They tried hard, and they tried everything: mindset tools and techniques; raising the level of commitment; applying willpower; setting better goals; being held accountable. None of it worked, and they were no closer to their ultimate goal: happiness and success?
And so it began. A deep dive into my mind, grounded in more than three decades of meditation. What I found ended my long-life struggle with poor and ineffective patterns — and now I am helping thousands of people around the world do the same.
How repatterning works
Repatterning starts with a powerful question: Does it work? If the answer is no, you apply a 4 step technique to remove the old-decision making patterns that are no longer aligned with the situation you are in. The steps include:
- Step 1- Identify the pattern
- Step 2 – Own the pattern
- Step 3 – Surrender
- Step 4 – Trust
Why repatterning works
The benefits of repatterning
- Reduction in Worry and Anxiety – letting go of patterns eliminates concerns about the future.
- Happiness – You no longer have to think about figuring it out, question whether you have it right or wrong. Your repatterning will take over!
- More Options and Increased Involvement -Deconstructing patterns will free you from self-doubt. You will be able to take on those big projects that you always dreamed of, but felt held back.
- Taking Risks (Without everything feeling risky) – Repatterning will have you saying “Bring it on!” because you’ll know how to not let anything stop you again.
- Self Forgiveness and Forgiveness of Others – Repatterning takes away the blame. All action is the result of patterns and choices.
- Expanded Creativity – As you learn to create patterns, you’ll rediscover your creative self.
- Self Confidence and Trust in Yourself – Everything you’ve seen, heard or experienced directly or indirectly, has been stored within you. With repatterning, you’ll be able to tap into this knowledge and put together the optimal pattern for each situation you find yourself in.
- Enhanced Relationships – Your relationship issues will start to work themselves out. You’ll be able to let go of resentment and blame which will help you to heal and move forward.
In conclusion
There is no shame in your past, no blame in your future, and nothing to fix in the present. There are only patterns, and patterns can be changed.
This quote from my book (SHIFT: 4 Steps To Personal Empowerment), truly sums up the technique, the process, and the results. Changing your brain patterns will alter your perception of what your brain can do, how far you can go, and remove the blockages you’re facing.