Gaine
AgelessThrival™
Magazine

Article from Issue #26 (October 7, 2020)

Consistency

by Macara Brachmann

Subscribe to Gaine AgelessThrival™ Magazine

Email Name

With October being the 6th anniversary of my daily 3 postings, I thought that the idea of consistency was a good topic for a blog.

Consistency develops routines and builds momentum. It forms habits that almost become second nature.

I think we have all read or heard sayings about consistency being key. There are many inspirational quotes and references all with the same basic idea, choosing to be consistent be it in the gym, at work, raising children or even with a gratitude practice can only prove to be beneficial.

How does something become second nature or automatic? One must do said activity with intentional repetition. I have used the example for years of when people learned how to drive. Do you remember how nervous and excited you were when you got behind the wheel for the first time? I can only speak for myself that I had a mental checklist not to forget anything, adjusting mirrors, using blinkers properly, how about parallel parking :0 ? (which I’m going to add in the fact that in CA kids do not have to parallel park as part of their behind the wheel test any more) Now fast forward a couple years and you are a seasoned driver. You recognize you have exited the freeway without even thinking twice. You were driving on autopilot. Driving becomes second nature. Driving is an easy example of something that most of us can relate to as an example of the transition from newbie to seasoned simply by performing with consistency without even realizing.

Now let's talk about neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity by definition is the ability of the brain to form and reorganize synaptic connections, especially in response to learning. Admittedly I was not thinking about neuroplasticity when I started posting my personal #blissdaily3’s 6 years ago. When I started researching the idea of creating a gratitude app of the same premise of my personal gratitude postings I found plenty of research on the subject in regards to gratitude with neuroplasticity with all similar findings as this :

You can train your brain to be more positive. In 2 minutes span of time done for 21 days in a row you can actually rewire your brain. Write 3 new things of what you're grateful for 21 days straight. At the end of that, your brain starts to retain a pattern of scanning the world for the positive and not the negative.”

I like to use the analogy of rewiring the neural pathways like building a road. When you start a new habit, it doesn't feel normal, like a bumpy road, not traveled very much. Then you begin traveling the road frequently, it becomes smoother, wider, easier to find the turn off, easier to travel. That is how the neural pathways and neuroplasticity functions at a very simplified and fundamental level.

Consistency is key when developing a gratitude practice. Personally, I have been walking the talk for 6 years. I have developed a strong habit of finding good in my everyday posting 3 photos a day. These daily postings have been a game changer in my world. I know that some days are hard to find good, but at the end of every evening before I go to bed, I scroll my photos and pick 3 things to be grateful for. It is my gratitude habit. I made the commitment to myself 6 years ago and now my gratitude has become second nature. My neural pathways I can only imagine are similar to 4 lane highways at this point. When I developed the Bliss Daily 3 gratitude app, I wanted to be able to give the gift of easy gratitude to all. A simple idea that with commitment, intention and consistency can be life changing, like it was for me so many years ago.

I welcome you to download my Bliss Daily 3 gratitude app (ios and google stores) and start today. I would love to hear from you. Please use hashtag #blissdaily3, tag @blissdaily3 on social so others can follow along as the community is building.

Health and Happiness,
Mac