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Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself

Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself

How to Lose Your Mind and Create a New One
by Joe Dispenza 2012 329 pages
4.14
29k+ ratings
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Key Takeaways

1. Your thoughts shape your reality: Harness the quantum field

The quantum field responds not to what we want; it responds to who we are being.

Mind-matter connection. At the quantum level, our thoughts and feelings directly influence the physical world. The observer effect in quantum physics demonstrates that where we direct our attention affects energy and matter. This principle extends to our lives: our internal state of being broadcasts an electromagnetic signal that interacts with the quantum field, attracting experiences that match our thoughts and emotions.

Coherent signals. To create change in our lives, we must align our thoughts and feelings to produce a coherent signal. When we think one way but feel another, we send mixed messages to the quantum field. By cultivating elevated emotions like love, joy, and gratitude, we raise our energetic frequency and become more connected to the universal intelligence that governs reality.

Key components of harnessing the quantum field:

  • Align thoughts and feelings
  • Cultivate elevated emotions
  • Maintain a coherent internal state
  • Trust in the universal intelligence to orchestrate outcomes

2. Break free from your environment, body, and time constraints

To change is to think greater than how we feel. To change is to act greater than the familiar feelings of the memorized self.

Overcoming the Big Three. To create lasting change, we must transcend the limitations imposed by our environment, our body, and our perception of time. These elements often keep us tethered to our past experiences and emotions, preventing us from embracing new possibilities.

Neuroplasticity and change. The brain's ability to rewire itself (neuroplasticity) allows us to create new neural pathways and break free from habitual patterns. By consciously directing our thoughts and focusing our attention, we can literally reshape our brains and, consequently, our lives.

Steps to break free from limitations:

  • Recognize how environment influences thoughts and behaviors
  • Understand how the body stores emotions and memories
  • Learn to think beyond linear time
  • Practice being present and focused on possibilities

3. Shift from survival mode to creation mode

To anticipate or analyze when, where, or how the event will occur would only cause you to return to your old identity.

Survival vs. creation. Many people live in a constant state of stress, triggering the fight-or-flight response. This survival mode focuses on the external world and limits our ability to create and grow. In contrast, creation mode allows us to tap into our inner resources and manifest new realities.

Elevated emotions. Shifting from survival to creation involves cultivating elevated emotions such as love, joy, and gratitude. These higher-frequency emotions connect us to the quantum field and open up new possibilities. By living in these states, we become less reactive to our environment and more proactive in shaping our reality.

Characteristics of survival mode vs. creation mode:
Survival Mode:

  • Focused on external threats
  • Dominated by stress hormones
  • Reactive and limited thinking

Creation Mode:

  • Focused on internal potential
  • Dominated by elevated emotions
  • Proactive and expansive thinking

4. Meditation: The key to accessing your subconscious

Meditation opens the door between the conscious and subconscious minds.

Accessing the subconscious. Meditation is a powerful tool for bypassing the analytical mind and entering the subconscious, where our habits, beliefs, and automatic behaviors reside. By regularly practicing meditation, we can reprogram our subconscious and create lasting change.

Brain waves and meditation. Different brain wave states correspond to different levels of consciousness. Meditation helps us move from the Beta state (normal waking consciousness) to Alpha and Theta states, where we can more easily access and influence our subconscious mind.

Key aspects of effective meditation:

  • Regular practice
  • Focused attention
  • Relaxation techniques
  • Visualization
  • Emotional engagement

5. Recognize and dismantle your old self

If you can observe yourself overcome by that emotion, pay attention to how it feels in your body.

Self-awareness. Recognizing the aspects of our old self that no longer serve us is crucial for personal growth. This involves becoming aware of our habitual thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, and understanding how they contribute to our current reality.

Emotional addictions. Many of our behaviors and thought patterns are driven by emotional addictions – familiar feelings that we unconsciously seek to recreate. By identifying and acknowledging these addictions, we can begin to break free from them.

Steps to dismantle the old self:

  1. Identify limiting beliefs and behaviors
  2. Observe emotional patterns without judgment
  3. Recognize triggers for unwanted reactions
  4. Practice redirecting thoughts and emotions
  5. Surrender old patterns to a higher power

6. Create and rehearse your new ideal self

Your goal in this final step is to master a new mind in the brain as well as the body.

Mental rehearsal. Visualizing and emotionally experiencing your desired new self can create real changes in your brain and body. This process, known as mental rehearsal, helps create new neural pathways and primes your system for actual change.

Embodying the new self. To truly create lasting change, it's essential to not only think about your new ideal self but to feel and embody it. This involves engaging all your senses and emotions in the visualization process, making it as real and vivid as possible.

Components of effective mental rehearsal:

  • Clear visualization of desired outcomes
  • Emotional engagement with the new self
  • Regular and consistent practice
  • Integration of all senses
  • Belief in the reality of the new self

7. Live as your new self to manifest your desired reality

When your behaviors match your intentions, when your actions are equal to your thoughts, when you're being someone else, then you are ahead of your time.

Being the change. To manifest your desired reality, you must consistently live as your new self in your daily life. This means aligning your thoughts, emotions, and actions with your vision of your ideal self and future.

Maintaining coherence. The key to success is maintaining a coherent internal state, even when faced with external challenges. By staying true to your new self and not reverting to old patterns, you send a clear signal to the quantum field and attract experiences that match your new state of being.

Strategies for living as your new self:

  • Regular self-reflection and adjustment
  • Conscious choices aligned with your new identity
  • Practicing elevated emotions in daily life
  • Trusting the process and remaining patient
  • Celebrating small victories and progress

Last updated:

Review Summary

4.14 out of 5
Average of 29k+ ratings from Goodreads and Amazon.

Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself receives mixed reviews. Supporters praise its insights on neuroplasticity, meditation, and personal transformation, finding it life-changing. Critics argue it misuses quantum physics concepts and promotes pseudoscience. Some appreciate the practical meditation techniques but dislike the spiritual aspects. Many find the book too long and repetitive. Readers are divided on Dispenza's credibility, with some viewing him as insightful and others as a charlatan. Overall, the book's ideas resonate with those open to alternative approaches to personal growth, while skeptics remain unconvinced.

Your rating:

About the Author

Dr. Joe Dispenza is an international lecturer, researcher, and author specializing in neuroscience, epigenetics, and quantum physics. He educates people on rewiring their brains for lasting change through workshops, courses, and retreats worldwide. Dispenza conducts research on meditation's effects, including brain mapping and energy field testing. He consults for corporations, applying neuroscientific principles to boost employee performance. Dispenza holds a B.S. from Evergreen State College and a doctor of chiropractic degree from Life University. His postgraduate training covers neurology, brain function, cellular biology, and aging. Dispenza's work focuses on exploring the science behind spontaneous remissions and helping people heal themselves of various conditions.

Other books by Joe Dispenza

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