This book added a new dimension to how I viewed self-care, and the role thoughts play in our life.
I am now looking at the power of my brain in a different light. These muscles might look like a piece of flesh to you, but we realize their power only when something goes wrong with them. The author made me realize the beauty of the muscles in our brains, with many known examples. His way of building the story around MMA to convey his point made me understand how one skill set isn't enough for us to think we can survive in this world.
The author then introduces his readers to the Pyramid Model, which focuses on a human's long-term and short-term memory. It's crucial for all of us to understand why we are behaving in the way we are and how memories play a significant role in our lives. As stated by the author, 'The Pyramid Model consists of six interconnected parts that are responsible for six key mental functions: reason, beliefs, memories, emotions, speech, and behavior. Each of these six parts of the mind uniquely contributes to who you are and affects your mental well-being, physical health, relationships, and daily performance. These six areas of our mind help in achieving optimal well-being, sense of happiness, and performance'.
The book walks you through every part of the pyramid in great detail. In case you have forgotten which part of the pyramid you are reading about, the author has made sure to have the visual representation there in every chapter to help you navigate through it. Toward the end of every chapter, the author gives the readers a chapter summary to recap their learnings. The way the author speaks about a particular type of memory, he also layers down the common problems we face with that memory and gives us ways to set the training goals for our brains and the practices that can help with that.
Everything is so well explained, practical, and doable that you can choose to pick one thing at a time, and being consistent with them will bring the change in you that you wish to see in you.
Everything is well tabulated and mapped for their readers to refer to every time they read the book for guidance.
I appreciate the author for sharing his story and how he applied all these practices when writing this book. It really helped me understand how to put things into practice.
On a personal note, I would like to thank the author for defining simple concepts like 'over-whelming,' 'emotional regulation,' 'stressed out,' and many more. My Ph.D. Journey has created havoc in my life. Years ago my therapist introduced me to the concept of 'thought journaling', and I have maintained my thought journal to help me navigate his journey, but the author gave me a sense of direction on what to do next. The limited words we use to express our emotions do not actually justify our emotions. I will have to learn to understand what exactly I am feeling, label those emotions aptly, and tag them to my chain of thoughts to understand what action to take. I will keep returning to this book for help and guidance.