I’ve been here for a bit – but it took me a while to get this. The brain wants to avoid pain, get pleasure, and be efficient. However, other than circumstances that could create factual bodily pain (sabertooth tigers in the brush) – a lot of our current pain is brain-created pain! And the brain then goes… “OMG! I feel pain. Let’s solve that pain with pleasure! Let’s go overeat, overdrink, etc.!”

So the brain is CREATING the pain that it then wants to SOLVE with food, alcohol, etc.

(Cue Brooke thinking “duh”) I know, I know. But the fact that the brain is constantly solving pain that the brain is also causing is kind of a big thought for me. Like here’s this little 3-Pound Universe in my skull constantly creating pain and then directing my brain to “do stuff” (actions) to solve the pain it just created! Brain creates pain, brain solves it. Brain creates pain, brain solves it. And the model is like… “Okay brain – there really ISN’T pain – you’re just creating almost all of it. So let’s stop creating it – and you won’t have to worry so much about solving it, too. We’re gonna give you a break – so you can focus on more important things, like creating an extraordinary life.”

It just finally clicked how all of this worked together in a little self-created cycle. Funny things these brains! 😀