WEBVTT 00:00.031 --> 00:03.831 What we know from science now is that when you change what you think about, 00:03.831 --> 00:06.371 your brain literally makes structural changes, 00:06.371 --> 00:10.371 like the shape of your brain and the function of your brain changes. 00:10.371 --> 00:13.091 So it's not a self-help trick, 00:13.091 --> 00:15.791 but you actually have the power using God's design 00:15.791 --> 00:17.971 to change how your brain works. 00:17.971 --> 00:21.031 You're not stuck with the old brain that you thought was broken. 00:21.023 --> 00:26.203 You can actually make a new brain using the mind of Christ to help you rewrite it and take command of that. 00:26.203 --> 00:28.943 So you could be incredible hope, like you're not ever stuck. 00:28.943 --> 00:31.823 You've never been stuck. You just need to think different thoughts. 00:31.823 --> 00:36.403 Well, I love it because we don't have to be a slave to negative thinking or negative feeling. 00:36.403 --> 00:37.643 We can live with hope. 00:37.643 --> 00:42.063 It's something that the Holy Spirit, He had started showing me the power of our thoughts. 00:42.063 --> 00:46.683 How we view our reality can shape how we walk into our future. 00:46.683 --> 00:48.323 So this really is imperative. 00:48.323 --> 00:49.323 Absolutely. 00:49.323 --> 00:53.163 It's imperative to take command of your thoughts and feelings, because that'll change your life. 01:05.675 --> 01:07.415 Hey guys, welcome back to the podcast. 01:07.415 --> 01:09.195 I'm very excited about our guests today. 01:09.195 --> 01:11.975 We have Dr. Lee Warren here. 01:11.975 --> 01:13.915 Thank you for being on the show with us today. 01:13.915 --> 01:15.375 Thank you, it's great to be with you. 01:15.375 --> 01:16.214 We're gonna be talking about, 01:16.215 --> 01:17.295 I'm looking at his book right here, 01:17.295 --> 01:20.315 The Life-Changing Art of Self-Brain Surgery. 01:20.315 --> 01:23.115 There's a lot of people talking about the brain, 01:23.115 --> 01:27.215 the power of our thoughts in secular spaces, 01:27.215 --> 01:30.315 in Christian spaces, it's definitely a hot topic. 01:30.315 --> 01:32.615 But I felt like with you going through your material 01:32.615 --> 01:34.155 and talking to you, 01:34.160 --> 01:37.520 you put it in a way for me that was so easy to understand 01:37.520 --> 01:41.360 and integrating scripture and the science together 01:41.360 --> 01:43.720 and seeing how God the creator has made us 01:43.720 --> 01:44.880 and that our brains can heal. 01:44.960 --> 01:47.200 So I just want to say thank you for this material. 01:47.360 --> 01:48.720 I was telling me and Jonathan, 01:48.900 --> 01:51.200 we're like, we're going to get this book and bring it home 01:51.200 --> 01:53.100 because it's really helpful stuff. 01:53.160 --> 01:54.881 So I'm really excited. 01:54.882 --> 01:59.942 to be talking about this, but I do want to talk a little bit about your story and how the things 01:59.942 --> 02:05.042 that you went through kind of led to you having this really helpful material to help other people 02:05.042 --> 02:11.562 with their mental health. I think that's important to talk about. You know, we talk about experts, 02:12.202 --> 02:16.942 but we're all people. And so in my case, I've spent my whole career learning about the brain, 02:17.102 --> 02:21.542 studying neuroscience and all that. But I'm also a guy who lost his little boy and 02:21.815 --> 02:24.215 went to war and had trauma and went through a divorce 02:24.215 --> 02:26.135 and had a lot of things in my life that were hard. 02:26.275 --> 02:27.501 And so- 02:27.502 --> 02:32.062 I had to figure out how science and my Christian faith 02:32.062 --> 02:35.382 and the things I was going through kind of worked together 02:35.382 --> 02:37.082 to keep myself from going crazy, right? 02:37.082 --> 02:39.962 So, came home from the war and I had PTSD 02:39.962 --> 02:41.362 and it took years to deal with that. 02:41.362 --> 02:44.242 And then our son died, as we talked about earlier. 02:44.242 --> 02:48.002 And after you lose a child, your brain is kind of scrambled 02:48.002 --> 02:49.502 because you believe that that's gonna define 02:49.502 --> 02:52.302 your whole future, this darkness and sadness and heaviness 02:52.302 --> 02:54.962 and all the thoughts that you think. 02:54.957 --> 03:04.457 And as a mental health professional, I worked in this space where I understood that the things we think aren't always true, but they really feel true. 03:04.457 --> 03:11.497 And so I started trying to understand how science and faith can work together to help us find our way forward. 03:11.597 --> 03:15.017 And science really is designed, it's not an enemy of faith. 03:15.157 --> 03:21.437 It was designed, the people who organized it really was designed as a way to show what God had done and explain what God has done. 03:21.907 --> 03:26.147 And so if you understand that God has designed us in a way 03:26.147 --> 03:28.427 to heal and not to be broken, 03:28.427 --> 03:30.727 and that science is now starting to show us 03:30.727 --> 03:32.607 that your mind and your brain are not the same thing, 03:32.607 --> 03:34.827 which I think we'll unpack and talk about here. 03:34.827 --> 03:36.387 Then you can start to take command 03:36.387 --> 03:37.927 of what's happening inside your head 03:37.927 --> 03:39.147 instead of being a victim of it. 03:39.147 --> 03:41.707 And I think a lot of what's happening in our society today 03:42.173 --> 03:44.333 We're teaching people that when they think and feel 03:44.333 --> 03:45.593 something that it's always true 03:45.593 --> 03:46.693 and that they should honor that, 03:46.693 --> 03:48.833 or they should get other people to support them 03:48.833 --> 03:50.273 in what they think and feel. 03:50.273 --> 03:52.133 And we're knowing, we're learning now from science 03:52.133 --> 03:55.133 that about 80% of what we think and feel is false. 03:55.133 --> 03:56.513 And so the things that pop into your head 03:56.513 --> 03:58.193 that feel so real in the moment 03:58.193 --> 04:00.133 are really just your brain's way of trying to make sense 04:00.133 --> 04:01.653 of what's happening around you. 04:01.653 --> 04:02.733 And so after we lost Mitch 04:02.733 --> 04:04.433 and I was experiencing a lot of those things, 04:04.433 --> 04:06.933 those dark thoughts and anxious feelings, 04:06.933 --> 04:09.893 I had to figure out a way to, 04:09.899 --> 04:11.539 integrate what I knew to be true, 04:11.639 --> 04:14.019 which is that not everything you think and feel is real, 04:14.419 --> 04:15.839 with what I was really feeling, 04:15.919 --> 04:17.879 which is so big and powerful and immediate. 04:18.439 --> 04:19.559 And once I figured that out, 04:19.579 --> 04:22.099 it was really like learning how to do surgery on my own brain. 04:22.799 --> 04:25.219 Yeah, so you've walked through this process yourself 04:25.219 --> 04:27.219 with what you went through with the war 04:27.219 --> 04:28.979 and being a neurosurgeon. 04:29.052 --> 04:33.892 there, and then also what you went through losing your son at the age of, his age of 19. 04:34.312 --> 04:38.072 I just love this topic. I wish someone 20 years ago would have looked me in the eyes and been 04:38.072 --> 04:41.672 like, not all your thoughts and feelings are real. It would have helped me. I think I did, 04:41.752 --> 04:46.112 but it was like eight years ago. No, literally it started with you. It would have helped me 04:46.112 --> 04:51.372 tremendously. And you actually hit on a very important point, which is I really, our society 04:51.372 --> 04:53.064 is teaching. 04:53.065 --> 04:56.185 young people that to form all like belief system 04:56.185 --> 04:57.605 and realities based off their feelings. 04:57.605 --> 04:59.865 Even like the gender identity stuff. 04:59.865 --> 05:00.864 That's what I was thinking. 05:00.865 --> 05:01.844 I was thinking like, you know, 05:01.845 --> 05:03.565 when kids start thinking these thoughts 05:03.565 --> 05:04.764 and they don't know, 05:04.765 --> 05:07.645 if they don't have somebody guiding them or coaching them, 05:07.831 --> 05:10.131 they're actually reinforcing these negative thought patterns. 05:10.251 --> 05:14.071 That's how they end up as thinking that they're cats or they're dogs or they're the other sex. 05:14.431 --> 05:15.491 You said something earlier. 05:15.811 --> 05:19.251 You said that we have secular stuff and we have spiritual stuff, 05:19.251 --> 05:21.651 and everybody kind of thinks that they're supposed to be separate. 05:22.271 --> 05:26.991 And if you understand that what the secular worldview is teaching kids, especially now, 05:27.291 --> 05:29.471 is teaching you, follow your heart. 05:29.465 --> 05:32.045 believe your feelings, like camp out on what you're feeling 05:32.045 --> 05:33.445 and people need to validate that. 05:33.805 --> 05:35.985 And that's terrible advice scripturally 05:35.985 --> 05:38.825 because the Bible says the hardest deceitful beyond all 05:38.825 --> 05:40.104 who can trust it. 05:40.105 --> 05:42.265 But it's also not true scientifically. 05:42.465 --> 05:43.485 Like in the 21st century, 05:43.565 --> 05:46.505 especially a lot of the things that we used to think were true 05:46.505 --> 05:48.485 are no longer verifiably true. 05:48.565 --> 05:49.945 You can put somebody in a scanner 05:49.945 --> 05:52.485 and we can look at what their brain is doing 05:52.485 --> 05:53.164 when they're thinking. 05:53.165 --> 05:56.285 And we can see that a huge majority of the things 05:56.285 --> 05:58.005 that are happening in your brain 05:58.000 --> 05:59.040 are not true. 05:59.200 --> 06:00.380 They're just chemical events. 06:00.460 --> 06:01.159 That's why in the book, 06:01.160 --> 06:03.660 I talk about the 10 commandments of self-brain surgery. 06:03.720 --> 06:05.200 And one of them is feelings aren't facts. 06:05.280 --> 06:06.560 They're chemical events in my brain. 06:06.920 --> 06:08.260 If you can teach your kids, 06:08.400 --> 06:10.660 especially I keep bringing kids up 06:10.660 --> 06:13.420 because they're so vulnerable to adults 06:13.420 --> 06:16.560 validating them or instructing them. 06:16.600 --> 06:19.860 And your job as a parent is to instruct them primarily. 06:20.461 --> 06:23.641 don't validate feelings that are gonna harm your children 06:23.641 --> 06:24.981 when most of them aren't true. 06:25.261 --> 06:27.921 And so understand that your brain tells you 06:27.921 --> 06:29.361 all kinds of things that are lies 06:29.361 --> 06:31.161 and you have to use your mind, 06:31.221 --> 06:33.041 which God gave you, the eternal part of you, 06:33.361 --> 06:35.061 that's designed to be in charge of your brain. 06:35.081 --> 06:36.941 You have to use your mind to take command of your thoughts. 06:37.021 --> 06:39.281 That's 2 Corinthians 10, five, take every thought captive. 06:39.850 --> 06:42.350 And so you get on top of what your brain is doing, 06:42.350 --> 06:43.390 don't be a victim of it. 06:43.390 --> 06:44.770 Because if you start making decisions 06:44.770 --> 06:46.530 based on what your brain is telling you, 06:46.530 --> 06:48.250 two things happen that are bad. 06:48.250 --> 06:50.330 One is you're living in response 06:50.330 --> 06:51.990 to things that are mostly not true, 06:51.990 --> 06:53.490 which never ends well, right? 06:53.490 --> 06:55.730 How many times have you reacted to a lie 06:55.730 --> 06:57.950 and it had it turn out good for you, right? 06:57.950 --> 06:59.970 But the other thing is your brain gets better 06:59.970 --> 07:02.030 at what you repeatedly think about and do. 07:02.024 --> 07:04.404 The more you think about your feelings, 07:04.544 --> 07:05.924 the bigger your feelings get 07:05.924 --> 07:07.384 and the more true and real they seem. 07:07.684 --> 07:09.684 So if you tell your kids to follow their hearts, 07:10.044 --> 07:12.044 pretty soon their hearts are gonna be leading them 07:12.044 --> 07:13.044 into all kinds of trouble. 07:13.484 --> 07:15.024 So science is on your side 07:15.024 --> 07:17.164 that not everything you think and feel is true 07:17.164 --> 07:18.864 and scripture's on your side 07:18.865 --> 07:21.505 that your brain will come under the command of your mind 07:21.505 --> 07:22.865 if you put it where it's supposed to be. 07:22.945 --> 07:24.445 And that's what the Holy Spirit's job is to you. 07:24.465 --> 07:26.125 Jesus said, the Holy Spirit reminds us 07:26.125 --> 07:27.265 of all things that are true. 07:27.725 --> 07:29.365 But don't spend your time in your life 07:29.365 --> 07:30.745 following things that aren't true. 07:31.205 --> 07:33.765 Listen to truth and let the Lord lead you into that 07:33.765 --> 07:35.205 and you'll start having better outcomes. 07:35.465 --> 07:39.525 Provide a definition of brain versus mind, right? 07:40.425 --> 07:42.285 Critically important to understand this. 07:42.885 --> 07:44.245 So most of us think, 07:44.405 --> 07:46.505 and when you said the word secular a while ago, 07:46.507 --> 07:49.867 all secular neuroscience and psychology, pretty much. 07:50.367 --> 07:52.167 Even Christians who are therapists, 07:52.287 --> 07:53.106 if they're not careful, 07:53.107 --> 07:54.707 they're trained in this worldview 07:54.707 --> 07:56.767 that says that everything about you 07:56.767 --> 07:58.747 is a result of what things that your brain does. 07:59.187 --> 08:00.827 So your personality, your memory, 08:00.987 --> 08:02.867 your hopes, your dreams, your skills, 08:03.067 --> 08:04.847 your abilities all come from brain function. 08:05.407 --> 08:08.847 The truth is your brain is waiting for you to instruct it 08:08.847 --> 08:10.727 as to what it's supposed to do 08:10.727 --> 08:12.227 and what it's supposed to become like. 08:12.227 --> 08:14.087 And we know there's a thing called neuroplasticity, 08:14.087 --> 08:17.087 which basically means that your brain changes its structure 08:17.087 --> 08:19.127 in response to what you think about. 08:19.127 --> 08:20.267 So that means if you're thinking 08:20.267 --> 08:21.967 about the same things all the time, 08:21.967 --> 08:24.747 so I told you earlier that about 80% of the things we think 08:24.747 --> 08:26.347 and feel are false. 08:26.347 --> 08:29.227 There's also really good research to say that most people, 08:29.227 --> 08:30.647 about 90% of the time, 08:30.647 --> 08:33.167 think the same set of things every day. 08:33.166 --> 08:35.286 So if we know that our brain rewires itself 08:35.286 --> 08:37.046 in response to what we're thinking about, 08:37.506 --> 08:39.466 and a lot of what we're thinking about is false, 08:39.886 --> 08:41.086 and most of what we're thinking about 08:41.086 --> 08:43.206 is the same stuff we thought about the day before, 08:43.626 --> 08:45.786 and it's no wonder why we start feeling 08:45.786 --> 08:48.226 like we can't change and we're just the way that we are. 08:48.226 --> 08:49.586 Because your brain just keeps doing 08:49.586 --> 08:50.925 what you tell it to do. 08:50.926 --> 08:53.466 So you keep recreating the same thoughts and feelings 08:53.466 --> 08:55.566 and they get bigger and better and stronger 08:55.559 --> 08:57.559 over time, but they're never true. 08:57.559 --> 08:59.799 So that means if you understand that your mind 08:59.799 --> 09:02.319 is not the same thing as your brain, when your body dies, 09:02.319 --> 09:03.499 and all Christians will think this, 09:03.499 --> 09:05.799 if you take a second to think about it, 09:05.799 --> 09:08.339 when your body dies and your brain's in the grave, 09:08.873 --> 09:10.413 You're still alive if you believe 09:10.413 --> 09:12.053 that you get to go to heaven, right? 09:12.053 --> 09:13.193 What part of you is that? 09:13.193 --> 09:14.533 That's your mind, your soul. 09:14.533 --> 09:17.113 And your soul and your mind are the part of you 09:17.113 --> 09:20.333 that's not made of flesh, the part that's not gonna die. 09:20.333 --> 09:22.573 And so your mind, the Bible says, 09:22.573 --> 09:24.793 "'When you renew your mind, your body will follow.'" 09:24.793 --> 09:26.793 It's Romans chapter 12. 09:26.793 --> 09:29.413 So you get your mind to tell your brain what to do 09:29.413 --> 09:31.113 and your brain will obey 09:31.113 --> 09:33.113 rather than you listening to your brain 09:33.113 --> 09:34.413 giving you these thoughts and feelings 09:34.413 --> 09:36.173 that were not usually true. 09:36.177 --> 09:52.357 So instead of being a slave to your feelings and your negative thoughts that are not rooted in truth, you can get dominion over your brain with your mind by renewing your mind with the truth of God's word and being led by the Holy Spirit, who is the spirit of truth. 09:52.445 --> 09:55.625 That's right, that's Ephesians 4 in a nutshell, okay? 09:55.625 --> 09:58.385 So in the book, the 10th commandment of self-reinforced, 09:58.385 --> 10:01.285 I give you this thing that thoughts become things. 10:01.285 --> 10:04.245 Thoughts become things means that when you think stuff, 10:04.245 --> 10:06.205 it turns into everything that's real in your life. 10:06.205 --> 10:07.685 Like everything that's real in your life 10:07.685 --> 10:09.505 started with things you were thinking about. 10:09.505 --> 10:13.025 And Ephesians 4 says, Paul talks about in verse 17, 10:13.025 --> 10:15.525 how the Gentiles and the people who aren't saved, 10:15.749 --> 10:17.109 all the stuff that they're doing, 10:17.109 --> 10:19.309 the adultery, the debauchery, the lies, 10:19.309 --> 10:20.909 all that stuff, drunkenness, 10:20.909 --> 10:23.869 is a result of what he calls futile thinking. 10:23.869 --> 10:25.729 So it starts with what you think about. 10:25.729 --> 10:28.669 The things that you do begin in your mind 10:28.669 --> 10:29.849 with the things that you think about, 10:29.849 --> 10:30.889 and then your brain turns them 10:30.889 --> 10:32.429 into real things in the world. 10:32.422 --> 10:34.602 And so that's incredibly important to understand 10:34.602 --> 10:37.542 that the rest of that chapter goes on to say, 10:37.642 --> 10:38.882 no, you're not like that. 10:38.942 --> 10:40.162 You've been bought, you've been redeemed. 10:40.422 --> 10:41.582 You're supposed to be renewed 10:41.582 --> 10:42.842 in the attitudes of your mind 10:42.842 --> 10:44.102 because when you get your mind right, 10:44.402 --> 10:45.502 your brain will get right 10:45.502 --> 10:47.322 and then your body and your life become right. 10:47.660 --> 10:49.660 So you don't let your brain lead you around 10:49.660 --> 10:50.959 and boss you around. 10:50.960 --> 10:52.740 You tell your mind, you renew your mind, 10:52.820 --> 10:55.880 let the Holy Spirit teach you to think better thoughts. 10:55.880 --> 10:57.180 That's Philippians 4, right? 10:57.420 --> 10:59.440 Whatever is true and lovely and noble and good 10:59.440 --> 11:01.240 and trustworthy and praiseworthy and all that stuff, 11:01.320 --> 11:02.459 think on these things. 11:02.460 --> 11:04.180 And then there's a promise on the back end of that. 11:04.240 --> 11:06.060 And then the peace of God will guard your hearts 11:06.060 --> 11:06.939 and your minds. 11:06.940 --> 11:08.280 We know now, for example, 11:08.800 --> 11:10.560 that the part of your brain that makes you anxious, 11:10.800 --> 11:12.060 the amygdala, 11:12.061 --> 11:14.821 can't do that thing of making you anxious 11:14.821 --> 11:16.761 when you think things that you're grateful for. 11:17.161 --> 11:19.581 So you can't be anxious and grateful at the same time. 11:19.701 --> 11:22.001 Which again, the first part of Philippians 4 says, 11:22.541 --> 11:23.581 be anxious for nothing, 11:23.961 --> 11:25.661 but in everything with thanksgiving, 11:25.941 --> 11:27.021 present your request to God 11:27.021 --> 11:28.301 and that's when that peace comes. 11:28.601 --> 11:30.721 So you can't be anxious and grateful at the same time. 11:30.761 --> 11:31.901 So if you start feeling anxious, 11:32.441 --> 11:33.841 the super hijack for that, 11:33.921 --> 11:35.861 the practical little self-brain surgery thing 11:35.861 --> 11:37.621 is to make yourself think of something 11:37.621 --> 11:39.161 you're glad about or thankful for. 11:39.381 --> 11:40.258 Even if it's just, 11:40.259 --> 11:41.298 I can take a breath. 11:41.299 --> 11:43.239 I can activate my parasympathetic nervous system 11:43.239 --> 11:44.178 and slow my heart rate down. 11:44.179 --> 11:47.099 I can take a second and not let this anxiety wash over me. 11:47.299 --> 11:49.579 You get into that gratitude space, guess what happens? 11:49.679 --> 11:51.359 Your prefrontal cortex comes online 11:51.359 --> 11:53.839 and that anxious part of your brain goes offline 11:53.839 --> 11:56.199 and you start thinking and making better decisions. 11:56.599 --> 11:58.279 And so all of a sudden now you've taken command 11:58.279 --> 12:00.919 of that process, which is exactly what you're designed to do. 12:01.359 --> 12:03.619 You're designed to put your mind in charge of your brain. 12:04.159 --> 12:05.959 So what is the prefrontal cortex? 12:05.959 --> 12:08.879 Is that something that is dictating 12:09.368 --> 12:10.707 The rest of the brain? 12:10.708 --> 12:12.748 So the prefrontal cortex is like the CEO. 12:12.948 --> 12:13.667 Okay. 12:13.668 --> 12:16.708 It's the boss who can make rational decisions. 12:16.848 --> 12:18.828 The amygdala is the fear center. 12:18.988 --> 12:19.887 It's afraid. 12:19.888 --> 12:21.388 Its job is to keep you alive. 12:21.548 --> 12:24.428 That's what tells you when you're on top of like a skyscraper, don't jump. 12:24.528 --> 12:24.867 Right. 12:24.868 --> 12:26.348 Or if a, you know, if a, yeah, exactly. 12:26.468 --> 12:27.087 Don't jump. 12:27.088 --> 12:28.488 The frontal cortex is telling you that. 12:28.768 --> 12:32.068 But if a bear, you know, crashes into your living room, you're supposed to run away. 12:32.068 --> 12:33.888 You're not supposed to sit there and ponder it. 12:34.108 --> 12:35.308 You know, you're supposed to run away. 12:35.388 --> 12:36.127 That's amygdala. 12:36.128 --> 12:38.088 So amygdala puts you into fight or flight. 12:38.073 --> 12:40.433 But amygdala is a terrible decision maker 12:40.433 --> 12:42.313 because when you're scared and when you're anxious 12:42.313 --> 12:44.653 and you're running away, you can't make good decisions, right? 12:44.713 --> 12:47.673 And that's because the prefrontal cortex goes offline 12:47.673 --> 12:49.293 when you're in a survival mode. 12:49.632 --> 12:55.072 When you're in a thought mode, a rational, reasonable decision-making mode, your frontal cortex takes over. 12:55.152 --> 12:58.052 And that's the part of your brain that's good at decision-making. 12:58.392 --> 13:03.972 So if you want to train your kids, for example, again, to be good decision-makers and not emotional decision-makers, 13:04.332 --> 13:07.892 you have to teach them to take a second, get in a place where you're not afraid. 13:08.032 --> 13:09.312 That's where prayer is going to help you. 13:09.372 --> 13:11.372 The peace of God will guard your hearts and mind. 13:11.372 --> 13:14.032 Prayer and thanksgiving keep going back to Philippians 4. 13:14.438 --> 13:20.998 Your frontal cortex will come online and you'll enable the best part of your brain to help you make decisions that are going to lead to better outcomes. 13:21.543 --> 13:28.403 So for people who, because one of the things that trauma does with PTSD is it's your brain's way of trying to help you survive. 13:28.663 --> 13:34.523 But it can be very inconvenient because it will have you be afraid of things that you really shouldn't be afraid of. 13:34.663 --> 13:35.943 And you'll be in fight or flight mode. 13:36.063 --> 13:37.202 You'll have anxiety. 13:37.203 --> 13:37.422 That's right. 13:37.423 --> 13:40.803 And in your, you know, but it's the situation that you actually are safe. 13:40.983 --> 13:41.302 That's right. 13:41.303 --> 13:48.443 What is a way to hack that and correct that so your brain is not freaking out over things that are not actually a real threat? 13:48.543 --> 13:51.603 That's right, again, it's this immediate questioning 13:51.603 --> 13:53.283 and getting curious about what you're feeling. 13:53.283 --> 13:56.643 So don't, and I had it too, after the war, 13:56.643 --> 13:58.863 I would hear a car backfire 13:58.863 --> 14:00.083 and I'd think I was getting mortared. 14:00.083 --> 14:01.543 Like I would get into a panic state. 14:01.543 --> 14:02.382 Yeah. 14:02.383 --> 14:04.103 You have to remind yourself, 14:04.103 --> 14:06.303 look around, take a second, take a breath, 14:06.312 --> 14:09.692 Look at the scenario that you're in and remind yourself that you're not in danger. 14:10.052 --> 14:15.312 So my brain's telling me I'm in danger, but my eyes, I can look around and see that I'm not in danger. 14:15.792 --> 14:21.292 So that means that what I'm feeling isn't accurate and I don't have to react to things that are inaccurate. 14:21.772 --> 14:22.251 Right. 14:22.252 --> 14:26.052 So you can, again, get curious about what you're thinking rather than reactive to it. 14:26.392 --> 14:31.592 Knowing that if you remind yourself that most of what you think and feel is not immediately true, 14:31.591 --> 14:38.531 Then you can take that second and get that executive function back online to say, hey, I know I feel this, but feelings aren't facts. 14:38.651 --> 14:39.731 Feelings are chemical events. 14:39.811 --> 14:41.231 They're neurotransmitters in my brain. 14:41.231 --> 14:51.451 So I can remind myself of that truth and then take a second to get myself back in a command position where I'm letting the CEO make a decision instead of the fear center. 14:51.751 --> 14:57.471 That was really interesting how you're talking about because it's like how all 80% of what we think and feel is not. 14:58.338 --> 15:01.798 true and that our brains are trying to kind of create a story. 15:02.118 --> 15:07.058 And that's what's powerful is that you can believe a lie and then you have a story in 15:07.058 --> 15:08.278 your brain that's not true. 15:08.498 --> 15:14.058 And so it's so important to create a story and a narrative via the word of God and truth 15:14.058 --> 15:14.377 of God. 15:14.378 --> 15:15.217 That's right. 15:15.218 --> 15:19.258 That is true and hopeful so that you're not making... 15:19.246 --> 15:21.726 Because that's going to affect your decision-making and everything. 15:22.026 --> 15:26.646 The brain doesn't have an ability to discern between something that's real and something you're just imagining. 15:26.886 --> 15:28.646 That's why the Bible says don't worry about anything. 15:28.646 --> 15:35.026 Because worry is an imagined scenario that your brain is obligated to create a physiological response to. 15:35.366 --> 15:40.226 So your brain doesn't know you're not actually in trouble or that you're not actually getting in danger. 15:40.222 --> 15:43.502 Your brain's just listening to you tell it that you're worried or that you're afraid 15:43.502 --> 15:45.922 and you're just going to create the physiology to go with that. 15:46.282 --> 15:51.362 That's why if you go to your mailbox and pull out an envelope and it says IRS, right? 15:51.362 --> 15:53.122 You might think, oh, I'm getting audited. 15:53.202 --> 15:56.262 And you start to be afraid and your hair stands up and your heart quickens 15:56.262 --> 15:58.782 and your breath speeds up and all that. 15:58.784 --> 16:02.524 Or if you've been expecting your tax refund, you might be excited, right? 16:02.564 --> 16:03.804 You might say, oh, wow, I'm getting this money. 16:03.944 --> 16:05.124 I need to make my house payment. 16:05.584 --> 16:06.864 And what do you feel when you're excited? 16:06.944 --> 16:09.904 Your hair stands up, your heart rate quickens, your breath gets faster. 16:10.324 --> 16:14.224 The same physiological response is happening in two situations. 16:14.224 --> 16:16.304 Exactly the same chemical things are happening. 16:16.904 --> 16:22.944 What makes one fear and one excitement is the story you're telling yourself about what you're feeling. 16:22.949 --> 16:24.069 not the feelings themselves. 16:24.069 --> 16:26.229 Feelings aren't facts, they're just chemical events. 16:26.229 --> 16:30.249 And so if you remember that what you decide something means 16:30.249 --> 16:33.309 is what makes it real, not the actual thing. 16:33.309 --> 16:34.609 And then I look at that envelope again 16:34.609 --> 16:36.129 and you realize it was your neighbors, 16:36.129 --> 16:37.289 they put it in the wrong mailbox. 16:37.289 --> 16:39.149 It was never even true in the first place, 16:39.149 --> 16:41.709 but you were having a physiologic reaction to it 16:41.709 --> 16:44.129 that you made a story up about it was exciting 16:44.129 --> 16:45.789 or it was scary, right? 16:45.789 --> 16:47.249 And it wasn't even for you. 16:47.249 --> 16:48.629 And that's the thing the enemy does. 16:48.629 --> 16:51.749 He puts a lot of stuff in our life that's never for us. 16:51.738 --> 16:53.678 is God has a different story for you. 16:53.678 --> 16:56.238 And so you take a second to tell yourself 16:56.238 --> 16:59.078 that the story you're hearing isn't necessarily true. 16:59.078 --> 17:01.378 And then let God help you get back to truth. 17:01.378 --> 17:05.018 Use scripture to replace automatic false thinking, 17:05.018 --> 17:06.698 and you'll find yourself on the right path. 17:07.145 --> 17:12.945 Yeah, it's that false prophecy where it's like God gives us the prophecy and the truth of his word 17:12.945 --> 17:16.085 and like the hope of a good future and the enemy speaks the opposite. 17:16.265 --> 17:17.725 He wants us to believe the worst. 17:17.825 --> 17:18.884 He wants us to worry. 17:18.885 --> 17:20.145 He speaks lies to us. 17:20.145 --> 17:24.365 So that's crazy just seeing it all in this context play out. 17:24.725 --> 17:29.825 You gave a hack for anxiety and you have a lot of hacks for different things in the book. 17:29.945 --> 17:32.145 I saw one for suffering. 17:32.405 --> 17:33.445 Can you speak to that one? 17:33.525 --> 17:35.145 So I call it the suffering substitution. 17:38.145 --> 17:39.144 substitution. 17:38.887 --> 17:40.046 This sense when you're suffering, 17:39.145 --> 17:40.047 This is 17:40.047 --> 17:43.146 like after I lost my son, 17:43.147 --> 17:44.666 it begins to tell you a story 17:44.667 --> 17:46.146 that what you're feeling now 17:46.147 --> 17:50.227 is what you're always going to feel. 17:50.228 --> 17:51.807 And again, your brain doesn't really process what's, 17:51.808 --> 17:54.607 it doesn't present to you what's actually true. 17:54.608 --> 17:55.727 It presents to you information to support the story 17:55.728 --> 17:59.107 that you're telling it. 17:59.108 --> 18:01.127 And so if you begin to ruminate on what you're feeling, 18:01.128 --> 18:04.427 like after you lose the child, 18:04.428 --> 18:07.207 you're projecting the darkness that you feel now 18:07.208 --> 18:10.402 into the future as if it's the only thing you'll ever feel. 18:10.403 --> 18:12.742 And then your brain begins to filter out anything 18:12.743 --> 18:14.222 that might also be hopeful or a future 18:14.223 --> 18:16.062 that might look different than that. 18:16.063 --> 18:17.602 And it's just gonna show you the pain 18:17.603 --> 18:20.322 and the anguish and the suffering. 18:20.323 --> 18:23.122 So what you have to do then is you have to substitute 18:23.123 --> 18:26.222 something for the immediate story that you're telling. 18:26.223 --> 18:27.922 And for me, it was this ability to understand 18:27.923 --> 18:30.882 that I had lost my son, 18:30.883 --> 18:33.162 but I hadn't lost the life that I had with him. 18:33.163 --> 18:35.902 And so we had all this joy and all this humor 18:35.903 --> 18:39.286 and all these fun things that he had brought into our lives. 18:39.287 --> 18:40.866 And also I found that when I started telling other people 18:40.867 --> 18:43.586 and writing books and doing podcasts 18:43.587 --> 18:45.346 about how I was finding hope, 18:45.347 --> 18:48.886 my family and I were finding hope again, 18:48.887 --> 18:50.906 that we found other parents that didn't have that ability 18:50.907 --> 18:53.486 to articulate those things that we're starting to write in 18:53.487 --> 18:56.126 and say, wow, I was so dark until I heard 18:56.127 --> 18:59.966 that you were finding hope again and now maybe I can too. 18:59.967 --> 19:01.906 So what we did is we substituted the loss of our son 19:01.907 --> 19:05.031 for the legacy of our son. 19:05.032 --> 19:06.871 And so that starts to tell your brain 19:06.872 --> 19:09.091 that the suffering that you're feeling 19:09.092 --> 19:09.931 can now have a purpose behind it. 19:09.932 --> 19:12.131 And Viktor Frankl, 19:12.132 --> 19:14.831 when he was in the concentration camps wrote 19:14.832 --> 19:16.351 that man's suffering stops feeling like suffering 19:16.352 --> 19:18.731 when it has purpose. 19:18.732 --> 19:20.615 And so if you can give your suffering a purpose, 19:20.616 --> 19:23.435 I say, okay, I don't understand why these things happen, 19:23.436 --> 19:26.275 but I can see that there's a future that I can build 19:26.276 --> 19:28.895 where my son's loss becomes a legacy and I can honor him. 19:28.896 --> 19:32.735 Every time I do a podcast like this and I talk about him, 19:32.736 --> 19:35.135 I'm now using the loss of him to help other people. 19:35.136 --> 19:37.557 And that means his life didn't end 19:37.558 --> 19:41.357 on August 20th of 2013. 19:41.358 --> 19:42.997 His life is continuing to matter now and into the future. 19:42.998 --> 19:44.877 And I know that someday he's now part 19:44.878 --> 19:46.657 of that great cloud of witnesses where he's out there. 19:46.658 --> 19:48.957 Yeah, dad, you did a good job on that podcast. 19:48.958 --> 19:52.737 So I've got a purpose for that. 19:52.738 --> 19:54.617 So if you can substitute something that's real and true 19:54.618 --> 19:56.617 and still matters and gives you purpose 19:56.618 --> 19:59.697 for the thing that is causing you suffering, 19:59.698 --> 20:02.207 then the suffering will lessen and the purpose will build. 20:02.208 --> 20:07.767 It makes me think of that verse where Paul says, 20:07.768 --> 20:08.307 our present sufferings are nothing compared to the weight of the glory that is in store. 20:08.308 --> 20:11.587 That's right. 20:11.588 --> 20:17.627 And so, and that's one of the beautiful things about our faith is that 20:17.628 --> 20:21.607 when we are living our lives with God and in accordance to His ways and His purposes 20:21.608 --> 20:22.127 and step with Him, that our suffering does have a purpose. 20:22.128 --> 20:23.699 That's right. 20:23.700 --> 20:26.759 And that it's not for nothing. 20:26.760 --> 20:28.739 And that we have an eternity to look forward to. 20:28.740 --> 20:31.739 And so it's reframing everything. 20:31.740 --> 20:34.099 You know, you were talking about how important it is, 20:34.100 --> 20:37.339 the stories that our brains believe 20:37.340 --> 20:39.159 and what we are putting into our thought life. 20:39.160 --> 20:45.581 And I was thinking... 20:45.582 --> 20:46.081 not only importance of disciplining our mind, but also the content that we consume. 20:46.082 --> 20:48.581 That's right. 20:48.582 --> 20:53.881 Because it could almost rewrite— 20:53.882 --> 20:57.061 because you're talking about like how we live our lives, that like thoughts become things. 20:57.062 --> 20:57.561 So I'm just thinking if you're filling your mind up with garbage, 20:57.562 --> 21:01.221 That's right. 21:01.222 --> 21:03.561 stuff that's sinful or stuff that's depressing or things like that, 21:03.562 --> 21:04.601 it's going to accumulate into things. 21:04.602 --> 21:06.949 Can you speak to that? 21:06.950 --> 21:10.489 Yeah, so there's a verse in Romans 21:10.490 --> 21:11.729 that talks about how the mindset on the flesh is death. 21:11.730 --> 21:14.569 And I think most of us hear that 21:14.570 --> 21:17.409 and we think we're thinking about sinful things. 21:17.410 --> 21:19.689 It just really means if you're thinking about your body 21:19.690 --> 21:21.649 and your life more than you're thinking 21:21.650 --> 21:23.676 about the spiritual things, 21:23.677 --> 21:25.536 then what happens is your brain begins to filter 21:25.537 --> 21:26.816 and only look for more things 21:26.817 --> 21:28.716 that support what you're feeling. 21:28.717 --> 21:30.936 So if you're worried about your anxiety 21:30.937 --> 21:32.596 or you're filling yourself up with short form content 21:32.597 --> 21:34.176 that hijacks the parts of your brain 21:34.177 --> 21:36.896 that allow you to make good rational decisions, 21:36.897 --> 21:39.876 then you're teaching your brain to focus 21:39.877 --> 21:42.296 on needing more of that path to getting your dopamine 21:42.297 --> 21:44.891 or needing more of that to feel a certain thing. 21:44.892 --> 21:47.491 and your brain starts to create a reality 21:47.492 --> 21:50.631 where that's the only thing that you can use 21:50.632 --> 21:53.251 to keep yourself feeling validated or hopeful, 21:53.252 --> 21:55.611 then you're giving yourself the wrong substrate 21:55.612 --> 21:57.311 for the ability to think and process 21:57.312 --> 21:59.871 and feel things that matter. 21:59.872 --> 22:01.591 So what the Bible says is the mindset on the spirit 22:01.592 --> 22:03.531 is life and peace. 22:03.532 --> 22:05.651 So you keep chasing what you think 22:05.652 --> 22:08.731 is gonna give you peace or satisfaction 22:08.732 --> 22:11.614 through content that never has the ability to do that. 22:11.615 --> 22:15.174 because you're driving your brain in the wrong direction to begin with. 22:15.175 --> 22:17.074 So I think what's happening is we're chasing the wrong things, 22:17.075 --> 22:20.234 which is typical of humans, right? 22:20.235 --> 22:22.194 Chasing the wrong stuff because we have an enemy that wants to remind us 22:22.195 --> 22:24.914 to keep chasing those things. 22:24.915 --> 22:27.674 But that path never leads to life. 22:27.675 --> 22:29.854 So if you set your mind on things above, the Bible said, 22:29.855 --> 22:32.314 then you have this ability to find peace, 22:32.315 --> 22:34.494 and then you can put everything else in the proper context. 22:34.495 --> 22:36.594 So what you're saying is there's scientific evidence 22:36.595 --> 22:37.392 that TikTok reels are not good? 22:37.393 --> 22:47.393 Absolutely. 22:47.993 --> 22:55.432 Anything that gives you quick access to dopamine that doesn't have purpose behind it will hijack your life and you'll become addicted to it. 22:55.433 --> 22:56.052 So any way that you can get dopamine, because people think dopamine is about reward, but it's really about motivation. 22:56.053 --> 22:58.291 Mm-hmm. 22:58.292 --> 23:00.011 And so what dopamine does then is it motivates you 23:00.012 --> 23:02.131 to keep doing more of that thing. 23:02.132 --> 23:04.871 And that's how substance addictions happen. 23:04.872 --> 23:07.011 But it's also what hijacks your brain 23:07.012 --> 23:08.871 to keep chasing the next thing. 23:08.872 --> 23:12.571 And by the way, this isn't an accident. 23:12.572 --> 23:13.691 These algorithms are designed to keep you scrolling 23:13.692 --> 23:16.091 and chasing that dopamine 23:16.092 --> 23:19.351 because that's how they can present more advertising to you. 23:19.352 --> 23:22.151 So there are really smart people in Silicon Valley 23:22.152 --> 23:25.351 who are designing these apps to keep your children 23:25.352 --> 23:28.906 and all of us scrolling and doing that thing. 23:28.907 --> 23:32.866 So what you're doing is you're creating a brain that's chasing dopamine 23:32.867 --> 23:39.526 in ways that dopamine wasn't designed to give you long-lasting pleasure. 23:39.527 --> 23:41.886 So short-form dopamine hits will create more and more addictive behavior over time. 23:41.887 --> 23:46.986 So short-form content is really dangerous. 23:46.987 --> 23:47.466 Would a good form of dopamine be like walking or going backpacking? 23:47.467 --> 23:52.706 Absolutely. 23:52.707 --> 23:55.981 So moving gives you a reward of dopamine and brain-derived neurotrophic properties. 23:55.982 --> 24:00.201 which is another neurotransmitter related to feeling good. 24:00.202 --> 24:03.521 Those two things, movement generates those two neurotransmitters 24:03.522 --> 24:04.722 in a way that is also making your body physically more healthy. 24:06.962 --> 24:10.401 So when you get dopamine like that, 24:10.402 --> 24:12.481 it's encouraging you to do something that's good for your body, right? 24:12.482 --> 24:16.498 So now you're moving, you're not scrolling. 24:16.499 --> 24:21.118 Now you're moving your body, you're getting physically fit, and you're getting muscle mass, 24:21.119 --> 24:24.038 which is key to longevity and overall health. And you're not just sitting and scrolling and 24:24.039 --> 24:29.098 rotting your brain away and hijacking your dopamine reward system. 24:29.099 --> 24:35.438 Also, another thing that they talked about is, and I've thought about this on Instagram, 24:35.439 --> 24:41.698 for me, especially the way that algorithm is set up for me, is you have such a wide range of like, 24:41.699 --> 24:42.098 you were never designed to experience something extremely happy and then something horrible. 24:42.099 --> 24:44.314 That's right. 24:44.315 --> 24:46.034 are very sad and then scary, you know? 24:46.035 --> 24:47.274 And it's like, you're getting all of these things. 24:47.275 --> 24:48.894 There's a lot of fear-based stuff. 24:48.895 --> 24:52.314 And I'm like, there's just that, 24:52.315 --> 24:53.574 just experiencing that wide range is not healthy or normal 24:53.575 --> 24:55.554 because in your day-to-day life, 24:55.555 --> 24:57.974 you're not going to experience these super highs 24:57.975 --> 24:58.948 and super lows, but all of this stuff is kind of on. 24:58.949 --> 25:02.328 That's right. 25:02.329 --> 25:05.228 And you also don't have an ability to shield your kids 25:05.229 --> 25:06.788 or even yourself from things that you shouldn't ever 25:06.789 --> 25:08.668 be focusing on or thinking about 25:08.669 --> 25:09.948 because they're getting presented to you 25:09.949 --> 25:12.168 in such a quick way. 25:12.169 --> 25:13.668 We saw that the week that Charlie Kirk 25:13.669 --> 25:15.648 and the young Ukrainian woman died 25:15.649 --> 25:18.308 and there was a school shooting the same week. 25:18.309 --> 25:19.668 And all of a sudden, normal people 25:19.669 --> 25:22.548 in the middle of their normal day 25:22.549 --> 25:23.668 were seeing people violently murdered in front of them. 25:23.669 --> 25:26.634 Like the video, yeah. 25:26.635 --> 25:27.894 But what's happening is because it's in that context 25:27.895 --> 25:30.174 and in that format, 25:30.175 --> 25:32.834 you're getting that dopamine release from it, 25:32.835 --> 25:35.154 which is then wiring you to not be as shocked 25:35.155 --> 25:37.354 and actually your brain to think you're being rewarded 25:37.355 --> 25:40.354 by seeing that horrific content. 25:40.355 --> 25:43.414 And so now you're creating a circuit in your brain 25:43.415 --> 25:45.514 that says I need progressively more shocking things 25:45.515 --> 25:47.474 to activate that dopamine system. 25:47.475 --> 25:51.014 And you're not even processing that consciously, 25:51.015 --> 25:52.934 but now you're looking for more content to shock you 25:52.935 --> 25:55.135 and make you keep scrolling. 25:55.136 --> 25:56.435 And the algorithm will begin to feed you that 25:56.436 --> 25:57.915 because that's how they wired it. 25:57.916 --> 25:59.635 Like whatever you're clicking on 25:59.636 --> 26:00.835 is gonna be presented to you more. 26:00.836 --> 26:03.175 So before you know it, 26:03.176 --> 26:05.395 you need to see things that are fairly alarming 26:05.396 --> 26:07.055 to get that same neurotransmitter reward. 26:07.056 --> 26:08.295 That's why the Bible says so carefully, 26:08.296 --> 26:10.155 guard your heart, 26:10.156 --> 26:11.215 be careful what you put your eyes on. 26:11.216 --> 26:13.515 Jesus said several times, 26:13.516 --> 26:14.555 like the eyes are the lamp to the soul. 26:14.556 --> 26:15.655 Like if you're getting darkness 26:15.656 --> 26:17.595 and you think it's light, 26:17.596 --> 26:20.095 it's gonna lead you into all kinds of trouble. 26:20.096 --> 26:21.655 And he said, be very careful how you listen. 26:21.656 --> 26:22.635 Like the things that you put your ears on 26:22.636 --> 26:26.655 and your eyes on, 26:26.656 --> 26:33.115 Because attention we know now is really the scalpel of how your brain becomes what it is. 26:33.116 --> 26:39.395 Like things you pay attention to and the amount of attention you pay to them is what becomes real in your world. 26:39.396 --> 26:42.815 So be very careful what you're allowing to see, to show your eyes and your brain with that algorithm. 26:42.816 --> 26:44.892 What are some other good ways to get dopamine in like a healthy way? 26:44.893 --> 26:45.372 So, again. 26:45.373 --> 26:46.172 Probably sex. 26:46.173 --> 26:46.632 What's that? 26:46.633 --> 26:50.992 Sex. 26:50.993 --> 26:52.172 Sex is a powerful releaser of neurochemicals. 26:52.173 --> 26:52.532 See, I worked that in there. 26:52.533 --> 26:55.452 Yeah. 26:55.453 --> 26:58.552 Before you say anything else, I wanted to put mine in there. 26:58.553 --> 27:02.952 So, really, so dopamine is about motivation, right? 27:02.953 --> 27:07.412 So, it's designed to keep you chasing things that are supposed to be good for you. 27:07.413 --> 27:09.352 But, again, your brain doesn't know the difference between what's good and what you're pondering and what's bad. 27:09.353 --> 27:14.945 It just does what you tell it to do. 27:14.946 --> 27:21.285 So you want to get your neurochemical release from things that are actually helpful to you. 27:21.286 --> 27:26.425 And so as Christians, we want to make sure that we're setting our minds on things that are going to reward us for things that we should actually be pursuing. 27:26.426 --> 27:28.585 So exercise, activity, human interaction, is that oxytocin, serotonin release? 27:28.586 --> 27:30.122 I get mine with... 27:30.123 --> 27:31.382 being playful with you and the kids. 27:31.383 --> 27:33.142 Face to face. 27:33.143 --> 27:35.662 You know, after work, before work, 27:35.663 --> 27:37.842 I get mine with working out. 27:37.843 --> 27:38.682 During work, I get mine through walking. 27:38.683 --> 27:39.522 Are those correct? 27:39.523 --> 27:40.402 Going outside. 27:40.403 --> 27:42.362 Absolutely. 27:42.363 --> 27:46.642 There's one little caveat too, though, 27:46.643 --> 27:48.342 is that you shouldn't be a person who just tells yourself 27:48.343 --> 27:50.062 that you're going to do certain things, 27:50.063 --> 27:51.402 especially when you tell your wife, 27:51.403 --> 27:53.282 I'm gonna go work out. 27:53.283 --> 27:55.262 You get a little bit of dopamine release 27:55.263 --> 27:56.102 when you say something you intend to do. 27:56.103 --> 27:57.362 Why? 27:57.363 --> 27:59.611 Because your brain is always listening 27:59.612 --> 28:00.891 and preparing you to become what you say 28:00.892 --> 28:02.991 you're going to become. 28:02.992 --> 28:05.011 So you get a little bit of dopamine reward. 28:05.012 --> 28:06.271 And for some of us, that's enough. 28:06.272 --> 28:07.971 We just get that little feel good. 28:07.972 --> 28:09.871 Oh, I had all these great plans. 28:09.872 --> 28:11.811 And you start feeling good 28:11.812 --> 28:14.271 and you never actually do it, right? 28:14.272 --> 28:16.891 And so just make sure that you train your brain 28:16.892 --> 28:18.071 that you're going to be a person who follows through 28:18.072 --> 28:20.091 on your intentions as well 28:20.092 --> 28:24.943 and not just talking about things all the time. 28:24.944 --> 28:30.063 So for a few years now, there's been warnings of screens for our children. 28:30.064 --> 28:35.323 Now they're coming out saying that the distracted parent on the screen 28:35.324 --> 28:39.403 is actually even worse than even the screens for our kids. 28:39.404 --> 28:42.343 And I'm just thinking about being addicted to short-form content, 28:42.344 --> 28:46.543 zoning out and getting dopamine hits on the phone. 28:46.544 --> 28:56.529 And it's like I'm just feeling so convicted to just put our phones away. 28:56.530 --> 29:02.429 The whole time where, I know we've talked about this, with our kids because they're calling it like tech, I think internet orphans or technology orphans or something. 29:02.430 --> 29:02.809 Where it's like these kids are losing these moments with us and it's not enough to like look and then look at them and look back. 29:02.810 --> 29:05.109 That's right. 29:05.110 --> 29:08.649 There's a really good study recently that looked at that. 29:08.650 --> 29:11.471 They looked at kids who had aggressive behavior patterns. 29:11.472 --> 29:14.271 And everybody thought it was because the kids were on screens. 29:14.272 --> 29:18.271 And what it turned out to be was that their parents were on screen. 29:18.272 --> 29:21.411 So the kids were angry and upset that they couldn't get their parents' attention. 29:21.412 --> 29:24.351 You go to a restaurant and you watch, it's tragic. 29:24.352 --> 29:26.765 You have a kid trying to get mom and dad's attention and both parents are... 29:26.766 --> 29:29.925 scrolling away because they're in that dopamine loop. 29:29.926 --> 29:31.545 And so your kids are wanting interaction with you 29:31.546 --> 29:33.765 more than they want what's on the screen. 29:33.766 --> 29:36.345 So don't use it as a substitute babysitter, 29:36.346 --> 29:38.005 but also don't use it to check out away from them. 29:38.006 --> 29:39.445 They need your presence. 29:39.446 --> 29:41.165 I mean, God gave you those kids. 29:41.166 --> 29:43.605 And if you've lost one like I have, 29:43.606 --> 29:44.625 like you don't know how much time 29:44.626 --> 29:46.865 you have left with your kids. 29:46.866 --> 29:49.625 Don't spend it all scrolling on Instagram. 29:49.626 --> 29:50.705 I implore you, like not only is it bad for your brain, 29:50.706 --> 29:52.625 it's bad for their brains, 29:52.626 --> 29:54.259 but you don't know how much time you have with them. 29:54.260 --> 29:57.159 What would your advice be? 29:57.160 --> 30:00.839 Is it just better to just cut it out completely? 30:00.840 --> 30:03.799 Or is there a way that you can balance it where you give yourself a little bit each day? 30:03.800 --> 30:08.099 I think balance is a good thing in any context. 30:08.100 --> 30:11.479 But the idea is that you shouldn't, especially late at night, 30:11.480 --> 30:13.319 like right before you go to sleep is the worst time for you to be scrolling 30:13.320 --> 30:13.979 because you're giving your brain. 30:13.980 --> 30:15.219 What's going on here? 30:15.220 --> 30:16.579 I'm looking at you too. 30:16.580 --> 30:21.819 Well, think about it. 30:21.820 --> 30:23.281 So you're giving your brain stimulus when you need to be getting your brain into relaxation mode. 30:23.282 --> 30:23.541 And that's why you struggle to fall asleep. 30:23.542 --> 30:26.821 Exactly. 30:26.822 --> 30:29.801 And then when you do sleep, you don't sleep well because you're still in this ruminating 30:29.802 --> 30:35.221 mode of all this neurochemistry that's got bouncing around your brain. 30:35.222 --> 30:37.281 So it's the same reason alcohol before bedtime is a terrible slope because you think it relaxes 30:37.282 --> 30:42.061 you and it does transiently, but it wrecks your sleep. 30:42.062 --> 30:43.141 It gets your blood sugar all spiked up and gets your brain chemistry out of whack for 30:43.142 --> 30:45.761 the next 72 hours. 30:45.762 --> 30:47.441 And so you fall asleep, but you don't sleep well. 30:47.442 --> 30:50.021 And the next day you're paying a tax. 30:50.022 --> 30:52.716 In the book, we talk about something called the tomorrow tax, like you're 30:52.717 --> 30:54.056 You're paying a tax tomorrow for something you did today 30:54.057 --> 30:55.556 because you didn't want to think about something 30:55.557 --> 30:58.036 that you needed to deal with today. 30:58.037 --> 31:00.476 Jesus says every day has got enough trouble of its own. 31:00.477 --> 31:02.616 So don't be dragging today's troubles into tomorrow 31:02.617 --> 31:05.296 because you anesthetize yourself today. 31:05.297 --> 31:07.956 So you can anesthetize yourself with alcohol, 31:07.957 --> 31:08.357 but you can also do it with your Instagram or with your phone 31:08.358 --> 31:11.197 Yes. 31:11.198 --> 31:13.097 What's your nighttime ritual for optimal sleep? 31:13.098 --> 31:13.777 Wait, I got to say one thing to this and then we'll do the nighttime ritual. 31:13.778 --> 31:16.657 You say your thing. 31:16.658 --> 31:19.117 The problem is, and I've done this before in the past to cope, 31:19.118 --> 31:20.298 really just putting myself on blast in this episode, 31:24.778 --> 31:28.277 is get on, when I would have a thought that was worrying me and I was afraid, 31:28.278 --> 31:31.817 I would get on Instagram because I didn't know how to cope with that thought. 31:31.818 --> 31:32.317 The problem is, is that the moment you're off of it, it's still there. 31:32.318 --> 31:33.747 That's right. 31:33.748 --> 31:35.147 That's self anesthesia. 31:35.148 --> 31:36.687 I mean, you're numbing yourself 31:36.688 --> 31:39.047 for whatever it is that you don't wanna process. 31:39.048 --> 31:41.827 And I'm not a perfect practitioner of this either, 31:41.828 --> 31:44.387 but the method that would work the best 31:44.388 --> 31:45.667 was to be at least for the last half hour of your day 31:45.668 --> 31:48.127 to get off the screen, 31:48.128 --> 31:49.547 read a physical book or journal 31:49.548 --> 31:51.627 or spend some time in prayer, 31:51.628 --> 31:54.104 turn the screens off, including your television, 31:54.105 --> 31:56.344 Like you don't wanna get all that flashing light 31:56.345 --> 31:57.184 and all those triggering of neurochemistry 31:57.185 --> 31:59.224 going in your brain. 31:59.225 --> 32:01.704 You wanna be getting your brain into this mode 32:01.705 --> 32:04.044 of getting prepared for deep rest. 32:04.045 --> 32:05.624 And so getting away from screens and blue lights 32:05.625 --> 32:08.624 and all that stuff and getting your brain 32:08.625 --> 32:10.564 into this rest mode is really a helpful practice 32:10.565 --> 32:11.484 that will produce better sleep for you. 32:11.485 --> 32:13.304 And when you sleep better, 32:13.305 --> 32:14.704 your chemistry is better the next day, 32:14.705 --> 32:16.344 which means you're gonna start the day. 32:16.345 --> 32:17.504 And I think that morning quiet time 32:17.505 --> 32:18.604 is really important too. 32:18.605 --> 32:20.833 Start the day. 32:20.834 --> 32:21.233 being in command of your mind and your brain. 32:21.234 --> 32:23.573 Yeah. 32:23.574 --> 32:25.793 One of the things, and you're talking about that blue light, 32:25.794 --> 32:29.113 one of the things I was learning about with circadian rhythm, 32:29.114 --> 32:30.633 the natural flow when the sun comes up and the sun comes down. 32:30.634 --> 32:32.493 And, you know, like a hundred years ago, 32:32.494 --> 32:36.393 there would be no way to have any kind of, 32:36.394 --> 32:39.593 these screens are really hijacking the natural rhythm of life. 32:39.594 --> 32:42.413 And it's just throwing us completely off and our sleep is jacked up. 32:42.414 --> 32:45.733 When you make that connection, you can have a more peaceful. 32:45.734 --> 32:47.133 And I know that getting a good night's sleep is one of the best. 32:47.134 --> 32:50.532 I mean, that's when I feel the best. 32:50.533 --> 32:51.752 Even when I go to the gym in the morning, because I go at 5 a.m., 32:51.753 --> 32:54.892 so it's still dark outside. 32:54.893 --> 32:57.972 And when I walk in and the lights are so bright, 32:57.973 --> 33:00.092 my body is literally like it's too, it's not correct. 33:00.093 --> 33:00.552 Literally today specifically when I walked in. 33:00.553 --> 33:02.712 Did you feel it? 33:02.713 --> 33:03.012 Yeah, like my body was just like turned around. 33:03.013 --> 33:04.551 Yeah. 33:04.552 --> 33:06.951 Because it's throwing your rhythm off. 33:06.952 --> 33:10.251 It was, you know, because it's just, it goes from, 33:10.252 --> 33:11.891 it's still dark outside, but inside it's just so bright. 33:11.892 --> 33:14.891 And they're blasting music. 33:14.892 --> 33:16.451 So it's a big jarring to the system. 33:16.452 --> 33:18.751 And then I was doing the opposite. 33:18.752 --> 33:20.951 I didn't even tell you that I didn't sleep good last night. 33:20.952 --> 33:22.031 And part of the issue was because I was on my phone. 33:22.032 --> 33:24.769 And I was like, you're just... 33:24.770 --> 33:26.589 It literally makes your brain think, oh, you're not tired. 33:26.590 --> 33:31.029 But then I had to get up and get something from the kitchen. 33:31.030 --> 33:36.509 And when I got up and it was pitch black in the house, I was like, oh, I'm so tired. 33:36.510 --> 33:41.069 And so we really need to shut those off and give your brain some time to calm down. 33:41.070 --> 33:43.369 What for people, because this is so common, if someone has a thought in their mind, 33:43.370 --> 33:47.869 because this happens a lot of times before you go to sleep, 33:47.870 --> 33:49.489 and you have something pressing on your mind and you're struggling to calm down and sleep, 33:49.490 --> 33:50.885 do you have any kind of hack for that? 33:50.886 --> 33:52.505 There's a little tool you can use. 33:52.506 --> 33:54.505 I call it the thought biopsy, 33:54.506 --> 33:55.525 because I'm a surgeon, so we're always biopsying things 33:55.526 --> 33:57.045 to try to figure out what they are 33:57.046 --> 33:59.965 before we take action on them. 33:59.966 --> 34:02.665 So again, remind yourself that about 80% of the things 34:02.666 --> 34:04.625 that you automatically think and feel aren't true. 34:04.626 --> 34:05.985 So the first test is, is this true? 34:05.986 --> 34:07.965 Is it like Daniel Amen says, 34:07.966 --> 34:09.425 is it 100% true all the time? 34:09.426 --> 34:10.445 So ask yourself if it's true. 34:10.446 --> 34:12.025 And then there's a little trick. 34:12.026 --> 34:14.970 I think the enemy does this. 34:14.971 --> 34:16.790 He'll present something to you that is true on one level. 34:16.791 --> 34:18.850 And so then you'll let your guard down 34:18.851 --> 34:20.410 because if the test is, is it true or not? 34:20.411 --> 34:21.990 And if it's true, then I can worry about it. 34:21.991 --> 34:23.030 Then you have to remember what the Bible says, 34:23.031 --> 34:24.230 don't worry about anything, right? 34:24.231 --> 34:26.570 So put it in context. 34:26.571 --> 34:27.270 If it's true, then ask some additional questions. 34:27.271 --> 34:30.230 And one of them is, 34:30.231 --> 34:33.381 is it something I need to deal with right now? 34:33.382 --> 34:36.041 or that I can have any type of control over right now? 34:36.042 --> 34:38.921 And if the answer to those two is not yes, 34:38.922 --> 34:40.301 then you need to set it aside and pray through it 34:40.302 --> 34:41.361 or read a scripture to remind yourself 34:41.362 --> 34:44.681 to think of something different. 34:44.682 --> 34:46.241 And your brain can't really multitask conscious things. 34:46.242 --> 34:47.281 So that means that you can't really think 34:47.282 --> 34:49.701 about two things at once. 34:49.702 --> 34:51.121 So if you can just divert your attention long enough, 34:51.122 --> 34:52.681 read some scripture, pray through it, 34:52.682 --> 34:54.362 let that thought die off, 34:54.363 --> 34:56.182 and not be so immediate in your mind, 34:56.183 --> 34:57.922 then you can go to sleep in command 34:57.923 --> 34:59.362 of what you're thinking about, right? 34:59.363 --> 35:01.642 So is it true? 35:01.643 --> 35:04.782 And if it is true, is it necessary, 35:04.783 --> 35:06.842 compassionate, helpful, within my control? 35:06.843 --> 35:09.142 Is it something I really must address right now? 35:09.143 --> 35:10.782 And if it's not, the house isn't on fire. 35:10.783 --> 35:12.822 You don't need to deal with it right now 35:12.823 --> 35:13.302 about something that you may need to deal with 35:13.303 --> 35:15.702 in the future. 35:15.703 --> 35:20.559 And then if you can put it off until the future, 35:20.560 --> 35:22.999 You may be in a better position with your brain to deal with it in an effective way tomorrow 35:23.000 --> 35:26.619 a lot more than you are right now where you need to sleep. 35:26.620 --> 35:30.019 If you can divert your attention to something that's definitely true 35:30.020 --> 35:34.419 and you definitely need to address right now something God's got on your heart to deal with, 35:34.420 --> 35:38.939 that's a better technique than to just sit there and ruminate on it until you finally fall asleep. 35:38.940 --> 35:39.459 And then it would give your body time to calm down and it'd be easier to transition into sleep. 35:39.460 --> 35:41.179 That's right. 35:41.180 --> 35:47.782 Do you have anything that you... 35:47.783 --> 35:49.422 The last thing I want to talk about is the anxious one. 35:49.423 --> 35:52.422 I think there's so many people that 35:52.423 --> 35:53.882 deal with anxious thoughts, anxious feelings, 35:53.883 --> 35:55.162 or things that throughout their day 35:55.163 --> 35:57.502 might provide anxiety. 35:57.503 --> 36:01.882 Talking back about the CEO of the brain, 36:01.883 --> 36:03.182 the prefrontal cortex, what are the practical tips or hacks 36:03.183 --> 36:05.626 that you provide in the book? 36:05.627 --> 36:07.586 So the first thing I wanna remind people, 36:07.587 --> 36:09.246 anxiety is getting a bad rap 36:09.247 --> 36:10.906 because everybody thinks that anxiety 36:10.907 --> 36:11.306 automatically is a bad thing. 36:11.307 --> 36:14.246 Yeah. 36:14.247 --> 36:15.986 But anxiety is a survival tool that God gave us. 36:15.987 --> 36:18.066 And the way to look at it 36:18.067 --> 36:19.406 is just to be curious about what you're feeling. 36:19.407 --> 36:21.086 Again, that story I told you earlier 36:21.087 --> 36:23.226 about how the things we feel, 36:23.227 --> 36:24.446 we really tell ourself stories about them 36:24.447 --> 36:26.946 that turns them into something true. 36:26.947 --> 36:30.786 So when you start to feel anxious, 36:30.787 --> 36:33.326 The first thing you should not do is focus on feeling anxious, 36:33.327 --> 36:34.766 because if you do, then your brain is going to amplify it, 36:34.767 --> 36:37.566 and you're going to feel more anxious. 36:37.567 --> 36:40.846 So if you say, well, drill in on your anxiety 36:40.847 --> 36:42.466 and try to figure out why you're anxious and investigate it and focus on it, 36:42.467 --> 36:44.586 you're just going to get more anxious if you do that. 36:44.587 --> 36:46.686 So instead, get curious about it. 36:46.687 --> 36:47.846 Like, what story is my brain trying to tell me right now? 36:47.847 --> 36:50.906 And is that a true story? 36:50.907 --> 36:51.786 And is it something that's actually happening or something I'm just imagining? 36:51.787 --> 36:53.569 So just... 36:53.570 --> 36:54.909 think about it for a second and get curious. 36:54.910 --> 36:57.469 We call it metacognition, 36:57.470 --> 36:58.769 where you can think about what you're thinking and feeling 36:58.770 --> 37:01.189 rather than just reacting to it. 37:01.190 --> 37:03.409 But then if you understand that anxiety 37:03.410 --> 37:05.809 is not necessarily a bad thing, 37:05.810 --> 37:07.789 that it's designed to be telling you something 37:07.790 --> 37:08.729 and you're in charge of deciding what it means. 37:08.730 --> 37:10.689 That's the first thing. 37:10.690 --> 37:12.889 Secondly, there's a part of your brain 37:12.890 --> 37:15.681 called the hippocampus in your temporal lobe. 37:15.682 --> 37:19.381 And the hippocampus, among many other things, 37:19.382 --> 37:20.661 is designed to sort of make sense of the environment 37:20.662 --> 37:22.601 that you're in and then decide 37:22.602 --> 37:24.781 the most appropriate response. 37:24.782 --> 37:27.561 But many of us have trained our hippocampus 37:27.562 --> 37:29.101 to automatically trigger that amygdala to fire 37:29.102 --> 37:30.741 and for us to go into fight or flight. 37:30.742 --> 37:34.073 So if you get into that loop, 37:34.074 --> 37:39.593 where something that feels anxious creates fight or flight for you, 37:39.594 --> 37:41.673 then you need to realize the way to hack that is to use gratitude or to use diversion. 37:41.674 --> 37:44.613 So if you can't think of something to be grateful for, 37:44.614 --> 37:47.293 because I told you earlier that the hippocampus is a switch 37:47.294 --> 37:49.933 that switches anxiety to frontal lobe function, 37:49.934 --> 37:51.380 and you can get more rational over being afraid. 37:51.381 --> 37:53.040 If you can't do that, 37:53.041 --> 37:55.020 if you can't think of something to be grateful for, 37:55.021 --> 37:57.220 just think of anything else. 37:57.221 --> 37:58.280 Like literally, if you can get some other part 37:58.281 --> 38:00.380 of your brain to come online, 38:00.381 --> 38:01.460 and there's a technique called 5-4-3-2-1 38:01.461 --> 38:04.200 that a lot of therapists use, 38:04.201 --> 38:06.020 which is what are five things I can see right now? 38:06.021 --> 38:07.780 I can see your jacket, I can see your watch. 38:07.781 --> 38:10.560 Make yourself see five things. 38:10.561 --> 38:11.880 And what you're doing is you're taking blood flow 38:11.881 --> 38:14.714 from your amygdala, 38:14.715 --> 38:16.334 to your visual cortex, a different part of your brain 38:16.335 --> 38:20.274 that's not involved in anxiety. 38:20.275 --> 38:22.894 And you're making yourself consciously process things visually, 38:22.895 --> 38:24.214 which is stealing blood flow from that amygdala 38:24.215 --> 38:26.054 and that anxious reaction. 38:26.055 --> 38:26.914 And then what are four things I can touch? 38:26.915 --> 38:27.854 I can touch this chair. 38:27.855 --> 38:28.074 I can touch this microphone. 38:28.075 --> 38:32.174 Okay. 38:32.175 --> 38:36.054 Now you're using your tactile, your parietal, your sensory cortex. 38:36.055 --> 38:40.314 You're diverting blood away to a different part of your brain that's not involved in anxiety. 38:40.315 --> 38:41.254 And then you do three things you can taste or two things you can smell or one thing you can hear. 38:41.255 --> 38:45.194 It's different things. 38:45.195 --> 38:45.794 And what you're doing is you're letting that anxious moment pass. 38:45.795 --> 38:47.493 Okay. 38:47.494 --> 38:49.253 because it's not going to stay there forever, right? 38:49.254 --> 38:51.973 Remember, nothing stays there forever. 38:51.974 --> 38:56.693 And you're getting other parts of your brain to come online 38:56.694 --> 39:01.553 that are going to get your attention diverted from that anxious feeling. 39:01.554 --> 39:03.213 And you can just train yourself to go into that 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 sort of exercise 39:03.214 --> 39:05.293 anytime you start to feel anxious. 39:05.294 --> 39:07.399 And before long, that'll just fade away. 39:07.400 --> 39:10.559 That's a great tool, especially for kids. 39:10.560 --> 39:14.419 I mean, us too, but it would be a great thing to have for kids. 39:14.420 --> 39:17.799 What would you say for someone if they're living their life 39:17.800 --> 39:20.339 and then they kind of feel some feelings of depression? 39:20.340 --> 39:24.259 What is a good hack for that? 39:24.260 --> 39:26.971 So depression is complex because it involves a lot of different neurochemicals. 39:26.972 --> 39:28.491 But I think that the most important piece is, 39:28.492 --> 39:30.211 well, first I would say, 39:30.212 --> 39:31.591 if you're really struggling with depression 39:31.592 --> 39:33.151 and you're stuck, 39:33.152 --> 39:35.311 you might need some professional help there. 39:35.312 --> 39:38.491 Depression is tricky sometimes. 39:38.492 --> 39:40.411 But if it's just that you're sort of feeling down, okay? 39:40.412 --> 39:43.411 Remind yourself that two things can be true 39:43.412 --> 39:45.311 at the same time, that I can be down about something, 39:45.312 --> 39:47.811 but I can also find something to be happy about. 39:47.812 --> 39:50.891 There's always another story I can tell myself. 39:50.892 --> 39:52.857 And if you can get yourself into a different story mode, 39:52.858 --> 39:54.717 and stop focusing on what you're feeling. 39:54.718 --> 39:57.657 Because again, the more you focus on what you feel, 39:57.658 --> 40:00.257 the more you're going, that feeling's gonna amplify. 40:00.258 --> 40:01.697 If you start thinking, I feel down, I'm always down, 40:01.698 --> 40:02.717 nothing ever works out for me, 40:02.718 --> 40:03.557 you're gonna amplify that. 40:03.558 --> 40:05.777 And before you know it, 40:05.778 --> 40:08.137 you might actually be depressed, right? 40:08.138 --> 40:10.237 So you can divert yourself to some other story 40:10.238 --> 40:12.197 that could also be equally true 40:12.198 --> 40:13.237 of other things that you're thankful for, 40:13.238 --> 40:14.177 other blessings that you have, 40:14.178 --> 40:16.777 people that do love you, 40:16.778 --> 40:20.803 or ways that you're not always getting hosed or whatever. 40:20.804 --> 40:25.923 divert your attention and allow that neurochemistry to come online, 40:25.924 --> 40:29.123 then you can get your brain producing a different set of chemicals and you'll feel better. 40:29.124 --> 40:31.483 But just remind yourself, not every story I hear in my head is true. 40:31.484 --> 40:35.223 Not everything I feel has to be amplified. 40:35.224 --> 40:36.983 And the more I focus on what I feel, the more I'm going to feel that thing. 40:36.984 --> 40:43.483 So ask yourself a question. 40:43.484 --> 40:47.869 Is me going down the road of making this feeling bigger going to help me or is it going to hurt me? 40:47.870 --> 40:49.809 If you want to think like a surgeon, like I always want to do what's in the best interest of my patient. 40:49.810 --> 40:52.889 I don't want to commit malpractice against my patient. 40:52.890 --> 40:58.889 And if you're doing self-brain surgery, you're your own patient, right? 40:58.890 --> 41:01.609 So don't commit malpractice against yourself by making feelings that aren't going to help you bigger. 41:01.610 --> 41:02.569 So choose a different story and make that one bigger. 41:02.570 --> 41:03.065 I love that. 41:03.066 --> 41:04.745 I do too. 41:04.746 --> 41:06.385 If you made it this far into the podcast, 41:06.386 --> 41:08.545 go into the comment section, 41:08.546 --> 41:10.265 write down something that you're grateful for 41:10.266 --> 41:12.265 so that we can go back and read these things. 41:12.266 --> 41:15.365 Because I liked what you said earlier too 41:15.366 --> 41:19.205 about how you can't be anxious and grateful at the same time. 41:19.206 --> 41:21.445 It's such a simple way to take captive whatever's going on, 41:21.446 --> 41:22.925 whatever circumstance that's making you feel that way, 41:22.926 --> 41:28.101 focus on gratitude. 41:28.102 --> 41:30.481 Like he said, that's a verse in the Bible where it's like, be anxious about nothing, pray about everything. 41:30.482 --> 41:31.721 And it talks about gratitude in that verse as well. 41:31.722 --> 41:32.681 And so it's literally in the Bible. 41:32.682 --> 41:34.101 And everything give thanks. 41:34.102 --> 41:35.721 Yeah, and everything give thanks. 41:35.722 --> 41:38.481 And it's showing that roadmap. 41:38.482 --> 41:41.221 So God knew that and put that in his word. 41:41.222 --> 41:46.501 And that's what I love is that science really can highlight. 41:46.502 --> 41:49.487 I feel like science now more than ever is actually pointing to the existence of God and actually a very— 41:49.488 --> 41:51.367 geniusly created and crafted world 41:51.368 --> 41:52.667 to be so intricately working together. 41:52.668 --> 41:54.267 I mean, it had to come from someone, 41:54.268 --> 41:55.667 a genius that created all this. 41:55.668 --> 41:56.347 It couldn't just happen by chance. 41:56.348 --> 41:56.967 It's too intricate. 41:56.968 --> 41:57.367 That's right. 41:57.368 --> 42:00.247 Yeah. 42:00.248 --> 42:03.827 I think one thing I would like to make sure we get 42:03.828 --> 42:04.507 is that I think because of self-help culture, 42:04.508 --> 42:06.267 therapy culture, 42:06.268 --> 42:08.208 I think a lot of people think 42:08.209 --> 42:09.328 that these are just sort of things to think about 42:09.329 --> 42:11.308 that are sort of metaphors. 42:11.309 --> 42:13.368 But what we know from science now 42:13.369 --> 42:16.068 is that when you change what you think about, 42:16.069 --> 42:18.148 your brain literally makes structural changes, 42:18.149 --> 42:19.848 like the shape of your brain 42:19.849 --> 42:22.768 and the function of your brain changes. 42:22.769 --> 42:24.628 So it's not a self-help trick. 42:24.629 --> 42:27.808 It's not just sort of a way of thinking about things, 42:27.809 --> 42:29.701 but you actually have the power using God's design 42:29.702 --> 42:31.481 to change how your brain works. 42:31.482 --> 42:32.621 You're not stuck with the old brain 42:32.622 --> 42:34.521 that you thought was broken. 42:34.522 --> 42:36.781 You can actually make a new brain 42:36.782 --> 42:38.041 using the mind of Christ to help you rewrite it 42:38.042 --> 42:39.221 and take command of that. 42:39.222 --> 42:40.541 So you give you incredible hope, 42:40.542 --> 42:41.861 like you're not ever stuck. 42:41.862 --> 42:43.441 You've never been stuck. 42:43.442 --> 42:48.243 You just need to think different thoughts. 42:48.244 --> 42:51.643 Well, I love it because we don't have to be a slave to negative thinking or negative feelings 42:51.644 --> 42:53.903 and that we can live with hope and that we can really— 42:53.904 --> 42:57.963 and it's something that the Holy Spirit—I talked to you about this. 42:57.964 --> 43:01.103 He had started showing me and leading me to content like this 43:01.104 --> 43:06.483 and kind of showing me the power of our thoughts 43:06.484 --> 43:08.063 and how we view our reality can shape how we walk into our future 43:08.064 --> 43:10.583 based off decisions and everything. 43:10.584 --> 43:10.783 So this really is imperative, you would say? 43:10.784 --> 43:15.481 Yeah. 43:15.482 --> 43:18.181 Absolutely. It's imperative to take command of your thoughts and feelings because that'll change your life. 43:18.182 --> 43:19.121 I just want to say thank you so much. 43:19.122 --> 43:26.361 Yeah, thank you so much. Really helpful. 43:26.362 --> 43:30.801 Taking this book home. Seriously, so amazing. The Life-Changing Art of Self-Brain Surgery. Where can people get this? 43:30.802 --> 43:34.061 Everywhere books are sold in the world. There's Audible, there's Kindle version, anywhere. 43:34.062 --> 43:35.381 Awesome. Well, thank you so much for being here, doctor. 43:35.382 --> 43:45.382 Thank you. Thank you both.