Sometimes it’s as simple as seeing the glass half full. This popular expression, like many others, hides great wisdom. Because the truth is that happiness does not always reside in what happens to us, but in how we interpret reality. Our expectations and illusions can powerfully influence our daily lives.

This is precisely what Marian Rojas Estapé, psychiatrist and author of How to make good things happen to you and other books on personal growth and mental health. On this occasion, the author asks us an interesting question: what would happen if the secret to happiness was in something as simple as exciting your brain?

The role of the brain in our perception of reality

The human brain is an incredibly complex machine, designed to process information, filter stimuli, and help us survive. One of its most curious functions is to act as a “subjective filter”, like our personalized interpreter of reality.. What we believe, what we feel and what we desire, changes how we understand what surrounds us.

Thanks to this, something very curious happens that Marian Rojas Estapé explains simply: when we give our brain illusions, we are programming you to actively seek opportunities that align with our desires and goals.

And it’s not a question of magic, it’s a question of science. This phenomenon occurs when our brain uses a system called ascending reticular activation (ARA), which acts as an internal radar.. The ARA selects, from among the thousands of stimuli we receive every day, those that it considers relevant to us. For example, if you are in a noisy cafeteria, but someone calls your name on the other side of the room, the ARA will make you hear it, even if you are surrounded by stimuli (conversations, music, ambient noise, etc.).

It is a kind of “relevance filter”, essential so that we can process the information we receive effectively and not end up deranged in the face of the millions of stimuli that surround us.

Therefore, If you give your brain a specific illusion, it will focus on finding connections and opportunities related to that goal.moving away from other darker planes of the mind. “If I don’t give my brain illusions,” explains Rojas Estapé, “my brain gets hooked on superficial topics, on instant emotions: screens, social networks, negative thoughts…”

The real and the imaginary in the brain

The magic of the human brain does not end in the power of ARA. Science has shown that, in reality, Our brain does not distinguish between what we imagine and what we really experience.. Studies carried out in the field of neuroscience prove that visualizing goals or illusions in detail activates the same areas of the brain that would be experienced when living those experiences.

This can be catastrophic if you let yourself get carried away by negative thoughts and paint terrible scenarios in your mind. But when you think about things that excite you… In the words of Marian Rojas Estapé, the brain is “very grateful for illusions.”. “He loves it!”

But this process is not passive. That is to say, that It is not enough to daydream, we need to feed the brain with clear images, positive thoughts and achievable desires.. In this way we will direct our attention towards what we want, with a positive mind, to be able to recognize opportunities that, otherwise, could go unnoticed due to a more dull or indifferent mental state.

How to give illusions to the brain?

The power of illusion in the mind is immeasurable. But it’s not enough to daydream or vaguely wish for something. We must turn illusion into an active process, requiring intention and focus. To achieve this, you can try these tips.

• Define your dreams clearly. It is not enough that you want “good things” to happen to you in general. The brain needs concrete details to orient itself. So instead of thinking about wanting a “better job,” think about what that means for you.. What area would you like to work in? How do you want your day to be? What salary do you expect to receive? Visualize your goals in detail, as if they were already part of your life.
• Use visualization. Visualization is a powerful tool to give shape to your dreams. Vividly imagine what you want (what it looks like, how it feels, even what it smells or sounds like) It helps activate areas of the brain similar to those that are activated when living that experience. This, in addition to reinforcing your motivation, will help you train your mind to look for paths towards that goal.
• Create an action plan. Although illusions are the initial driving force, they need to be reinforced by concrete steps. Divide your goal into small actions that you can do every day or every week. For example, if your dream is to make a living from music, practice your instrument every day. Each small step will reinforce your enthusiasm and keep your brain focused.
• Surround yourself with the right stimuli. Your environment greatly influences what you perceive as possible. Fill your space with elements that remind you of your goals: a photo of the place you would like to travel to, a list of goals on your desktop or even a motivational phrase on your mobile. This will keep your brain focused and alert to possible opportunities that come your way.
• Believe in the possibilities. Finally, you must cultivate an optimistic mindset. When you tell your brain that something is possible, it starts looking for ways to make it happen.. As Estapé explains, the brain “does everything possible to look for opportunities in the environment” if it is full of illusions. Trust the process and allow good things to come to you.