Have you ever felt stuck? Stuck in fear? 

For the past year, I’ve been working on facing my fear of driving on freeways by taking some significant steps towards changing past behaviors of avoidance. 

These steps have been hard. Scary. Difficult.

I can’t wait to share with you what I’m learning about leaning into the very thing I’ve always tried so hard to avoid.

I feel hungry for knowledge and results.

Although I still have a way to go, I’m making steady progress. 

When I saw the book, The ReWired Brain by Dr. Ski Chilton, I knew I wanted to read it in order to understand the way God created the brain to function. 

Since I’m familiar with the power of God’s word in training my thoughts, I was curious to know how a Christian scientist believes we can rewire the brain. 

I felt like this book solidified what I’ve been discovering on my own journey.

The basis of the book centers on the mind theory called Dual Process Reasoning. It’s also known as slow thinking vs. fast thinking, the unconscious vs. the conscious or reasoning vs. intuition. The author refers to these two types of responses and reasoning as system 1 and system 2.

System 1 functions include human emotions such as fear, anger, lust, and jealousy. Its responses are fast and automatic. It is also responsible for spontaneity, creativity and intuition. It remembers past events and trauma and unconsciously creates responses such as the flight-or-fight response.

System 2 is responsible for conscious thought and reasoning that is logical and deliberate. It acts slowly and calculates outcomes after weighing the pros and cons.

Our attempts to control life, based on the emotions and fears of system 1 often create dysfunction in our lives.

The goal of the book is to help readers find balance between the 2 systems. 

Why does it matter?

In order to learn how to implement change, it helps to understand how the brain works.

“It is not until we have some capacity to discern how something works at its most basic level that we can initiate change or innovation in a meaningful way.

If one biological system is out of control while another designed to control or counter that original system diminished, our bodies will not work properly and typically will damage themselves.”

System 2 will help us recognize when system1 is in overdrive and allow us to assess risk and check facts.

Since I get really nervous driving on freeways, I found it apt that System 1 was likened to a superhighway in your brain.

“When you have a thought that you repeatedly act upon, your thoughts and resultant actions become a habit. Through this process, you direct your brain to change its wiring. Repetition of the same thoughts, actions, and habits strengthens the wiring to make the habit more powerful.” 

My system 1 past experiences and thoughts have created a superhighway in my brain that tells me I’m afraid to drive and that the risk to my life is significant if I do.

In order to get off the superhighway, we have to rewire our brains by changing our thought patterns and behaviors. 

“Change is not an event; it is a process.” #TheRewiredBrain Share on X

The book is separated into three parts:

Part 1: Reflect: You will learn what happens when system 1 and system 2 are out of balance. You’ll learn that you can change the wiring of your brain by changing your thinking.

1. A Tale of Two Minds

2. Stuck in Overdrive

3. Fear-Obsessed

4. Your Brain on Change

Part 2: Reframe: This section will help you deal with specific issues in life including tragedy and trauma, parenting, relationships, and sex and intimacy.

5. What it Means to Be Human

6. Right and Wrong Matters

7. When Tragedy Strikes

8. Facing the Greatest Challenge—Parenting

9. It’s Not You, It’s Me

10. The Gift of Intimacy and Sex

Part 3: Rewire: This recovery section offers self-directed exercises designed to rewire your mind so you can implement change.

11. Who Am I?

12. Surrender

13. Forgiveness and Freedom

“Every day you remain captive to your System 1 dysfunctions is a day you miss out on freedom.”

I appreciated how the author infused his faith along with his scientific knowledge and research in order to help others get unstuck in life.

I loved this book and think it would be really helpful to anyone who feels stuck in fear, insecurity, depression or any negative behavior.

I give it 5 out of 5 stars.

I received this book free from Baker Books through the Baker Books Bloggers www.bakerbooks.com/bakerbooksbloggers program. The opinions I have expressed are my own, and I was not required to write a positive review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 https://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html.

The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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