Dr. Bruce Lipton, renowned cell biologist, has written a landmark book, The Biology of Belief. Dr. Lipton’s ground-breaking research reveals that it is our innermost perceptions and beliefs that impact the blood’s neurochemical composition that shape our actions, behaviors and mental and physical health. He writes, “brain cells translate the mind’s perceptions (beliefs) of the world into complementary and unique chemical profiles that, when secreted into the blood, control the fate of the body’s 50 trillion cells”.

Neuroscience tells us that constant negative thinking builds negative brain circuits that become embedded in the brain – leading to chronic negative thinking, anxiety and fear – which is a risk to our mental and physical health. Likewise, constant positive thinking builds positive brain circuits that strengthen the immune system – resulting in enhanced mental and physical health.

Dr. Lipton, based on his extensive research, makes it clear that that positive thinking alone will not result in happiness, fulfillment and enhanced mental and physical health, unless it is accompanied by getting in touch with your unconscious hidden story that drives your behavior. “Positive thoughts have a profound effect on behavior and genes, but only when they are in harmony with subconscious programming. And negative thoughts have an equally powerful effect”.

My work with dozens of executives backs up what Dr. Lipton has concluded. We MUST get in touch with our unconscious hidden stories. This is difficult to do for two reasons:

  • Our hidden stories reside in the emotional part of the brain and emotions are processed unconsciously. This means that we are unaware of the emotions and hidden stories that drive our actions and behaviors.
  • Revealing our hidden stories is a threat to the majority of us. The brain is all about survival and so it is our instinct not to tell subconscious stories that make us feel vulnerable at an emotional level.

It is our life experiences and traumas that create the hidden and usually false stories that are unconsciously embedded in our brains. And these traumas usually emanate from our childhood years. As children, we are totally dependent on our parents for survival and, unfortunately, many of our parents lacked essential parenting skills. As a result, children of these parents felt unloved, insecure, stressed, not confident, etc. The impact on the brains of these children is devastating – their brains embed false hidden narratives based on the perception that “I’m not good enough”. These stories carry on to adolescence and adulthood – leading to maladaptive and often self-defeating behaviors.

Here is what Dr. Lipton has to say about “parents as genetic engineers”:

  • “Young children carefully observe their environment and download the worldly wisdom offered by parents directly into their subconscious memory. As a result, their parents’ behavior and beliefs become their own”.
  • “In humans, the fundamental behaviors, beliefs and attitudes we observe in our parents become “hardwired” as synaptic pathways in our subconscious mind, they control our biology for the rest of our lives…or at least until we make the effort to reprogram them”.
  • “During early development, the child’s consciousness has not evolved enough to critically assess that those parental pronouncements were only verbal barbs and not necessarily true characteristics of “self”. Once programmed into the subconscious mind, however, these verbal abuses become defined as “truths” that unconsciously shape the behavior and potential of the child through life”.
  • “The learned behaviors and beliefs acquired form other people, such as parents, peers and teachers, may not support the goals or desires of our conscious mind. The biggest impediment to realizing the successes of which we dream are the limitations programmed into the subconscious”.
  • “No matter how “good” one’s genes may be, if an individual’s nurture experiences are fraught with abuse, neglect or misperceptions, the realization of the genes’ potentials will be sabotaged”.
  • “You are personally responsible for everything in your life, once you become aware that you are personally responsible for everything in your life”. Once you become aware of the information on parenting mentioned above “you can begin to apply it to reprogram your behavior”.
  • “”Your children’s genes reflect only their potential, not their destiny. It is up to you to provide the environment that allows them to develop to their highest potential”.
  • “You are not “stuck” with your genes”.

For all those who want to become more fulfilled, happier and (mentally and physically) healthy individuals and leaders, Dr. Lipton advises:

  • “It also bears repeating that it’s not too late as an adult to overcome your own negative programming by accessing your subconscious mind using many different processes including hypnosis, habituation (repeated use of new behaviors), cognitive behavioral therapy and a variety of rapid-change modalities”.

The influence of your parents on your current attitudes and behaviors is profound. Those who tell their real, hidden stories actually find the experience to be liberating. Many find it life-changing. Dr. Lipton enlightens us all by describing and writing about the biology of belief.