What is the default mode network?
Imagine opening a Microsoft Word document where there isn’t a preselected page size, font type, font size, or margin, and so on. You would have to set all the basic parameters before you even begin typing, and this would be pretty overwhelming. Hence the necessity of default settings. Similarly, the brain has a default mode network (DMN).
As people grow and gain life experience, the brain develops an internal autobiographical narrative to direct mental activity on how to retrieve stored information and not continually learn things from scratch. This is useful for familiar tasks like, playing a musical instrument, taking a shower, cooking, using cutlery, using a smart phone, riding a bike, or driving a car. Think of all the motions that come intuitively to you because you learned them over time.
For instance, once we’ve racked up enough driving experience we intuitively take over the task of engaging the correct foot pedals, changing gears, and indicating when we have to turn.
On the other had, what speed we drive, scanning the path ahead for pedestrians or bicycle riders, or turning on the windscreen wipers on a rainy day are deliberate actions.
We take for granted the brain’s DMN role in fulfilling our habitual tasks, going into an autopilot mode. This helps us make quick decisions when the rules of the environment are known.
Unfortunately, this autopilot mode can also lead to procrastination. When we are bored or overwhelmed, many people today have learned the habit of intuitively reaching for their smartphones and scrolling through Instagram, checking Twitter, or googling random things. Very soon an hour of our time has been gobbled up, quite possibly more. If this sounds familiar challenge yourself to note down how many hours you spend on social media over a week. Is it more, or less than you imagined?
The DMN is a group of brain regions that show lower levels of activity when a task that requires a higher level of attention is needed. More activity is shown in the DMN in the recollection of the past to understand learned narratives and memories. This plays a role in self-reflection, ruminating and envisioning the future.
Negative past memories
When a person has negative memories from the past, they may default to a negative narrative about themselves, which over time leads to depression or self-sabotage when wishing to obtain certain goals in life. For example, a child may not be performing well in maths in their first years of school and is told maths just isn’t their thing. The educator is trying to be kind, not knowing they are already setting up the child’s inner narrative. However, they could have been slower to develop those math skills, or their education wasn’t adapted to their style of learning. If conditions had be different they could have potentially been better at math or developed the skill at a later age. However, they believe the story they were either told or felt, and as an adult they may dread having to apply math to their lives for fear of being deemed unintelligent, therefore avoiding occupations where math is necessary.
Children often have a blind belief in the words of adults around them, which is why many believe in Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny, so it’s not surprising when they also believe they’re not good at something without challenging it.
Every one of us have internal dialogues about ourselves. You might default to thinking you are lazy, irresponsible, too fat, socially awkward, or that you aren’t good at certain things due to these past false narratives. If you dig into your past you may have a recollection of where these beliefs came from which may have led you on a less fulfilling path.
Write your future autobiography
What can we do to rewrite our autobiography for the future? Challenge yourself to fight these internal narratives by not only mindfully thinking about them, but also doing something to actively go against them. In other words, change those default settings to ones you prefer. Picture yourself in a position you would like to see yourself in and think of the steps that would take you there. Create a mental or physical vision board to keep you on the path. It’s difficult to form a new habit but setting clear goals and outlining realistic steps to achieve them will form new habits over time. Envision how you want to change one aspect of your life that’s holding you back and make a plan for change, first in the short-term, and then the long-term.
We often make changes only when the situation is dire. Our health may be suffering from inactivity, smoking or a stressful job but we are settled into a routine and it seems too hard to break it unless something drastic happens. Don’t wait and passively follow the path that you’re not happy with. For an odd reason, we are willing to continue following paths that we know are not making us happy, that are not efficient, that over time build up more stress. Recognise the bad habit, think about how to break the habit, put your plan in action, and keep going.
Break the habits
Instead of lighting up a cigarette after a meal think of a different, healthier habit to replace it. Stand up, take some deep breathes and do some stretches. Take a walk or do some push ups. Mindfully take in the positive change it has on your body.
Instead of picking up your phone and dead scrolling, think of the time you will realistically spend looking at reels, stories, and memes. Think of the people you could directly connect with instead. Make a phone call to a friend or family member. Text someone for a genuine dialogue. Have a conversation with someone in your household and understand the benefit of making a real connection. If you must connect to social media, put a time limit on it.
Instead of telling yourself you want to learn to draw but you have no talent, go take a class or do an online tutorial and persevere. Whenever that voice of doubt pops into your head, and it will, override it and focus on a different thought or simple begin. If you just keep going you will see progress.
Don’t live the default life
Now think back to our Microsoft Word document. You can go beyond the default settings and choose all the settings you like to suit your taste or personality: the font, the letter weight, the spacing, colour, headlines, tables, images, layout, or symbols. The limit is the effort you put into it. The sooner you change your default settings, the sooner you’ll feel more in control of making those changes, leading you to a better, more genuine and satisfied you. And just remember:
“It is never too late to be who you might have been.”
– George Elliot
Featured image by Pawel Czerwinski on Unsplash
