As we approach the new year, many conversations naturally shift toward motivation, discipline, and goal setting. While these themes are valuable, it is equally important to explore a deeper foundation—one grounded in neuroscience, physiology, and the way the nervous system actually adapts to change. The common belief is that mindset is purely a mental state. But the truth is mindset is not just a mental concept; it is a physiological state.

Your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors are all influenced by your nervous system’s capacity to adapt. When that system is overstressed or locked into survival mode, mindset strategies alone rarely create lasting results. To sharpen mindset for the new year, we must begin by supporting the system that drives everything else, the nervous system.

From a scientific perspective, mindset is the result of four key factors: neural signaling, autonomic nervous system balance, hormonal regulation, and the continuous sensory input flowing between body and brain. Research shows that over 80% of the sensory information your brain receives comes from the body This means your physical state is constantly shaping how your brain interprets the world around you.

When the nervous system perceives stress or threat, it prioritizes survival. Cortisol and adrenaline elevate, while digestion, immunity, and long-term decision-making dial down. Over time, this stress state contributes to fatigue, anxiety, poor focus, and burnout. By contrast, a regulated nervous system supports neuroplasticity, emotional balance, and adaptability under pressure qualities essential for meaningful change.

This brings us to an important question: Is your nervous system in a state that allows growth?

The autonomic nervous system has two primary branches: the sympathetic system, which activates fight or flight responses, and the parasympathetic system, which governs rest, repair, and integration. Most people today operate in chronic sympathetic dominance. In this state, the brain favors short-term thinking, creativity diminishes, and forming new habits becomes more difficult. Research consistently shows that parasympathetic activation increases learning capacity and emotional flexibility both fundamental to behavior change.

Practices that enhance parasympathetic tone, such as slow diaphragmatic breathing and chiropractic adjustments, have been shown to reduce stress hormones and improve communication between the brain and body. This is not alternative medicine or new age philosophy, but rather it is basic physiology. 

The spine functions as more than a structural support; it is a neurological highway. Each spinal segment influences the quality of sensory input and motor output to the brain. Studies have demonstrated that spinal adjustments can impact prefrontal cortex activity, the region responsible for focus, impulse control, and long-term planning. All of which are core components of a strong and resilient mindset.

This explains why many individuals report improved mental clarity, sleep quality, and emotional balance, not just relief from pain when their nervous system is supported. If mindset is about changing patterns, then neuroplasticity is the mechanism that makes that possible. The brain’s ability to reorganize itself depends on specific conditions: reduced chronic stress, consistent sensory input, and adequate rest and recovery.

This is also why willpower-based resolutions often fail. People attempt to force change without preparing the neurological foundation required to sustain it. When the nervous system is regulated, the brain becomes more adaptable, habits form with less resistance, and motivation arises naturally rather than being forced. Mindset is not built through pressure; it is built through repetition supported by a healthy nervous system.

As you move into the new year, remember this essential truth: Mindset is not something you force; it is something you support. When the nervous system is regulated, clarity follows. When the brain receives clear, accurate information from the body, resilience expands. If your goal for the upcoming year is lasting transformation not burnout then your nervous system is the place to begin.

Be proactive in your health. Be bold, and trust in your body’s remarkable ability to heal itself.

Your brother in Christ,

Gabriel M. Anastasio