need help in overcoming a mental freeze

[rocketman]

i have been studying for the LSAT (the law school entrance exam) for over a year now. there is a particular section on the test known as 'logic games' which is my achilles heel. you are essentially assessing where different variables can fit in relation to each other within the constraints of each particular game.

my understanding and skill level on this section is sufficient. when practicing untimed, i am at 100% accuracy. futhermore, even timing is not the issue as when practicing under timed conditions, i am also at 100% accuracy.

the problem is completely mental. that is why i turn to this forum for advice. the problem is that when taking full length practice exams, during this section, my brain just freezes and i can't think clearly enough to make the proper logical deductions necessary.

i simply don't know what to do. this is the one obstacle in my path. the test is next week and the problem is still extant. i just don't know how to make my brain work during that section during an actual test. this is clearly stemming from anxiety, but 'taking a deep breath and calming down' is much easier said than done.

does anyone know what i can do to overcome this brain shut-down? would image streaming or tapping help get at the source of this issue? i just don't know what else i can do at this point.

[rei]

yes this definitely sounds like a mental block. i've taken plenty of exams in my life, so i can relate! i have some ideas for you, i hope at least one of them will be useful to you.

1. affirmations (we aren't sure why these work, but they do).
- stand in front of the mirror.
- look yourself in the eyes.
- take a couple deep breaths.
- say to yourself, as you look in your eyes, "even though i think logic games are my achilles heel, i can do them well."
(repeat this for about 2 minutes, minimum, and do this at least once a day.)
- another possible affirmation: "i am competent in all areas of the LSAT, even under pressure."

2. EFT (emotional freedom technique)
- you can search for this on YouTube to get the directions.
- you would say something like "even though i feel anxious about doing logic games in the LSAT, i deeply and completely love and accept myself." then start tapping on the specific points. as you tap you can say things like "even though i am unsure of my ability, even though i think it's my achilles heel... etc."

3. intention.
- this is something i use, to release beliefs that aren't serving me well. i am not sure where you stand on metaphysical things, so i will just type out a version of this release and you can modify it as much as you want, to suit your beliefs.
"i call on the Divine to assist me with a release. this exam is important to me and i want to do well, so i now choose to release into the custody of the Divine, this belief about logic games being my achilles heel. i ask the Divine to collect all parts of this belief within my physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual bodies. i release any and all resistance to releasing this belief, at any level. i ask the Divine to accept this belief and to replace it with total confidence in my abilities. thank you."
- the only thing is, when we release something, it's pretty important to ask for it to be replaced with *something* (the whole universe abhors a vacuum thing). i suggested confidence in the example, but you may prefer to have the Divine replace it with something else, totally your call. and truly, i hope i did not offend you with this suggestion. i just know it has worked wonders for me, especially with that just-got-off-work icky feeling.

4. analysis.
- can you still make a good score even if you bomb this section? i don't know much about this particular exam, but with most of them there is still an average. so if you do really well in the other sections, you can still get a good score. it might help to look at this logically, though test anxiety is often an irrational fear, so maybe logic isn't the best technique to use. still, after offering those woowoo ideas, i felt it might help to offer something a bit more analytical.

if any of this helps you, fantastic! feel free to let me know, or if you'd like me to clarify anything i'd be happy to.

good luck!

[rocketman]

thanks a lot for the thoughtful response!

when i do the intention, i never ask for it to be replaced with something, i usually just ask for the anxiety to be taken away, so i will try that.

i have not yet tried the affirmation though it intrigues me. i guess you mean merely by telling yourself that you are good at something, you can make yourself believe it?

i will also be trying EFT.

[sidsavara]

Self affirmations are basically positive self talk, and there is some research that shows positive self talk can increase your performance.

Personally, I have created start pages for my own use that contain these sorts of self affirmations. Helps me focus, reminds me what's important - and can motivate me.

I don't know that any of my start pages will be of help specifically for the LSAT, but perhaps the motivation one is useful for you =)

Start Pages

[rocketman]

i know for a fact that this is strictly mental because, aside from the reasons i gave, just with the mere thought of performing this section, even right now as i type this, is seemingly inducing a physiological response - i can feel a very subtle shake in my hands.

i just now did a timed section of no consequence (meaning not as part of a test) and easily killed it with no problems whatsoever. naturally the anxiety was not there.

i just have to somehow convince my brain that i am good at this and can do it. will simply repeating such a statement to myself suffice in tricking my brain?

[rei]

i dunno if i'd say it tricks your brain. it begins to melt away the former thought or belief. it's almost like faking it until you make it, but you actually change how you view something.

so saying to yourself that you have confidence needed for this test, isn't as simple as tricking yourself (the way i understand these things). you actually become more confident, it's almost like you give yourself permission to let go of the thing that is blocking you.

i like the idea of saying it while looking in the mirror because it seems to make the affirmation sink in more deeply. also this is a way to change our subconscious programming, those mental tapes that play in the background.

some might say affirmation is tricking the brain, but i think it really does change things.

[rocketman]

hmm. so how long does it take before you start to notice a substantive change?

[rei]

that's different for everybody. but if you truly accept the possibility, it can change within a day or two. most folks have noticed a significant change within a week, two at most. many people do notice a difference in the first few days.

if you are normally more rational, it might help to release that mindset as well. sometimes we can get in the way of a miracle... (a nondenominational and no-particular-belief-system type of miracle)

[rocketman]

Originally Posted by rei

if you are normally more rational, it might help to release that mindset as well. sometimes we can get in the way of a miracle... (a nondenominational and no-particular-belief-system type of miracle)

i think that's a big part of my problem - i view things within a rational paradigm. so i let that inhibition of doubt obstruct me in the affirmation as i think to myself subconsciously "how the hell is this going to change anything?"

i guess i just have to view this as some unknown miracle?

[rei]

some unknown miracle... i hear the doubt in that. believe it or not, i used to be quite a skeptic, and i'm not the type to believe every one of these 'out there' things no matter what. what helped me let go of a kind of rigid version of rationality, was to think about it as a hypothetical.

what if all it takes is an affirmation said consistently for a few days, for me to be past this mental block?

what if it really can be this simple to release the anxiety and feel confidence in its place?

you see how thinking of it as a 'what if' gives your mind some breathing room (if that even makes sense)? but it doesn't feel like you have to let go of everything you understand about the world either. just a little bit of space, a little bit of room, and the possibility of something quite liberating.

and also it can help to think in terms of, 'what have i got to lose?' it's not like i'm charging a fee for these ideas, no memberships, no spam with special offers, no fiddling with postage for a refund. what do you have to lose, other than this anxiety?

[rocketman]

oh yeah, i definitely see what you're saying. that statement merely stemmed from a concern that this wouldn't have efficacy if those underlying doubts were present in my subconscious. meaning, i fear that even if i try my damndest to convince myself of the utility in this process, deep down, because my mind actually isn't truly convinced, it will sabotage the entire thing..

i guess there is nothing left to do but try it out.

[rei]

so then you can use intention, you can intend to release all doubts about the ability for this to have a positive effect on your issue, you can release all residue of doubt in your subconscious.

or you can decide, what's the worst that can happen?

i have heard of more dramatic changes from EFT (like feeling a sudden shift fairly quickly), there are also studies about it (not sure how well they are designed though). but i know less about how or why EFT works, it relates to acupressure, which the Chinese have used for centuries. i don't think their methods would continue to be popular if there wasn't something to them and there's scores of studies about acupuncture which follows the same lines as acupressure. but if you explored EFT you might find it even more suspect (since it mysteriously works by tapping on specific areas of the body).

i dunno, it all depends on how much you are willing to risk to release this block i suppose. i can definitely understand the skepticism, but you have more power than i think you credit yourself with. your subconscious can only sabotage this process if you give it that ability, especially if you set the intention to release your doubt.

i don't really mean to be argumentative with this, if i came across that way. the choice is yours, and i respect your discernment.

[Talkofthatown919]

you have to change your thoughts about it. Visualize the outcome exactly how you want it to go. Remember to have it visualizex exactly down to the last detail. Remember we are the creaters or our lives all it requires is belief to get started

[rocketman]

Originally Posted by rei

i don't really mean to be argumentative with this, if i came across that way. the choice is yours, and i respect your discernment.

oh no, i didn't interpret it like that at all.

i began the affirmations last night. will try the EFT today if i get some time.

one interesting thing was that while "praying" for this outcome, the idea popped into my head suddenly to take a deep breath every time i think about the test while not actually taking it. this voice in my head then presented to me the idea of actively thinking about the test and visualizing myself doing it, but controlling my physiological response through controlled breathing. the intuition told me that by doing this, it would condition a sort of pavlovian response to the test - or re-condition, i guess. this seemed like a brilliant idea.

is this what they call a 'synchronicity'?

[rei]

synchronicity, maybe. does it seem like a meaningful coincidence to you? sounds to me like sudden insight. you expressed the intention to figure out a way past this block (by starting this thread) and the universe is giving you what you intended to request - or your own mind is delivering it, if you are uncomfortable with thinking of a universal influence.

i'm glad i didn't seem argumentative to you. i hope your re-conditioning goes well!

[Grindin]

swag it out.