The other evening, while binge-watching Prime Target, I found myself unexpectedly captivated by public key cryptography. I’ve always loved numbers and science, but what really caught my attention wasn’t just the tech — it was the metaphor.
It got me thinking: what do passwords and encryption have to do with our nervous system and state of mind? More than we realize. Our bodies and minds are complex, adaptive machines — systems that require maintenance, the right inputs, and, most importantly, the right code to function at their best.
The show drew a striking parallel we obsess over unlocking the power of crypto and AI, pouring billions into technological breakthroughs. But what if we invested even a fraction of that energy into decoding and upgrading ourselves? Into disrupting outdated nervous system patterns instead of just financial ones? The real frontier isn’t out there — it’s within. And the productivity gains, not to mention the joy and clarity, might just be exponential.
What has happened to us as a society?
The reality is that as technology advances, we become a society that is increasingly more anxious and stressed. We are in information overload, and many live in the future or the past. When we go to the doctor, we are told to take a pill or that our symptoms are a part of aging. So, how do we improve our longevity?
The 2024 results of the American Psychiatric Association’s annual mental health poll show that U.S. adults are feeling increasingly anxious. In 2024, 43% of adults say they feel more nervous than they did the previous year, up from 37% in 2023 and 32% in 2022.
Issues people said they were anxious about include:
- Keeping themselves or their families safe, 68%.
- Keeping their identity safe, 63%.
- Their health, 63%.
- Paying bills or expenses, 63%.
- The opioid epidemic, 50%.
- The impact of emerging technology on day-to-day life is 46%.
In August of 2023, Time Magazine reported the following: By the latest federal estimates, about one in eight U.S. adults now takes an antidepressant , and one in five has recently received some kind of mental-health care, an increase of almost 15 million people in treatment since 2002. Even in the recent past—from 2019 to 2022—use of mental-health services jumped by almost 40% among millions of U.S. adults with commercial insurance, according to a recent study in JAMA Health Forum.
But something isn’t adding up. Even as more people flock to therapy, U.S. mental health is getting worse by multiple metrics. Suicide rates have risen by about 30% since 2000. Almost a third of U.S. adults now report symptoms of either depression or anxiety, roughly three times as many as in 2019, and about one in 25 adults has a serious mental illness like bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. As of late 2022, just 31% of U.S. adults considered their mental health “excellent,” down from 43% two decades earlier.
These reports are deeply unsettling. As someone who follows thinkers like Joe Dispenza and other pioneers in neuroplasticity and behavior, I believe in the power we have to rewrite our nervous system and create new, empowering patterns. But let’s be honest — in the middle of daily overwhelm, that can feel out of reach. So what if we flipped the script?
What if we started viewing our brain and nervous system as a high-performing operating system — one that deserves updates, maintenance, and care? We obsess over charging our phones the moment they hit 10%, and we rush to install the latest software to avoid lag or failure. Yet we ignore the very system that runs our entire experience.
Maybe it’s time to challenge the internal algorithm. To stop chasing digital likes and stars, and instead generate real ones — from within. Because when our nervous system is in sync with our mind, we don’t just survive… we thrive. So let’s explore how to hack the only system that truly matters: ours.
While our nervous system is not quite like a cryptographic key, some practices functionally act like “brain unlockers.” The brain isn’t a locked vault — it’s more like a gym with rooms you haven’t visited yet. Here’s your access map:
1. Neuroplasticity: The Brain’s Root-Level Rewrite Function
- Your brain rewires itself based on experience.
- Learning new things (languages, music, dancing, even juggling!) creates new neural connections.
- It’s like installing new software by simply using it.
Unlock method: Daily practice + novelty = new brain pathways.
2. Breathwork & Meditation: The BIOS Access
- These practices quiet the Default Mode Network (your internal narrator), giving access to deeper focus, awareness, and creativity.
- You can reshape your stress responses, emotional regulation, and focus with time.
Unlock method: Meditation, box breathing, or vagus nerve stimulation = access to calm, clear cognition.
3. Psychedelics (in clinical settings): The Admin Password
- Psychedelics like psilocybin, under guidance, can temporarily undo ego structures, revealing suppressed memories, trauma, or creative insights.
- Studies show they increase global brain connectivity, like lighting up rooms that were always dark.
Unlock method: This one’s still being studied and should be approached responsibly and legally.
4. Deep Flow States: The Cheat Code Mode
- When you’re so immersed in something that time melts away — that’s flow.
- Parts of the prefrontal cortex go quiet in this state, while motor skills, pattern recognition, and creativity go wild.
Unlock method: High-skill + high-challenge + deep focus = flow state access.
5. Nervous System Work: The Firewall Reset
- Your trauma, anxiety, and past experiences shape your brain’s patterns.
- Nervous system regulation helps interrupt fear loops, opening the door to clearer thinking and emotional intelligence.
Unlock method: Somatic practices, polyvagal theory tools, and nervous system coaching (like Mind Body Live).
6. Implementing Nervous System Regulation Practices at work
- Mindfulness Training: Incorporate mindfulness sessions to promote present-moment awareness.
- Breathing Exercises: Teach techniques like box breathing to manage stress responses.
- Flexible Workspaces: Design environments that allow for movement and relaxation.
- Regular Breaks: Encourage short breaks to reset and prevent burnout.
So… is there a master key?
Not a single string of code, but a combination of:
- Curiosity
- Consistency
- Disruption of old patterns
- And sometimes, stillness