Have you ever noticed how, when you learn a new word or buy a new car, you suddenly start seeing it everywhere? That’s your Reticular Activating System (RAS)  at work — a small but powerful part of your brain that acts like a filter for your awareness. Every second, your mind processes millions of bits of sensory data — sounds, colors, sensations, words, emotions, and impressions. But you can only consciously handle a tiny fraction of it. The RAS decides what gets through. An