We are all living a fast-paced lifestyle, dealing with new challenges every day that we have to overcome in order to feel normal in society. it’s time to stop, slow down and tune in with ourselves and ask, are we truly happy or fulfilled with our emotional wellbeing?
Since I have started learning about the mind and body connection and integrated it into my life, I have begun to understand; in what ways I can approach new belief patterns. Researching how the mind and body are connected, meaning that our thoughts, feelings, beliefs, attitudes can positively affect our biological functioning, and therefore, our minds have the power to affect how healthy our bodies are. Health isn’t just about what we put into our body it’s about what we are telling ourselves on a daily basis.
When we are stressed and overwhelmed we are living in flight or fight mode, our body releases stress chemicals called cortisol, which affects how the rest of our body operates. It can hugely impact our mental wellbeing but also our immune system, living in a state of fear or anger.
I know from my own personal experience choosing to change how I think and respond to triggering situations is difficult to implement at first, however through repetition and learning to be more present, becomes less challenging. You will eventually learn to pause take a breath and not react out of an impulse emotion.
Empowering yourself to set everyday intentions and reaffirm new positive beliefs throughout the day, especially If you can foresee certain challenges that you may cross paths with. Reinforcing new positive intentions or motivating affirmations throughout the day to navigate you towards a new way of thinking, for example;
‘I am present, alive, empowered.’ Giving structure and clarity to your day.
Challenge yourself to be consistent over a month period writing down when a negative emotion arises consciously becoming alert of when it happens and then learning to detach from the emotion, so when it happens in the future you can observe with an awareness, without responding out of an impulse to unconscious behaviour patterns.
Practicing this daily along with other self-reflection exercises such as mediation can be hugely powerful. If you can block out external distractions, you can begin to really tune in and observing your thoughts. Once you feel fully present and aware, your mind will be more receptive of what you subconsciously tell yourself.
Learning to process the thoughts without attaching to them, will give you a clear overview of what is important and how easily your mind can start to wander off, and create unnecessary stories if you’re not alert.
Observing your thoughts will start to feel more natural and over time become second nature until you start to feel less mental chatter, which doesn’t serve you. Instead find new ways that can allow yourself, to change your perspective with new positive beliefs.
Integrating an optimistic mindset through your life will help you approach obstacles with a clear positive outlook. Creating a deeper level of understanding about how you normally respond to your thoughts. Gaining clarity so you can embrace new challenges, instead of responding in a disempowering way. You will not only produce a happier life but a healthier one too. Empowering yourself to take on challenges differently and help you to break your own limits and outgrow yourself, to ultimately be the best version of you.
Bryre Roots
Yoga for Nature Ambassador