Without doubt the most difficult ongoing task in the journey of living a life of intention, is that of clearing the mind of negative thoughts and emotions. These things clutter the mind, robbing us of peace and focus. I myself frequently struggle with this, as this is has no destination, it’s just an ongoing journey. This is something we cannot “beat ourselves up” over, because it is human nature to dwell on the negative.
There are however some common practices we can implement in our lives to help us on this journey:
- Healthy body, healthy mind. – With regular exercise, and a healthy diet, we improve the mind in every way. We become more rational, understanding, and more joyful.
- becoming more Mindful – Through practices like Meditation and Yoga, one can improve their ability to be more aware of where they are and what they are doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around them.
- Apply the THINK method in all that we say – Everybody knows that our thoughts influence our actions, but what we often forget (or fail to realize) is that this concept works in reverse too. Improve our actions, and our thoughts and attitude will soon follow. It is for this reason I recommend the THINK method in all social interactions. That is, before we say something we should THINK about what we are going to say.
Is what we have to say …
-
- True
- Helpful
- Inspiring
- Necessary
- Kind
Before a single conversation point is spoken, it must match this criteria.
I am always seeking new tools to assist in journey of mental stability/peace. I have found many. Most are too much of a time commitment for what they offer, and others haven’t worked to well at all (not for me anyway). These tolls above however, have been invaluable, and the results are immediate.