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Mind over matter –  You are what you believe

 Happy September! As we star a new month, and moving to the last part of the year, the time is now to set plans in place for how you want this time to go. But, no matter what steps you plan to take, the most important factor is mindset.

What you may not realize is that your mindset – your thoughts, feelings, attitudes – all determine your interactions daily, with your situations and the people you interact with. Do you ever feel that your plans or goals are ‘hard’ or not obtainable, for whatever reason? Well, there is a saying to consider: mind over matter.

What is mind over matter? We like to think of our minds as something intangible, a sort of spiritual phenomenon. The truth is that the mind is a result of the processes of the brain and the brain is very much a physical part of the world.

The human mind is so powerful and it can change your world in surprising ways. “Mind over matter” is a scientific fact:

Mind Over Matter No 1. The Healing Power of Thought

Most of us don’t pay attention to how our mind thinks, what it fears, what it say to itself and what it brushes asides. Pay close attention, as our mind and our thoughts is one of the most powerful forces. What you think you believe, both positive and negative. Behaviors result from thoughts.

Mind Over Matter No 2. Meditation: Not Just for Monks

Meditation is becoming popular and widespread like never before. It is seen that people who practice it consistently and correctly enjoy host of benefits, such as: they sleep better, feel more energetic, less stressful and have a strong immune system.

Some super advanced practitioners of meditation, even take control of their body functions such as their heart rate, blood pressure and control it on command. Meditation does take practice to quiet the mind and become a habit; start small, such as 2 minutes, focusing on your breathing. Keep increasing your time to experience the true benefits of calming the mind and body to handle anything in your life.

Mind Over Matter No 3. Rid your mind of toxic thoughts

Toxic thoughts are extremely poisonous and can cause us to subconsciously sabotage our progress. Therefore, you must learn how to deal with these negative thoughts and let them go; otherwise, they will slowly take their roots and start controlling your behaviors.

Get rid of such thought patterns and eliminate them which prevent you to make progress in your lives; however, it’s not easy to eliminate some thoughts at first; the more you focus on a thought the more you actually attract it. Whenever you find such thoughts arising replace them with some positive and supportive thoughts; neuroscience says that for every negative thought, you need at least 3 positives to override it.

Mind Over Matter No 4. Meaning and Having a Higher Purpose

For many people, having a high purpose means going above and beyond what they normally do; it means challenging your knowledge, skills, and abilities (SKAs) to uncover more than you believe you can; it’s digging deep and recognizing the strengths your have and use them for higher purposes, such as in your job.

For example, Mary has been tasked to work on a project but holds herself back, with thoughts of “I can’t do this;” however, if Mary were to assess her SKAs, she would realize that she does know and is able to focus on the task. (If Mary were to recognize that she was given the task – her boss recognized her ability to get the job done).

Mind Over Matter No 5. Learn to focus

A focused mind directs your actions to a given outcome, it directs your thoughts and actions on your aims. If you intensely focus on something, you will attract it in one way or the other. If someone is concentrating more on their fears and anxieties they are most likely to attract them. Similarly if person focus more on success, joy then happiness will be attracted more. Let go of unjust, unbeneficial, and toxic thoughts.

Final thoughts

We spend the majority of  our time concentrating on our physical appearance but less attention to our mental hygiene. What you think is just as important as getting exercise, eating right or taking your prescribed medicine. It’s all about the power of mind over matter. Take care to practice mental hygiene. Of course, you should not hide away from all the bad stuff in the world, but you should practice moderation when it comes to negative mental “energy” in your life. That’s the key to true mind over matter.

One last thought: ‘take care of your brain and it will take care of you!’

 

If you’re struggling with negativity, stress, anxiety or other issues that hold you back, isn’t it time to do something about this? Reach out to get help today    https://cyscoaching.com

 

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How To Stay Positive In Stressful Situations

 

Sometimes nothing seems to turn out the way you had planned, no matter how hard you attempt. Regardless of where the stress is stemming from, it is essential to equip yourself with resources to rise above the negativity and stay positive. Maintaining a positive attitude can help alleviate stress and assist in accomplishing your objectives.

In difficult times, it can feel impossible to think positively when things are falling apart. However, negativity breeds negativity affecting your emotional and physical health. The more you view your situation in a negative light, the more stress and anxiety you will feel.

When you feel like you have hit a dead end, and start to sense any negativity, stop! Here are a few tips on how to remain positive even when you are in challenging situations:

 

  1. Count your blessings

Regardless of how rough things are, if you think about it, you have lots of things to be grateful for. Whether it’s having a job when a lot of people are jobless, having a supportive family, or simply being in a good health. By revisiting everything you have in your life, you can’t hold on to the negativities. You will feel confident, proud and positive.

There are countless things in your life that you can be thankful about, many you may dismiss as important. Five years ago, I participated in a 100-day gratitude challenge –  it was so impactful that it lasted for four years and the blessing were many to my outlook and things I attracted into my life (one was a new car). Every day, write down at least three things you are grateful for each morning and evening – you can work up from there.

  1. Reward yourself

When you achieve something, regardless of how little it is, pat yourself in the back for the job well done. The list of ways that you can reward yourself is endless. You can reward yourself with new opportunities to explore or learn something new, such as taking up a new hobby or going to places you have been wanting to (theme park, art gallery, restaurant, etc.).  You can even take your friends out for coffee. A positive attitude can hardly arise if you don’t even feel great about yourself.

Begin to notice people and events in your daily life and recognize actions that either you have taken towards someone else or that are done to you, no matter how small; examples include someone letting your out in traffic, holding the door for you, giving you a compliment, or helping you out in some way. This helps to recognize your worth that needs to be remembered and recognized.

  1. Exercise regularly

Another great way to manage stress and remain positive is by exercising on a regular basis. If you don’t exercise, try to find something that you enjoy doing such as swimming, biking, playing golf, playing tennis, or going for a walk. Breathing exercise can also help alleviate stress; breathing has been proven to help manage stress, and is one of the best ways to calm the brain and body quickly. Movement has also been shown to ease stress and anxious feelings quickly; easy ways to move, especially if your are at work, is to march in place or take a short walk.

  1. Take time out

If all you think about is work, you can easily be overwhelmed by stress. Be sure to give yourself time off and read a book, listen to music or do whatever it is that you find relaxing. You can also go out with your family and friends. Give yourself permission to veg on the couch of take short breaks during the day – go eat your lunch outside or ideate.  Having time-outs will help you remain focused and positive when you are at your work station so you can dive into the work in front of you with more ease. You will ultimately thank yourself for it.

How to always stay positive in a challenging environment takes awareness of the stressors and retraining the way you think. While you will not alleviate stress overnight, following these simple steps will help you develop and maintain a good attitude about your work and your life. The benefits will be many.

 

If you or your team are feeling stress, why suffer – reach out to learn about our stress management program and services to live stress-free. Take control today to avoid problems in the future.

 

 

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5 Ways To Practice Stillness in Your Work Routine

5 Ways To Practice Stillness in Your Work Routine

When you hear the word “stillness,” you probably think of the act of physically sitting still without any sounds, movements, or feelings. This is true, in a sense, but stillness also refers to a sense of inner peace and serenity (or, calmness); it is a mindfulness practice that leads to more focus and productivity which are essential in these crazy and uncertain time we are currently living in.

Because stillness involves the body, mind, and spirit, there are plenty of ways that you can practice stillness and improve your overall mental state. Let’s go over some of the easiest ways that you can practice stillness in your life right now!

1. Take Time to Reflect

How often do you find yourself just going through the motions of life and never looking back? While this is a good strategy to avoid harping on the negatives and reliving bad experiences, it also denies you the opportunity to reflect.

One of the best ways to practice stillness is by sitting down and reflecting on past events that have happened to you. Think about things that have happened, ideally happy moments, and think about what they meant to you and how they’ve changed you as a person for the better. Sitting in past circumstance can show that you have lived through other experiences and will again. Any negative memories won’t have control over you, despite thinking that way.

2. Focus on Gratitude and What You’re Thankful For

As humans, we spend a lot of time looking toward the future and constantly setting new goals. This is great for advancing yourself as a functioning member of society, but it’s also good to slow down a little and take a look around.

Take the time to think about what you do have currently in your life. This could be friends, family, physical items, and experiences you’ve had. Just focus on the positives that have happened in your life and identify what you’re thankful for and jot them down in a gratitude journal. Be sure to include yourself in this practice, either through actions that you have taken or something you have done for others, and who has done for you. This will enhance your self-esteem and confidence levels.

3. Just “Be”

How often do you just merely “exist” as a human? We’re talking about just sitting or lying there, not doing anything productive, not thinking about anything that’s going on in your life, and not distracted by your phone or other technology.

Take the time to just relax and do nothing. You can do it in your home or at your favorite place, but just focus on breathing, passing by any negative thoughts that might be lingering, and just work on the concept of existing. This is a boundary issue that is okay to be selfish at times. You will feel refreshed and recharged to face each daily.

4. Try Meditation

It’s hard to go a minute in your life without being stressed by something, let alone being stress-free for an hour or more. Therefore, it’s a great idea to proactively rid your mind of the stress you’re experiencing, at least for a little while.

Find a comfortable spot and play some soft music or a guided meditation track. Focus on taking deep breaths, clearing your mind of any lingering stress, and shifting your mind toward nothing (yes, nothing at all!). Start small, say two minutes, and work your way up. Meditation does not mean that you won’t have any thoughts but that you don’t have to do anything about them, thus leading to more peace.

5. Explore the World

When was the last time you went any further than 30 minutes away from the house (and not to go to work or the department store)? Now, think about the last time you actually went off the beaten path and explored nature a little bit.

You don’t have to go on a road trip or go anywhere further than the local hiking trails at the park. But, spend a little time engulfing yourself in the beauty of the world around you and you’ll begin to recognize that there’s much more to life than your own little world. This is a helpful practice if working from home – go outside on your lunch hour to connect with nature. Somehow, the air and change of scenery is a mood-lifter so you have more energy to face the day.

Final Thoughts

When you begin to actively practice stillness in your life, you’ll begin to notice that you feel much calmer than you normally do, which will reflect in your work. It takes a little bit of time and effort on your part, but this is honestly one of the best ways to achieve a sense of inner peace.

We focus on all things corporate, especially workplace stress. If you, or your employees, are struggling right now, why not schedule a call to see how we can help. We’re here for you!

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