Do You Mind?

Although the mind has been studied by leading scientists for many years, it still remains a map of mystery and perplexity. The mind is not the brain as some may think, but something that is both individual and universal alike. The mind is not a fixed, unchangeable entity. It is constantly changing, expanding, filing, remembering, organizing, labeling, figuring…non stop. What some may not realize though is that we can control its changes, which in turn, affects our life and our circumstances.




Your mind is a super--duper computer, capturing and storing data every second, all day, every day. With the fast paced world around you and all the demands you have each day; it would be helpful to give yourself and your mind, a break. Wandering restlessly is the normal state of the conditioned mind and keeps us walking in circles of confusion and uncertainty. When you choose to store unnecessary data in your mind you're just increasing stress and tension. Detoxifying your mind is just as important as detoxifying your body.



It’s proven that the human mind thinks thousands of thoughts a day. Each thought is like planting a seed that could eventually manifest in the physical realm. Instead of planting a mixed bag of thousands of fearful, confused and unfocused thought-seeds, why not focus on planting positive seeds instead? Plant more and more positive seeds, nurture them and watch them grow. Be skillful in which seeds you plant, and you will see the world changing around you. Your mind is a powerful tool but without the right guidance, your thoughts and your reaction to them, will sabotage your goals and may cause depression, anxiety and even illness.



When untamed, your mind will play tricks on you, and even sabotage you. Your thoughts are easily side-tracked throughout the day which causes worry. When you become aware of your thoughts you can easily remind yourself that there is a special time for worry. Repeating a problem over and over in your mind will not solve the problem, but will only make it worse. Studies have been done on people who’s tried “worry time”. They found these people worried a whopping 35% less at the end of the month. That's a huge change! If you want, set a time in your schedule when you can sit and do nothing but worry, so the rest of your day can be lived in present moment awareness. Focusing on your immediate activity in the present moment makes it much easier to notice your thoughts. Accepting every moment without resistance also helps. This is taking control of your mind and your life.



Staying positive and optimistic is essential in creating any success. It has to happen in your mind first, and then reality will follow. Changing how your mind thinks takes some effort, but your mind is just as important as your body. You do have the power to change your mind, thinking, beliefs and attitudes, thereby improving your quality of life.



Research shows that meditation is a helpful tool in calming the mind and refreshing the body. Hunger of the mind can be satisfied through extensive reading, doing puzzles, or playing math games. Anything that challenges you to think will surely help strengthen your mind. Your mind is your strongest muscle, and like all muscles, it needs to be stretched, pushed farther and used more often to become stronger.



Your mind is also your most influential tool for good health and well being. Doctors continually report the power of placebos. They are witnessing miraculous recoveries and realizing that miracles of healing are simply the body obeying the subconscious mind. When the questioning nature of the normal conscious mind is silenced, along with using the power of suggestion, the body can be healed. Your physical body is directly impacted by the thoughts you have.



Most of your thoughts are triggered from something outside your body. Everything and every thought has a frequency, so be in the frequency of whatever it is you would like to be, do or have. That’s a great way to begin changing your life right now.



Your thought vibrations are like a radio station. If you are only playing the blues, you will attract people who like listening to the blues. Hence, whoever is happy will attract others who are happy too. Becoming aware of your wandering mind is a success, not a failure. You cannot change anything until you are aware of it.



Your mind is a magnet that attracts experiences to you, both the good and the not-so-good. When you engage in gossip or negative conversation with or about someone else, your subconscious mind hears it all, and takes it personally—about you. The universe automatically goes to work, creating that suggestion for you to experience.



You are a part of the universal whole, and are constantly being served by the universe to become a greater expression of your thoughts. As your conscious mind focuses on a goal, your subconscious takes that impression and creates a mold or pattern. The universe then pours itself into that mold and it appears in your life.



Your mind is busy all the time. Temptation, media, and other people are some external factors that battle for control of your mind. Negative and random thoughts are the internal forces that fight for the controls. You already know what you should be doing; but external forces and internal thoughts are constantly tempting you to do otherwise. You cannot always be in control of every external situation, but you can be in control of how you react to them.



Thoughts about how you feel or how someone has upset you during your day can go around and round in your head. To quiet this, a helpful practice is to write down all that you feel. Put pen to paper, or on your computer, start by writing, “I am feeling angry because…”, or “I get so frustrating when….” Let it all out. I promise by the time you are done, you will feel much better and you may find an option that you never noticed before.



The mind is your roadmap to your future. If your mind is operating on autopilot – thinking what it wants – you will get nowhere fast. If you want a better life, you need to take control and direct your mind to having more positive thoughts. When you notice a negative thought, change it and replace it with a thought that allows you to achieve what you want, or what makes your life more pleasant. Visualize your success; see yourself living the life you want. Don't let negative thinkers get the upper hand. Don't listen to them – you are in charge of your life and with a positive thinking pattern you stand a much better chance of success and happiness.



Another mind exercise you could try is: Sit comfortably, eyes closed and think of a glass or a cup. Try to empty your mind of every thought that isn't related to that cup, your whole universe is that cup. What would it be like to be that cup? Imagine what the cup feels like. How do you feel when there’s liquid poured in the cup, does it feel hotter or colder? Does it have a smell? a taste? When any unrelated thought enters your mind, refocus your attention onto your cup. With practice you will become better at shutting out unrelated thoughts. Do this for at least 5 minutes (set a timer so you aren't thinking about the time). With practice, you should find that your mind can be focused longer, and you will have fewer distracting thoughts.



Your mind is powered by you. It is either working for you, or against you, depending upon how it is programmed to perform. Your mind is constantly processing a stream of sensations, visual impressions, emotions, and thoughts. By freeing yourself from limiting old beliefs and thinking patterns, you have a new opportunity to make better choices. With your commitment and vigilance, you can learn to drop negative ideas before they pull your attention away from your present activity. Yes, it is possible to change how you think and feel.



Look for ways to expand your mental capacity, because your mind is a terrible thing to waste. Scientists and doctors say the average person only uses nine to eleven percent of our mental power. Just think how much better your life would be if you learned to use just five percent more of your intellectual faculties then you are using right now.



Read articles or books that are out of the ordinary, something that requires you to focus differently then what you are used to. Start thinking outside the box and remember to pay close attention to your mind. Change your thoughts, change your life.





‘Your mind is like a parachute - it works best when it's open.’