We are all doing our best to manage these thoughts and emotions. Sometimes we need to take a step back from a moment to redirect the triggers that unfold the stories we design in our mind. Here are three steps to help you go with the flow and incorporate some mindfulness into your daily routine.
- Thought Recognition: Take a moment to recognize the thoughts and behaviors that are forming in your mind. We all have negative thoughts and there is nothing wrong with that. Be open-minded and curious about what you are thinking. If it is negative, the first step is recognizing that you might be heading down the wrong path.
- Relax your Body & Mind: Negative thinking can tense up your body. Instead of letting these thought take over, take a deep breath and relax your body. Let the negative thoughts go as you take mindful breaths to relax.
- Shift your Attention: Once your body is relaxed, try to fill your mind with positive things that are going on in your life. These can be little daily victories to bigger projects you are completing.
Try these three steps as an initial step to help change your thoughts. Follow these wise words by writer Charles de Lint who says, “It’s all a matter of paying attention, being awake in the present moment, and not expecting a huge payoff. The magic in this world seems to work in whispers and small kindness.”
