We all know how overwhelmed we can feel when we have too many thoughts bouncing around in our heads. Your grocery list, work to-do’s, people to call back, birthday gifts to buy…the list goes on and on. When all these thoughts start to pile up it’s hard to feel positive about yourself and your life and your brain may turn to irrational or negative thinking. While it is easy to slip into this kind of thinking, it’s important to recognize when this is happening and turn your thoughts into what they should be; encouraging, loving, and positive towards yourself and your life.
Mindful Meditation Benefits
The main purpose of mindful meditation is to achieve a calm, intentional awareness of one’s internal state and external surroundings. This condition can last from a couple of seconds to several hours, depending on the amount of time allotted for meditative practice, as well as individual focus.
Mindful meditation provides an opportunity to create mental clarity, and various techniques exist to achieve this state. With some practice sessions, one can attain the calmness and clarity that mindfulness meditation offers, as well as associated benefits like increased presence in daily life and transcendence from pain.
Try this Visualization Tip
We don’t necessarily get what we want in our life and as a result of this, we end up getting stressed. We need to understand that when we give our best to achieve what we desire that things really start to unfold in the direction we want them to.
How Visualization is Helpful
Most of the people have the habit of imagining what they want or the outcome they want to have happen. Oftentimes, this can be counterproductive when you focus on negative outcomes. For example, if we are having problems with our colleagues at work, and we focus on the negative outcome. By focusing your energy on the negative outcome you are always looking for the negative.
I believe the reverse to be true. If you spend your time focusing and visualizing on the positive, then you will affect a positive outcome in your life. In my seminars I have often said, “What you think about, you bring about.” Here are some strategies to help you with your positive visualizations.
How to Visualize:
First, make yourself comfortable. You don’t have to be in a dark room but it is good to find a space with little distractions. Take slow and deep breaths and you will find yourself relaxed soon. Just keep your eyes closed and start visualizing the event that is causing you stress.
Picture in your mind the possible outcomes for this stressful event. It is ok to spend some time thinking about many outcomes. Once you have settled in on the outcome that you truly desire, FOCUS ON THE RESULTS and leave out the details. Think about how you are going to feel when it comes to be. Engage all of your senses, and visualize what you want to experience for yourself: peace, balance, improved relationships, increased accomplishments, etc. Once you have a clear picture of the outcome you desire you should just take a few moments to relax and become present again to now.
Again, picture or imagine it, as if is already exist. The key is to practice experiencing a positive emotion surrounding the outcome of your intentions. Your emotions set forth your positive (or negative) intentions for what you desire or wish for.
Need a Little Help?
If you are new to this method of visualization then do not worry – you could get help from prepared guided visualization. Try my audio CD to practice Mindfulness Meditation Practice here. There are three tracks included, and each one will help you to relax and visualize. You can listen to a sample of each track here.
What others say…
“Each has something terrific in it. The sound quality, the sounds, the music, it was truly a superb making. The tracks were created with real love and feeling.” Kevin
“Your CD is fantastic. I feel far more at peace with the world.” Maureen
“Donna Marie’s relaxing voice is an effective vehicle for a refreshing, rejuvenating, and health-restoring journey inward”. Linda
Feeling Lost in the Universe
Spirituality takes many forms for each of us. It means different things to different people.
So often we lose our way in life and work. We get bogged down in the complexities and the busyness of life. It seems easy to lose track of ourselves. Are we in the right job or do we intuitively know that we are meant for another purpose?
We may feel unfulfilled, unmotivated and uninterested. People around us may be negative, crabby or gossipy. The environment may be de-energizing, chaotic, or emotionally unhealthy. Yet, we can not make that career change for whatever reason. Feeling lost in the universe? What do you do?
You can do one of the following:
1) Continue to think the way you are thinking or
2) Change your thoughts.
Sounds pretty simple doesn’t it? Actually, we have the power to make any change we chose.
I love the quote by Mahatma Gandhi, “We must become the change we want to see.” If we want to see change, we must become the change and therefore we demonstrate change.
To experience spirituality in the work environment and at home I must become it. To do this I must first create my own awareness. For instance, each time I view judgment or negativity I must look within. (Because it is truly about me, not anyone else.)
Try these universal steps to spiritual change in your work life.
1) Say Good Morning to everyone you greet on the way to work. Put on your biggest and most sincere smiling face. (No faking here!) Save the biggest smiles for those you have been avoiding. (Notice how you feel!)
2) Think ONLY positive thoughts of others.. Each time you think, “What a jerk!” Stop your thoughts and tell yourself, “OK, I’m judging and this drains my own energy. I will think only loving thoughts of this person.” Loving thoughts add positive energy.
3) When feeling overwhelmed with all that must be completed, know that is your EGO side wanting to keep you in the pits of self-judgment! When your thoughts sound like this, “I can’t do all this”, “I’ll never finish by then”, or how about “I might not do this right”? Be aware, these thoughts keep us in the famous victim role of “poor me”! It is very self-defeating and is an enormous energy drain. (We are much more capable that we give ourselves credit for.)
4) Compile a daily list of three to six important tasks and focus on their completion. You will feel accomplished staying focused instead of feeling scattered or overwhelmed trying to do everything at once.
5) Be aware that whatever job you are doing at the moment is the task that is meant for you in that particular moment. Look for the higher spiritual meaning in all that we do. Do each task gracefully even if it is sharpening your pencil! (This is practicing consciousness.)
6) Keep your life uncluttered and tidy! Organize your desk top, office, your purse or wallet, etc. Clean up those relationships that have unresolved clutter by being honest and loving.
7) Take a five minute break when necessary and refocus your thoughts through meditation and/or conscious breathing.
8) Create or find convenient short meaningful prayers or affirmations to read throughout each day to keep your thoughts centered to be positive and loving to yourself and others.
Marianne Williamson’s prayer book “Illuminata” is excellent for daily reflections. I particularly found this prayer quite powerful and comforting.
“Dear God,
As I go to work today, may Your spirit go with me.
May my work in the world be a vehicle for your love.
Go with me, Lord.
Show me how to love and forgive each person, that I might carry Your light to all I meet.
This is a new day, may it not be darkened by yesterday’s unforgiveness.
Instead, dear Lord, may we begin anew with new strength, new creativity, new power, new love.
If I am the employer, make me kind and compassionate.
Show me the art of leadership.
If I am the employee, make me kind and compassionate.
Show me the art of service.
For we are all in Your service, Lord, and here to lead the earth out of darkness into light.
May our work do this, through Your power with us.
And so it is. Amen”
Any change we seek in our life starts with our own thoughts and our willingness to change them.
It is always our choice to change or not to change. Say yes to the heavens!