Our mind never ceases. Humans produce some, according to research. Every day, 60,000 thoughts. That extensive number of thoughts is an irrefutable consequence of our society’s obsessive need to be busy and distracted.
Many of our thoughts are anything but productive, and we do very little to regulate our mind’s rapacious activity. We allow our minds to be “future chasers” or “past dwellers.” They take us everywhere except for where it matters most — the present moment.
Each of us has the capacity to be present, more awake, and more aware. The challenge is training our minds to stop — really stop. While the mind has a tendency to wander, we can teach it how to stay in the present by practicing mindfulness.
Mindfulness allows us to stop thinking about the past and focuses our attention on the present. Everybody has the natural ability to practice Mindfulness. To do this, we need to focus on our breath. As we stay focused on the breath, we connect to the present and are able to look more deeply into what we’re actually feeling in the moment.
Mindfulness reminds us that we’re here in this moment of “now.” It’s a state in which we’re observing our life unfold and becoming better able to experience it with clarity and acceptance. This allows us bring our scattered mind to the present and frees us from emotional baggage.
We eat more slowly, and take in the moment without hurrying. It is possible to take a slow walk and pay attention to all the sounds, sights, and smells around you. Taking the time to simply observe, we see so much more than when we’re busy thinking about what we have to do next. Our hearts are open to the possibilities.
“Change your thoughts and you change your world.” – Norman Vincent Peale
Take these steps to overcome your limitations and feel more aware, present, and awake.
1. Stop the brain’s busyness
The mind loves being busy. Activity and distraction are its favorite activities. It’s incumbent upon us to teach it how to become quiet and still from time to time. When we feel distracted or that we’re not fully present, we can put our focus and awareness on the breath to find stillness. Using the breath as a type of meditation allows us to connect with the wholeness that’s within. You can feel that connection while you are walking in the woods or sipping a cup if tea. When we’re fully present and surrender to the moment with total awareness, we experience a sense of non-separation that makes us feel whole, complete and authentically ourselves.
2. Use neutrality to navigate through the moment
Staying present in the moment can be challenging if we’re facing something daunting, difficult or unclear. Our minds can race when we feel anger, insecurity or fear. Acceptance and openness to difficult moments can help us to let go of our inhibitions. We can tell ourselves, “I can handle this moment. There’s nothing for me to fear.” We can direct the moment — meaning we can navigate it with neutrality — Because we’re no longer constricting or reacting, but allowing for it to just be. We should be open to all challenges, rather than resisting them. This allows us to ease into them and learn from them.
3. Engage in “life gazing.”
When we take the time to simply look around us, we see so much more than when we’re busy thinking about what we have to do next. We can practice being aware of what’s around us when we’re stopped at a red light and notice what’s out the car window. Or when we step outside and observe what’s taking place on the street. Our daily lives of running errands, chores, and work can be balanced with the present moment to help us feel alive and vital.
4. Strive to elevate awareness
Many of us operate from a routine, unaware of the fact that we are simply going about our day. But by practicing Mindfulness, we’re able to live our lives in the moment that exists right now, fully aware and awake. Finding time to stop the “doing” and connect to our spiritual center will bring us to the inner dwelling of our wholeness, which, in essence, is the authentic self. It is a precious gift that we can appreciate the truth of our lives by taking time to acknowledge and connect with it.
The post We Have 60,000 Thoughts Each Day: Here’s How to Generate Thoughts That Matter first appeared on Addicted 2 Success.
The post We Have 60,000 Thoughts Each Day: Here’s How to Generate Thoughts That Matter appeared first on Addicted 2 Success.