Negativity and stress can sometimes get the best of us. Sunday was one of those days for me and left me craving restoration. I had gotten overwhelmed with things in life and found myself focused on the negative. I did not make the best choices for my body or my mind. After months of limiting my sugar intake and focusing on consuming nutrient rich foods, I went for the Halloween candy and indulged. Then came the guilt and the negative self-talk. Obviously, it was not the best way to handle things!
Our Thoughts
It amazes me the impact that mindset can have on our bodies and health. We can get so caught up in negative thoughts and emotions. According to an article by Psychology Today, our brains have stronger responses to negative stimuli. We were created with deep instincts to avoid danger. This could explain why we react and focus on negativity. However, our mental health can suffer if we dwell on negativity from the past or even negative feelings about the future.
How, then, do we combat negativity? Mindfulness is a topic that I have thought about a great deal over the past several years. The definition from Merriam-Webster of mindfulness is “the practice of maintaining a nonjudgmental state of heightened or complete awareness of one’s thoughts, emotions, or experiences on a moment-to-moment basis.” Allowing ourselves to live in the moment and applying practices that help us notice the good have been shown to improve both physical and mental health.
Mindfulness
How can mindfulness help in a situation like the one I found myself in on Sunday. According to an article by the American Psychological Association, one of the benefits of mindfulness is reduced rumination. We dwell less on the past if we allow ourselves to live in the here and now. If I allowed myself to continue to dwell on my indulgence or how I had “messed up,” I could easily get caught up in depressive and anxious thoughts. However, if I allowed myself to acknowledge the moment as one of acting out of emotions, I could give myself grace to move forward. One makes you stuck in what you did. The other, gives you the ability to move forward.
Every day we awaken with new opportunities. Staying present gives us the ability to enjoy the sensations in that moment. Yesterday I began the day with resetting my mind. That was accomplished for me in Bible study and prayer. I think often of a verse in Philippians that deals with our thoughts. It says in Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on these things.” Coming from a Christian perspective, I believe that in these verses, God is giving us guidance in training our minds. Yes, I understand that not everything is pleasant in every moment. There are moments where there does not seem to be much good. We can acknowledge that, but we can also not allow ourselves to dwell there. If we allow ourselves to live in the moment instead of living in the past or future, we can be more prone to see that which is pure, lovely, and true around us.
Restoration for the body
After indulging in too many carbs and sweets, my body was also in need of a reset yesterday. The health and wellness company that I am affiliated with has a product called Reset, that I honestly was wishing I had on hand yesterday. I may not have had all the components that are included in their Reset, but I did have some of the supplements and the knowledge of what my body needed. Collagen coffee, Hydrate, chocolate protein shake, bone broth vegetable soup, Active, plant-based protein bar, salad, fruit, and herbal tea were the ingredients to restore my body yesterday. Allowing myself to savor the moment, allowed me to enjoy the nutrient dense food that my body deserved.
Living mindfully leaves no room for living on autopilot. It takes conscious effort to acknowledge the thoughts that pass through our minds and keep them present. As we stay present we will begin to notice the beauty and sensations of things around us and not let the past or the future steal our joy in this moment. Living in the moment yesterday allowed me to enjoy the sights, tastes, sounds, and emotions of the day.
Thoughts of Praise
There may have been heavy things and unpleasant things but there was also so much good.
- Quiet moments in God’s Word
- Encouraging Devotion to begin the day
- The strong taste of coffee
- God’s perfect timing
- The gentle encouragement of our friend who trims our horses hooves
- Interesting continuing education articles
- Comforting taste of bone broth vegetable soup
- Pleasant Temperature
- Relaxing Walk
- Simple beauty of wildflowers
- Deep breaths
- Feelings of accomplishment
- Pink shades of clouds with a crescent moon
- Strong beautiful horses
- The love in our home
Today is the first day of November. It is a great time for restoration of the body, mind, and soul. Will you join me this month in relishing the moment and being kind to yourself? I have developed a tool that you may find beneficial in helping you stay mindful and keep a positive mindset. You can download it from my freebies page by signing up to receive the password.
