LexiYoga

Don't Underestimate the Power of Your Thoughts

Written by Tanya Pavan.

Previously, I wrote about the questions you should ask yourself regarding your own personal thoughts on what leading a healthy lifestyle involves for you. After careful consideration between your needs - a healthy diet coupled with physical activity, and your wants - a more toned body, weight loss, etc. There may be some discrepancy between what your goals are and what you are currently doing to achieve those goals.

thought

While I touched briefly on the important aspects of developing a long term plan that you will stick to, it is inevitable that sometimes even those individuals with the best intentions will begin to wane from their pre-planned schedules or nutritional plans. I suggested that most of the activities you engage in should be fun for you, as this ensures your plan's longevity. However, it is inevitable that some days you just won't feel like working out, and/or sticking with your diet.

It is easy to be motivated to succeed with regards to health and fitness. The initial motivation to start a plan usually excites an individual, as does the first signs of changes we see taking shape in our bodies. But, bad days do happen and cravings do pop their heads up every so often. It's what and how we frame these days in our minds that help us along our paths.

Momentary lapses in your diet and exercise programs will not necessarily make or break your long term health goals, but they will contribute to your state of mind. How you cope, and how you react to these situations in general is a determining factor in how you will succeed with whatever goals you have set for yourself. Your mind plays a very important role in this equation. How you develop your mind in these situations definitely will help you in the long term to overcome future lapses, but will also give you feelings of accomplishment when you overcome those momentary slip-ups.

There are many ways of increasing your mind's capability to motivate and persevere when you feel like straying from your plan. Daily meditation is a great way to train your mind and let go of all your stress that you may keep bottled up inside you. Finding a quiet spot for even 5 minutes a day to relax and reflect on all that you are grateful for will do wonders for your self esteem as well. Often we are so busy trying to get everything done during the day that we forget how the simple act of breathing can help us come back to our thoughts and to reflect momentarily.

Another great way to make your thoughts work for you is to train your conscious mind with daily affirmations. By simply writing out a favourite quote and keeping it where you will see it during the day you will always be reminded of it. Reading it every so often will remind you to come back to your center, and help you focus on what is important to you.

Many individuals have heard that thinking positive thoughts produces positive results, and while some may be skeptical of these ideas, I urge you to try it out for just one day, or one week. Think nothing but positive thoughts. When you do feel the negative thoughts creeping in, be aware of them, instead say your favourite daily affirmation or quote to yourself and remind yourself that you're only thinking positively from now on. If you keep this up for the day or the week suggested I can guarantee that you will feel more refreshed and less stressed by your daily routines.

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