Our thoughts have the ability to soar us to great heights or sink us into anxiety and uncertain depths. The way we process what we think daily needs a distinct dose of enlightened observation and greater awareness. It is what we do each day that makes the biggest long term difference to our lives. In times of reflection and hitting the ‘pause’ button we become better managers of our mind, allowing us to become even more powerful creators when we align our thoughts to what is real within us. Mindfulness is a mental strategy to inner harmony and reduced mental conflict that arises from our ego. Mindfulness puts us in touch with our hearts and sparkling network of inner wisdom. Here are 4 mental strategies for mindfulness!

1. Our mind, the garden of our dreams

Our mind is like the creative organiser of our dreams and ambitions. Nurturing your thoughts more lovingly and with value enables you to sift you through what serves you and what doesn’t. Thoughts of ‘I can’ move you forward; thoughts of ‘I can’t’ block your creative flow and inspired mental energy. Don’t allow the gravity of perceived negativity pull you down, rise above it by feeding into the statements of ‘I can’, ‘I am’ and ‘I will’. These promote action steps that enable you to take charge. Always be mindful of your ‘self talk’. Our minds are the gardens of our dreams; nurture them with love and care. Imagination needs freedom; sculpt inspired bridges to the flames of your innate creativity.

2. Spend time in Reflective thought or meditation

Take time out for yourself each day, even if it’s just 10 minutes to sit back and just be present with ‘you’. Think of this as your ‘reset’ time where you take some deep breaths to clarify and cleanse from the inside to out. Read something inspiring, listen to some music to switch off the external noise, do something physical like taking a walk, or simply allow yourself to just absorb and observe silence. The strongest people are the ones that can stay centred no matter what chaos may surround them. Find your centre and your inner essence of calm. There is strength in the streams of solitude.

3.  Always keep what you do want at the forefront of your mind

What you think and say to yourself will become a self fulfilling prophecy. Shift your perceptions to look at things differently, from what you don’t want, to what you do want. You give strength and power to the thoughts you focus on. Use vision boards or affirmation reminders to keep you in alignment with your highest aspirations for yourself. What you choose to focus on is your own decision; empower yourself each day to fearlessly move forward. Setting a powerful intention holds weight because you energetically align yourself to your deepest desires. Keep shooting your arrows of inspired thoughts to the stars!

4. Use your energy wisely

We all want to feel supported and celebrated; to feel loved and valued. This always comes from a place within you first but the people that surround you will either help to build you up or bring you down. Use your energy wisely, spend time with people that share common goals and values and who practice behaviour that inspires and lifts you. When you know what is real within you anything fake will stand out prominently. Trust the brilliance of your gut instincts and intuition. Heed the little red flags that pull you away from people that do not have your best interests at heart. Be the reflection of what you want to bring into your life by matching yourself to that same vibration. Lovingly detach and mindfully move away from what does not serve you.

Our mind is something that we need to work with and not against. We can only act to make changes from a place of acceptance and understanding. Don’t add pressure by trying to be super-positive all the time; accept your thoughts and emotions for their inherent value in the present moment. Question and delve deeper into what sits beneath that mental or emotional energy- fears and doubts are not the truth of you. We should embrace every seemingly negative thought or feeling as a ‘soul signal’ to something we are guided to adjust and transition within us.