We often underestimate the power of our mind. The construct we call our mind, includes our consciousness, imagination, perception, thinking, language, memory, and more — all filtered through our emotions and instincts.

The mind is a complex concept that includes the functioning of our brain.  Our brains are so amazing, taking in countless millions of bits of information and processing it all. Ever since we began to simulate certain functions of the mind with computers, we’ve realized how incredibly powerful our minds are.

Let’s face it, sometimes your mind (or mine) supports us in being, doing and having what we want…other times, not so much. The real reason is often simply that our mind has not been well-trained. It’s been conditioned – by the circumstances we have lived through – and often difficulties that we have endured or even risen above. Yet not trained in the way you would like it to be to support you.

Your mind can be your best friend and support. However, if your mind is not re-trained, it will mostly only react to its environment.  We can train our minds, but it takes discipline and concentrated energy.  The problem is that, if we don’t, our mind can have us jumping through hoops. For instance, we may find ourselves worrying about things that have not yet happened and probably never will! 

Did you ever imagine that someone was thinking negative things about you – and then find out that they weren’t even thinking about you?!  In working in-depth with thousands of clients, I’ve learned that most people are wrapped up in their own world most of the time. They are not thinking about you or me!

As much as we worry about failure, it’s common to be anxious, or even afraid  even of achieving a positive outcome. For instance, we may think we desire beauty or success but worry just as much about the effects of attaining it.  Neither needs to be a problem, but it can seem to be.

Our mind is our filter for our experience.  The way we experience the world is largely determined by the opinions or positions we have adopted on any subject.  So often, we think that is just “the way life is.” In reality, it’s just our perception of how like is. Ask the person next to you and they’ll have their own interpretation.

We give our attitudes, ideas, beliefs, and feelings quite a lot of power in our minds. Your mind insists that these perceptions are real, of course.  And that’s generally not something your mind wants to be questioned about. Yet, can you think of a time when something changed or happened — and all of a sudden, the entire situation looked or felt very different to you? A shift in your perception has occurred – your reality has shifted.

If you want to pop up to the next level of consciousness and get out of feeling “stuck” in the same patterns, you can. You can actually train your mind so that it doesn’t drag you around the same old circular ruts. It’s possible to shift. You can forgive and let go of past hurts, bless and release fears, and relearn how you relate to your world. You will naturally find that you can be more resourceful, competent, and satisfied. As all this is released and healed, you will likely find that people relate to you very differently.

The first step is to begin becoming aware of your mind and how it operates. First, let’s try to identify the thoughts that don’t empower you. Consider what you say to yourself in various situations you face? Do you tend to be positive or negative? Not value in labeling it “good” or “bad” — instead, bless and release the thoughts that don’t support you. We all have patterns and yes, we can retrain ourselves.

Think about how you tend to react. For instance, when something new comes up, notice whether you think you typically think that you can or can’t do things. If you try to do something with the thought “I can’t,” you will have a much harder time trying to do it.  If you hold the thought “I can,” there is a much stronger possibility that you will be able to do it more easily.

You’ll want to learn the importance of calming your mind to center yourself.  Reducing stress is another big factor in retraining your mind. Walk. Breathe. You can even learn to meditate. Most women and men alike, live with far too much stress today. You can actually train your mind to think the kind of thoughts that make you feel strong, beautiful, and capable. We can do it together – shall we?