Feelings Fitness: Mindful May!

As the school year comes to a close for the kids, the month of May always has my to-do list maxed out! Which makes it an amazing time to test the mindfulness meter. A persons true character and grit-ability is revealed in times of "too much" on the "to-do" list.  Getting it all done gracefully is a gift and with a little mindfulness you can get through it all, no matter what gets thrown your way!

Last May, I wrote about mantras. Those mantras are still a part of my mindfulness practice! I use the art of the "pause." In moments of stress, I turn to mindfulness. I pause for a moment, repeat my mantra once or perhaps several times if necessary & breath into the words, using the inhale & exhale to focus my attention on the power of the words. The main mantra that still follows along with me where ever I go is...
(Inhale)Consult not your fears, (exhale)but your hopes & your dreams
(Inhale)Think not about your frustrations, (exhale)but your unfilled potential
(Inhale)Concern yourself not with what you've tried and failed in, (exhale)but with what it is still possible to do! 

I am continually amazed by the power of positivity. I am amazed by the power of positive thoughts. I am a true proponent of steering clear of negative thoughts! I believe our thoughts help define our destiny, so give yourself a fighting chance & keep those thoughts positive. As I pondered the power of thought this month I remembered...
Your thoughts become your words
Your words become your actions
Your actions become your habits

Pause and think about the power of that!

I think a stumbling block often times is allowing other people to distract us from the positive. We get so caught up in what other people think or other people's expectations of us. In A New Earth by Ekhart Tolle he explains it as "mental movie making!" Yep, we all do it. We create a story in our head. We keep repeating it over and over and over. What did that person mean when they said...? Why is this person treating me like...?  If only I had...my life would be great!

We so willingly pass the pen over to someones else & allow them to author our screen play. It's time to take back the pen, to author our own story, to put the positive thoughts and feelings back into our lives. Mindfulness can make that happen.

Journaling is a way that I keep up with my mindfulness practice. I find that if I write things down, I am more likely to sort them out in my head in a more positive why. 

Gratitude & the simple act of using that gratitude to bring a smile to my face is another great mindfulness technique.  Gratitude & stress cannot survive together, so tap into gratitude whenever possible! That gratitude is bound to create a smile. That smile is bound to create a positive energy that will not only be felt within yourself, it will be felt by all who you come into contact with! So, be mindful of the people, places & things that make you grateful!

Some may find it far fetched to use essential oils to help with mindfulness. I found that on my last international trip, essential oils helped me maintain my mindfulness. Scents resonate with  me & I found that "stress away" got me through the day & "tranquil" got me through the night. They always seemed to bring me into the present moment & reminded me to be mindful!

So, Pause. Inhale a little positivity. Exhale and release negativity. Be grateful & smile about it! Be mindful of the power of your thoughts & amazing things can happen when you keep them positive!