Making sure you get motivation and inspiration is as important as drinking enough water. If you get parched, and you inspiration runs dry, it may take some time to get your attitude back on track. Discover how to make sure you keep your mind hydrated with enough motivation and inspiration so you get better results.
Copyright 2013 Linda Ann Stewart
All Rights Reserved
By Charles A. Francis
An agitated mind can make it extremely difficult to sit and meditate for any length of time. Fortunately, there are some simple solutions. Once we become aware of the sources of our agitation, we can take measures to eliminate them. The main sources of mental agitation are: too many commitments, background noise, painful memories, and worrying.
To reduce some of the activities that are over-stimulating your mind, you can make a list of them and prioritize them according to how much they truly contribute to your and your family’s happiness and well-being. Then eliminate those activities that have low priority. Remember that your presence is important to your loved ones’ happiness, and you cannot be fully present if your mind is agitated.
When you incorporate mindful breathing and mindful walking into your daily routine, it will be a major step toward taking control of your mind by improving your ability to concentrate and staying in the present moment. They will help you tremendously in calming your mind, making it much easier to sit and meditate, which will calm your mind further. Your life will become much more enjoyable because you will stop the mental agitation that is robbing you of your peace and serenity, and the harmony in your relationships.
Copyright 2013 By Charles A. Francis
All Rights Reserved
Charles A. Francis has studied the practice of mindfulness with Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, and teaches mindfulness meditation through clear and simple instructions. He has over 17 years of experience helping people find true happiness and inner peace with the practice. Find out more about Charles and the Mindfulness Meditation Institute.
By Charles A. Francis
Practicing mindful walking is also very easy. Most of us do a great deal of walking through our daily activities: at home, work, school, or when tending to our family’s needs. These are all wonderful opportunities to practice mindfulness, instead of allowing ourselves to get lost in our thoughts, many of which are either worrying or simply rehashing the same thoughts repeatedly.
When doing mindful walking, we generally walk more slowly than usual. Make your walking a smooth and continuous movement, while being mindful of each step. This can have a tremendous calming effect because it forces your mind to slow down.
As with mindful breathing, simply pay attention to your walking. With each mindful step, observe the sensation on your feet, the contraction of the muscles in your legs, or even the sensations of your clothes against your skin. Not only will this calm your mind, but it will also help you return to the present moment.
One of the best opportunities to practice mindful walking is to and from our vehicles. This is usually a time when we let our minds drift, or we get on our cell phones. Instead, why not use that time to practice mindful walking? You can even do a walking meditation session for a few minutes in a park or another quiet place.
Copyright 2013 Charles A. Francis
All Rights Reserved
Charles A. Francis is the founder and director of the Mindfulness Meditation Institute. The Institute is dedicated to providing people with the tools they need to realize their full potential as human and spiritual beings through the practice of mindfulness meditation.
By Charles A. Francis
Mindful breathing is a simple tool for keeping your mind from racing out of control. Practicing mindful breathing is very easy and doesn’t take long, and it will interrupt the acceleration of your mind. This will enable you to think with greater clarity, since you’ll have less mental agitation.
All you have to do is stop occasionally and take three to five mindful breaths. You don’t have to strain to concentrate on your breathing, but rather just pay attention to it.
Mindful breathing also has other benefits. It reminds us of what we’re trying to accomplish through our meditation practice, and it brings us back to the present moment, which is where reality is always taking place. You may want to post a reminder note somewhere you’ll see it throughout the day because it’s easy to forget.
Copyright 2013 Charles A. Francis
All Rights Reserved
Charles A. Francis has studied the practice of mindfulness with Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, and teaches mindfulness meditation through clear and simple instructions. He has over 17 years of experience helping people find true happiness and inner peace with the practice. Find out more about Charles and the Mindfulness Meditation Institute.
By Charles A. Francis
Background noise is another major source of mental agitation, and much of it is unnecessary. Often when we’re driving home after a busy day at work, we’ll turn on the radio in our car to help us unwind—all the while, still thinking about work or things we need to do at home, such as checking on the kids or making dinner.
When we get home, we might turn on the television while we settle in, not really paying attention to what’s on. We usually do this unconsciously to drown out the constant chatter in our mind. What we may not realize is that this background noise is agitating our mind even more, and when it becomes too much, we might pour ourselves a drink to help us relax.
Some people play the radio or television while they work, thinking this will help them concentrate. The reason this seems to help is because the extra noise prevents uncomfortable thoughts from rising to the surface, but the background noise only creates more agitation.
There’s nothing inherently wrong with watching TV or listening to the radio. The problem arises when we simply use them as background noise. Of course, we should also use some discretion concerning what we watch or listen to. Remember, whichever seeds in your mind you water, those will be the ones that grow.
I would suggest turning off the radio or television (or any other entertainment device) when you’re doing something else. This will help you concentrate on what you’re doing. Try it for a week. I think you’ll be surprised at how much of a difference it makes.
Copyright 2013 Charles A. Francis
All Rights Reserved
Charles A. Francis is the founder and director of the Mindfulness Meditation Institute. The Institute is dedicated to providing people with the tools they need to realize their full potential as human and spiritual beings through the practice of mindfulness meditation.
By Charles A. Francis
Most of us are unaware that our daily activities are the primary sources of our mental agitation. Once we become aware of these sources, we can do something about them. So when people ask me how to stop their minds from racing, I tell them to start by taking their foot off the accelerator.
Some of us have too many commitments in our lives. Every waking moment of our day is packed with activities, and we never have time to rest. We all want to be productive because it gives us a sense of accomplishment and purpose. The problem with having too many commitments is that all the activities agitate our minds so much that it becomes increasingly harder to slow it down. This makes it harder to think clearly, therefore, lowering our effectiveness and productivity.
To address this problem, I suggest making a list of all your activities and commitments, including meditation. Remember that your spiritual development is important to your family’s happiness, because it will enable you to truly be there for them. Then prioritize your commitments according to how much they contribute to your and your family’s happiness, and give up the least important ones to make time for your personal needs, such as rest and meditation.
With many of our commitments, we have no choice in the short-run. We can’t quit our jobs or abandon our families, but we can consider more carefully what we truly need to survive and be happy. For example, do all our material possessions really make our family happier, or do they take us away from our loved ones? With mindfulness, we can determine the real sources of happiness and strive to incorporate them into our lives.
Copyright 2013 Charles A. Francis
All Rights Reserved
Charles A. Francis has studied the practice of mindfulness with Zen Master Thich Nhat anh, and teaches mindfulness meditation through clear and simple instructions. He has over 17 years of experience helping people find true happiness and inner peace with the practice. Find out more about Charles and the Mindfulness Meditation Institute.
By Charles A. Francis
Do you ever find it difficult to slow down your mind? For some of us, a racing mind is a serious problem. When we’re agitated, we have no control over our mind, and it becomes extremely difficult to meditate.
An agitated mind leads to stress and a whole host of health problems, such as high blood pressure and heart disease. It even disrupts our relationships and sleep.
Fortunately, there’s a simple solution to this problem. No matter how fast your mind is racing, you can learn how to cultivate a calm and serene mind, and the good news is that it’s a lot easier than you might think. The only catch is that you have to be willing to take a few simple suggestions.
Sources of Mental Agitation
Some people have the misconception that they need to calm their minds before they start meditating. They often think that they’re “the type of person” who just can’t sit still. Having a calm mind is not a matter of who you are, but rather what you do.
To understand why our minds get so agitated, it would help to understand a little about how they work. The primary mechanism by which we perceive the world is through our five senses (sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell). These are our receptors. They are connected to our brains and send us raw information about what is taking place around us at any given moment.
Each time our senses are stimulated, our brain reacts by trying to interpret the signals it receives and tries to determine the proper response. In other words, each stimulus triggers a thought, either conscious or unconscious.
There are four main sources of mental agitation: 1) Too many commitments, 2) background noise, 3) painful memories, and 4) worrying. There are short-term solutions for dealing with too many commitments and background noise. Painful memories and worrying will take more time to overcome, but they will resolve themselves through a regular meditation practice.
Copyright 2013 Charles A. Francis
All Rights Reserved
Charles A. Francis is the founder and director of the Mindfulness Meditation Institute. The Institute is dedicated to providing people with the tools they need to realize their full potential as human and spiritual beings through the practice of mindfulness meditation.
In this rare video, Napoleon Hill, author of “Think and Grow Rich,” explains that you use faith two ways. The first is to dwell on those things you don’t want. Most people use it this way and it’s why they live in want. The other way is to direct faith in the direction of what they want. You were born with the control over your mind. Hill then gives the steps to cultivate faith, which will guide you to go after your desires.
by Linda-Ann Stewart
Healers, service providers, entrepreneurs or anyone who gives of themselves will get depleted if they don’t take time for self-care and replenishment. That’s why conferences and retreats are so important. Not only do they offer people new tools, but symposiums help attendees remember why they do their business, rededicate to their vision and get excited again. They’re able to network with people of like mind and get re-energized.
Those who get so busy that they can’t slow down will soon exhaust their stores of motivation. This is when burnout occurs. They drain their reserves and eventually have to stop and restock. It’s similar to a muscle that’s been over-exercised and over-exerted. That muscle will get weak and need to be rested before using it again.
The same principle applies to your mental state and optimism. If you don’t keep feeding your mind with positive ideas, you’ll soon consume your reserves. That’s why you need to always read uplifting books, watch motivating videos, and listen to inspirational audios. They continually pour enriching ideas into your mind, sparking more upbeat perspectives. Meditation or mindfulness will also get you back in contact with your enthusiasm and creativity.
Here are some suggestions to stay motivated if you have a particular goal you’re striving for:
By following these simple steps, you’ll notice you’re able to stay on track and accomplish your goal. You have to keep “filling the well” of your resources to keep your mindset positive and your passion alive. When you do, you’ll find a consistent source of energy you can use to achieve your dreams.
Affirmation
I realize that I need to keep myself motivated and inspired. Because I deserve to live my dreams, I commit to myself and make the effort to keep my attitude upbeat. I am Divinely guided to the right way of staying enthusiastic about my goal. When I nourish my inner self, I reap enormous benefits.
Copyright 2013 Linda Ann Stewart
All Rights Reserved
by Linda-Ann Stewart
Sometime in your past, you may have started to make a change in your life. You might have started to paint your house, lose weight, or work on a project. And like most people, you probably lost your passion for it pretty quickly. Although you launched your attempt with enthusiasm, the day-to-day reality of it eroded away the excitement, and it became a bullet point on your list of “good intentions.”
Zig Ziglar, legendary speaker, said, “People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily.” For some reason, people believe that once you’ve been exposed to a concept, or a new belief, or begun a new process of change, it should just keep going like the Energizer Bunny. They think it should develop a life of its own, be self-sustaining and propel itself with its own momentum.
Unfortunately, that’s not the case. You have to keep refreshing your motives, and reminding yourself of the benefits of your goal. To continue to move forward, you have to keep your emotional fire stoked to provide it with energy. It’s like exercising, sleeping, or eating. They need to be done each day to keep your physical body strong and healthy. If you go without any of them for a day or more, you’re going to notice their absence by feeling weaker and confused.
The same is true of motivation and even optimism. They have to be nourished and nutured each day, too. If you go too long between jolts of inspiration, you tend to run out of steam. I’ve known people to burn out because they thought they could coast on their original motivation and desire. They soon ran out of juice and lost focus. You have to fill your inner well frequently and consistently to be able to continue to progress.
Years ago, I wanted to begin a walking program, but I couldn’t get myself motivated to get started. So I cut out articles about how walking was beneficial, and read those articles every day. Within a week, I was eager to begin my training. Whenever I felt like quitting, I just read those articles and remembered how much better I felt after a walk.
Copyright 2013 Linda Ann Stewart
All Rights Reserved