Most people I know are getting better and better at taking care of their bodies.
They’re exercising religiously; have adopted healthier eating habits; and have become more and more discerning about what they feed themselves.
But what about our souls? When was the last time we paid attention to what we fed them? The soul is the very essence of a human being, yet many of us feed it ‘junk food’ every single day and expect it to thrive!
Think about how you start your day: as soon as you open your eyes in the morning, what does your mind gravitate towards?
Perhaps you reach for your Blackberry and start trawling through e-mails that came in the night before; or you log on to Facebook, to see the latest, juicy updates from your friends? Maybe you switch on the T.V. to watch the news, which may contain scenes of a bomb exploding somewhere?
Whatever you do, the point is, from early on during the day, many of us fill our minds with material without giving a moment’s thought as to how it will affect us.
But just as we readily accept that our bodies need good food and exercise to operate optimally, so must we accept that what we feed our souls matters. The effects of a poor spiritual diet are not as visible as weight gain, but the consequences can be even more dire, including poor health, bad finances and depression.
Watch what you feed your soul. Give yourself an uplifting diet that will allow you to function optimally. Here’re seven, life-changing habits that will help you do just that!
One ÔÇô Every night before you drift off to sleep, think of all the things you’re grateful for in your immediate surroundings, it could be your warm room, your soft pillow, or being safe.
Have you ever noticed how when you go to bed thinking of something, as soon as you wake up in the morning, your mind reaches for the same thought? That’s the law of attraction at work, so make sure your very last thought before you sleep is positive!
As soon as you open your eyes in the morning, again, think about all the things you appreciate, such as feeling well-rested. Stay in this mode of appreciation for as long as you can.
Engaging in appreciation so early in the day anchors us firmly in the positive; and sets a terrific tone for the rest of the day.
When you start doing this exercise, you’ll notice a radical improvement in how your days unfold.
Two – Keep an appreciation journal. While your mind is still in an appreciative state in the morning, write down all the things you feel grateful for. Don’t forget to appreciate yourself! Appreciation amplifies our positive energy and brings even more things to appreciate into our lives.
Three ÔÇô Meditate for15 minutes every morning. Wake up earlier if you need to. Meditation adds magic to our lives; it not only calms us and makes us healthier, it makes our lives unfold in the most magical and synchronistic ways. The people, or information, we need show up at the precise moment we need them; and we find ourselves in a positive flow of life where great things come to us without any struggle.
Four ÔÇô Think about why you’re getting up on that day. It seems obvious ÔÇô “to get on with life” – but that hardly creates a meaningful life. Thinking about what we hope to achieve on a particular day helps set a positive intention for that day.
Make your day count by attaching a larger intention and purpose to it. Also, picture your day going well, with you having a positive impact or touching people in some way.
Five ÔÇô as you go throughout your day, notice how you are feeling. If you’re feeling good, you’re creating even more things to feel good about in your life. If you feel bad, realise that it’s because you are engaged in a negative thought.
As soon as you become aware of it, Change your thought to one that makes you feel better. Don’t allow yourself to become mired in negativity because ‘it’s reality.’ We create our reality through our thoughts, so keep your thoughts positive.
Six – In your interactions with people, choose your words carefully. Don’t let your conversation drift to anything unwanted, like how under-appreciated, or broke, you are.
Focus your thoughts and discussions on what you want and why you want it; and if you come across someone who is not positively focused, make sure you don’t allow yourself to get sucked into their drama.
Don’t feel bad ‘out of sympathy’ or solidarity with anyone ÔÇô you’re not helping them or you. Remain stubbornly focused on the positive; and extricate yourself from any unpleasant situations if you need to.
Also, if something happens that you don’t like, remember: cultivating a positive attitude doesn’t mean you never get angry or express it. Expressing anger can be empowering; and is certainly better than feeling powerless. Just don’t allow yourself to wallow in, or be overwhelmed by, your anger.
As quickly as you can, find a better-feeling emotion. Turn your attention to what you want and focus on it. Nurture hope that your situation will improve, until you start to believe and expect it. That’s how we transform difficult situations into positive ones.
Seven ÔÇô Spend time reading or listening to motivational material every day. Your body is the temple of God, so feed it godly, life-giving material. It affects your present and future life:
“…Bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. “ (1 Timothy 4:8).
*Primrose Oteng is a Master of Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) and the Founder of the Positive Peace Project, an organization dedicated to creating positive change through personal empowerment. For more information regarding how we can help you or your company, please contact [email protected].
