August 2020: Stress and Mind Set

Here we are in THE hot month of the year, unrelenting hot where I live, and with that, another opportunity in understanding our stress. This is intended to be a month for accessing the positive mind with a focus on fun, sense of community, choosing service, avoiding distractions on our path…… that is a big assignment when it feels a bit more like a stress filled journey.

Stress is not all bad. It can be very motivating and productive. It can also be debilitating.

In research, if a belief or mindset recognizes stressful situations as negative or debilitating, then the primary motivation is to control, manage or run from that situation and place blame on outside forces.
If the belief or mindset is of a more enhancing nature, then that feeling will provide a sense of motivation. It will allow more room for acceptance of what is, and provide a more productive stress response to choose and act toward real change and achieve enhanced outcomes.
How we work with our mindset seems to be key to living a more productive and peaceful life.

Meanwhile we live in our world with our own set of illusions. Maya is a word that means illusion. The word was explained to me as the illusion of separateness or disconnection with the rest of humanity and the universe. However, to live in an illusion that life is all perfect, does not explain how we need to see polarity. We cannot ever have total bliss, perfect health, continuous success. To live without both mindsets dancing in the game of life, separating ourselves in isolation is certainly Maya.

In Physics, the Law of Correspondence tells us that our outer world is a reflection of our inner world – as within, so without. This simply means that what happens on the outside is merely a reflection of what is happening on the inside. What we see is what we get. An individual that is unhappy and living in conflict with themselves will often see and strongly react to negative behaviors they see around them.

So how can we navigate in this whirlpool of emotion and struggle with our choice of mindset?

One powerful way to build on the mindset that feels the best, is to take control of our own thoughts in the present moment. Ask yourself several times during the day, "what am I thinking about right now?" And then, “does this thought bring joy, or enhance my wellbeing, or serve my highest good?” Should the answer be something that you do not want in your life, then take a moment to change that thought. Practice one thought at a time. This will begin the journey of regaining control in life. It is a huge step in building lasting happiness, a peaceful life and living with a stress-less, empowered mindset.

Beginning in September, I will be speaking in an open forum on line: the first Saturday of each month at www.ericshouse.org
Please check the above website calendar and sign up for or this free/ donation accepted discussion hour. Also, we are adding a gong/labyrinth walk each month at ericshouse. Please consider joining in for this outdoor lovely community opportunity.
In Peace,
Kathleen