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Mind Cleanse
"What's in your wallet?" This question is asked repeatedly in commercials by a credit card company. Their message is designed to communicate that other credit cards are less valuable and less rewarding. Compared to their's, other credit cards are a waste of wallet space and a waste of your financial resources.
The suggestion is to purge your wallet of the other, 'bad' credit cards that are economic toxins. The number of plastic dollars in our wallets can number 2, 6, 10 for example. So yes, it is probably a good idea to have only one card and minimize financial drama, chaos, and thoughtless spending. And if we carry wasteful cards on our person, then imagine the waste in our heads.
So my question to you is "What's in your mind?" The thoughts we house in our minds number in the tens of thousands. Studies have shown that we have up to 70,000 thoughts/day! Most of these thoughts are negative and repetitive though mostly subconscious, of course. And surely most of us have toxic and wasteful thinking patterns, which lead to unhealthy choices and behaviors. You see, it is impossible to have positive outcomes from negative thinking. Even more, all actions are preceeded by thoughts, whether you're aware of them or not.
If it makes sense to cleanse your wallet of monetary toxins, then it makes even more sense to purge unhealthy, toxic thoughts from your mind. If you want healthy, joyful, and purposeful experiences in life, then mental cleansing is required. Going beyond the traditional spring cleaning, the mental cleanse is about discarding notions that are not functional, out of date, and those that don't spark joy. Releasing old beliefs (in Santa Clause or the Easter Bunny) and things that elicit a 'ho-hum response' are examples of thought processes to ditch.
Another example, I grew up in a hypercritical environment and was consequently sensitive to any criticism. In adulthood, it no longer served me to guard against all criticism. I realized that to become a better person then I needed to be open to constructive criticism and I learned to discern that which was helpful from that which was hurtful.
"Taking time to clear out the old thoughts and ideas from our mind is an essential ingredient to keep our head on straight and focused on things that are new, fresh, inspiring, and purposeful."
Tris Thorp
Here are a few tips for cleaning your mind of toxic and unhealthy thoughts.
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Get a massage
Deeper understanding and the emergence of intuition come from quiet. Be Still. The primary benefit of massage therapy is relaxation, which is the quieting of mind and body. Be Still. As tension is released, mental chatter dissipates. Then your innate knowing will guide you toward appropriate thoughts, beliefs, and actions.
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Meditate
The value of meditation is well documented. Visit www.chopra.com for more specifics on meditating. You can start with finding a space free of distractions, breathe deeply, focus on an object or word or mantra, and do not judge whatever pops into your mind-simply refocus on your object.
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Reframe
This step involves replacing negative thoughts with constructive ones, which are thoughts that lead to actions that enhance your experience of life. Reframing is a challenge because it requires you to think out of your box. It means that you must learn to see alternatives to your automatic negative thinking to move you closer to a healthy, happy life.
For example, I used to think that "I don't belong here" in certain social circles. Because those circles are a part of my chosen path, I reframed to think when in those situations, "I am where I need to be." And now I'm more comfortable. Please consult a psychotherapist for assistance.
Cleansing the mind is just as, if not more, important than spring cleaning when it comes to you connecting with healthy and happy life experiences. Take the time to discard useless, out-dated, and joyless thoughts. Purge your mind of toxic thinking and open to new, loving possibilities.
glen
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