We often think of mindfulness as a practice of sitting in meditation, paying attention to the breath or a mantra, or noticing our thoughts, sensations and feelings. It can be all of this, but it’s really so much more. Mindfulness is freeing yourself from automatic and unconscious ways of being. It’s living according to your own inner wisdom as opposed to someone else’s agenda for you. It is, in a word,
liberation.
Don’t Follow the Flock
The New Year especially brings with it an onslaught of advertising messages selling the idea that you have to lose weight to look good, or you need the newest phone to be cool. Even your wardrobe is “so last year” — you
must get the newest trends ahead of spring.
Our media-saturated world bombards us with images of perfection and all the things we need to buy or do in order to measure up. They’re like water to a fish; we're so steeped in it we don't even see it for what it is. But these images don’t just come from an overly materialistic and money-driven culture.
In a deeper sense,
they’re based on a flawed understanding of life — that there is something inherently wrong with you, and it must be “fixed” by something outside of you. When you live according to this paradigm, no matter how many status objects you own, how many achievements you rack up, or how perfect your figure is...
it will never be enough.
This is a monster whose hunger will never be satisfied. It’s a game you can never win.
Don’t fall for it.
Look Beyond the Surface
Now, before you think to yourself: “
I’m not influenced by society — I’m beyond that…” I challenge you to look deeper. None of us are beyond it. It could take a lifetime to undo all the cultural conditioning in the cracks and crevices of our minds.
That’s ok.
What’s important is that instead of pretending it doesn’t exist, you find the courage to live a mindful life… one where you become more and more aware,
separating your conditioning from your true original nature.
By acknowledging every part of yourself — the dark and the light; the strong and the vulnerable; the beautiful, humorous and utterly ridiculous — you meet yourself with tenderness. From this place, something opens inside of you, and you begin to peel back the layers of conditioning. The pains and hurts of the past begin to dissolve, and the bright light of your soul emerges.
Your Inner Being Already Knows the Answer
This light you discover inside is not new; it has always been there, waiting for you to part the clouds that covered it. You are already whole, and you have everything you need. So
instead of seeking outer perfection, seek connection with your soul, which is already perfect.
Does that mean you never buy stuff or focus your attention on external goals? No, of course not.
It means you prioritize connecting to your inner self and your own truth first. Then you can make aligned decisions about the little things as well as the big ones.
So liberate yourself from someone else’s agenda for you, and take back your mind as your own. Take back your sense of self-worth. Take back your ideas about who you are. Take back your capacity to be the captain of your own ship and live life on your terms.
Is this selfish? Is this overly individualistic thinking? No. When you’re liberated to your true self, your choices naturally unfold in the best way for all.
So how do you do it?
Bring Your Awareness Inside
Put down your devices.Turn off the TV. Unplug from other people and go within. Get quiet. Get curious. Be open. Notice your breath, your thoughts, emotions and body sensations in the present moment.
Make an honest assessment of the thoughts and beliefs you hold. Are they life-affirming? And are they truly your own thoughts? If not, who fed them to you? Know that if you’ve swallowed someone else’s thoughts and taken them as your own, you can spit them back out at any time. You can say: “
Ok, I see I have this belief. But this belief is not me… so now I choose to change it.”
Act From Your True Self
Have you ever looked closely at something you did and realized your reason for doing it wasn’t so healthy? Maybe you did it to impress someone? Or to get a certain reaction or response? Or to feel like you’re “good” or “enough”? There’s no shame: We’ve all done this.
But when you clean up your thoughts and beliefs and get in touch with your original nature, your decisions will be made from the higher perspective of your
true self. A “true self decision” doesn’t come from a place of lack or neediness. It’s not to fill a perceived void in your wholeness. And it isn’t based on someone else’s agenda for you.
A “true self decision” bubbles up from your soul and feels light, expansive, empowered, peaceful, loving, joyful, satisfying…
Be Committed to Mindfulness
Mindfulness is not a one-time deal. It’s an ongoing commitment like any other commitment in our lives. And it isn’t always easy. Facing yourself can be hard. Making authentic, empowered choices that the people around you might not understand can be hard. Going left when the world wants you to go right can be…
hard.
But this is the path of liberation.
And since you’ve read this far, I believe you’re up for the challenge.
Because you understand that only you have the power to write your own life’s story. Only
you have the power to discover the fullness of what it can be.
If you’re ready to take back your mind this year… If you want a deeper connection to your natural power to heal yourself and create the life you want… consider a
Change Your Energy premium membership.
Learn more about it here.