Are you living in ways that reflect the person you want to be? Do you resolve to make changes and then slip back into old routines? We could call this a rut. But real change involves more than just actions. Repetitive thoughts and feelings also impact our life experiences. They create the self we are becoming. How then do we live in ways that honor our true self?
The quantum model of reality tells us that to change our lives we must change our state of being. We must change the way we think and feel. But how do we reframe the limiting beliefs that cause us to react in familiar ways? The good news from science: We can choose to end this cycle. We can change our responses to life.
We can transform our feelings with our thoughts.
We used to believe that our brains were formed by adulthood. We used to think that we were set in our ways as adults. From neuroscience we now know that the brain can change throughout our lifespan. It changes in response to experience. This property is called neuroplasticity. We can modify the brain’s plasticity and increase its power through our own efforts. Our choice of thoughts and activities does matter.
Researchers in neuroscience have made a recent key discovery. They found that emotions arise in part from the same areas of the brain as cognition. Simply put, we can transform our feelings with our thoughts. According to Hebb’s law, a principle in neuroscience, “Nerve cells that fire together, wire together.†Through consistent mental practice, we can change our ways of thinking and feeling.
We can change our state of being with thoughts of appreciation.
How we feel at each given moment reflects our state of being. It influences our reactions to people and events. Thoughts of appreciation are an effective tool for changing our responses to life. With them we can change the ways we think and feel. We can change our state of being.
Thoughts of appreciation cultivate greater resilience from setbacks. With them we increase our happiness. By looking for ways to appreciate, we stay anchored in the now. We are thankful for small things that otherwise pass unnoticed. Consistency is the key. Expressing appreciation often is a powerful mindset. We transform our state of being and the self we are becoming.
We can discover our true self during quiet times alone.
Meditation is an effective tool for changing your state of being. It develops an awareness of your true self. It is a way of knowing your deepest thoughts and feelings. Ten minutes has as much value as two hours if our intention is clear. What matters is that we take time each day to honor the inner self.
Some people prefer walks alone in nature or walking meditations. Scientific research shows that quiet time in nature affects our mood, our immune system and the self we are becoming. Nature’s energy flows through us and transforms our state of being. Walking meditations foster mental, physical and spiritual well-being. We discover our true self.
We are energetic beings living in an energetic universe. Every thought vibrates and attracts. We have the freedom to choose our thoughts. We limit ourselves. We are more than we think we are. Expressing appreciation throughout the day changes our state of being. Spending quiet time alone reveals our true self. When we follow our heart’s desires, we live with balance and joy. We create a new life.
Mary Beth Ford, Ed. D., is the author of Wisdom from the Gardens—Life Lessons and creator of the CD Garden Wisdom—5 Ways to Grow in Life Balance and Joy. She specializes in the area of life balance, which she describes as balance between outer world and inner Self. In her work Mary Beth shares her five powerful garden lessons for living with balance and joy. Using nature images she gives us a new vision of ourselves and our world. Her desire is to help busy people live with Spirit in the world. To learn more, visit Mary Beth’s website at http://www.wisdomfromthegardens.com and listen to her inspiring reflection on world and Spirit.