Tagyoga

Life Changing Benefits of Mindfulness and Positive Thinking

Do you ever feel like life is passing by too quickly and that you can’t keep up? Have you noticed yourself feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or just plain exhausted from the daily grind? Is it difficult to set time aside for yourself? If so, it may be time to start incorporating some mindfulness and positive thinking into your life.

people walking near high rise buildings
Photo by Ramil Ugot on Pexels.com

Mindfulness and positive thinking have become popular topics in recent years as more people realize how much they can help us improve our lives. From reducing stress to improving productivity, these practices come with a plethora of benefits. In fact, there is now a medically recognized intervention call MBSR (Mindfulness based stress reduction) which makes the process very systematic and accessible. However, this is not the only way to practice mindfulness and still get the benefits!

In this post, we’ll explore why mindfulness and positive thinking are important. We will look at how to implement them in your life and what kind of results you might see from doing so. We’ll also discuss potential challenges that come with making these changes and offer tips for overcoming them

What are 3 benefits to practicing mindfulness?

  1. Mindfulness reduces stress. There are countless studies that show how mindfulness reduces stress via multiple nervous system pathways. There is a page dedicated to the practice on the National Institute of Health website. The most obvious effect is the delaying of the amygdalic brain (lower, reptilian brain) and heightened response in the pre-frontal cortex. This basically means our ability to cognitively think before we react improves.
  2. Mindfulness improves productivity. Often when we feel stressed, it’s because we’re overwhelmed with everything we (think) need to do. This can lead to us feeling scattered and unfocused, making it difficult to get anything done. Mindfulness helps us to focus on one thing at a time, which makes completing tasks much easier and less stressful.
  3. Mindfulness improves our overall well-being. We can feel a deeper sense of fulfillment knowing that we are present with our experiences. We also enjoy more confidence knowing that we are making the best decisions for ourselves.
  4. (Bonus)* Mindfulness improves our relationships. When we’re stressed, we often take our frustrations out on those closest to us without meaning to. This can damage our relationships and make them more difficult than they need to be. Mindfulness can help us be more present in our interactions with others and appreciate them more, leading to healthier relationships overall

The difference between mindfulness and positive thinking

affirmations for mindfulness and positive thinking

Mindfulness and positive thinking are often thought of as being the same thing. However, they are actually quite different. Mindfulness is about being present – in the moment and accepting things as they are, without judgement.

Positive thinking is about looking on the bright side and trying to see the best in every situation. Both mindfulness and positive thinking can be useful in managing stress, but they take different approaches. If you’re feeling stressed, mindfulness can help you accept your feelings and let go of them, while positive thinking can help you find the silver lining in the situation.

Positive thinking is important, but it is also important to remain truthful to ourselves accept feelings and thoughts that don’t always feel good. This is where mindfulness comes in to keep us in check. When we are being mindful, it’s pretty difficult to lie to ourselves or say something is ‘ok’ when we know that we feel like it isn’t.

How mindfulness & positive thinking can change your life

Mindfulness and positive thinking affects every part of our life. Being mindful is the difference between being present with our experiences and being aloof. Most people live somewhere in between that spectrum, but we all know individuals who sit to the extremes of this spectrum (being extremely present, or being completely disconnected).

Improve your physical and mental health

Mindfulness has been shown to have a number of benefits for our physical health. It can help us to manage pain, reduce stress, improve sleep and even boost our immune system. Positive thinking has also been linked with better health outcomes. Studies have found that people who are more optimistic are less likely to die from cardiovascular disease, and that they may even live longer than pessimistic people.

Transform your relationships

When we are mindful, we are more present with our loved ones and can really savor the moments we share together. We are also better able to manage difficult emotions and relationships. Positive thinking can improve our relationships by making us more satisfied with life, which in turn makes us more pleasant to be around!

Impact your work & professional life

If you are struggling with work-related stress, mindfulness can be beneficial in helping you manage it. Positive thinking could give you the extra boost and confidence you need to get promoted or find a new job. Research has demonstrated that optimists are more likely to obtain promotions and be hired. They also tend to experience less burnout on the job. You can read more on how a simple mindfulness practice can be worth millions of dollars to companies that invest in mental health!

It’s all connected! Mindfulness and Positive Thinking Transforms Everything!

Everything in life is connected. I must emphasize the fact that nothing exists in isolation. When our health suffers, our work suffers, and so do the quality of our relationships. The same is true with any combination of those. For example, stress from work can affect our health and relationships. That is why it’s important to be mindful in all aspects of our life.

Hands joining showing connection between people

Challenges to maintaining a consistent mindfulness practice

The biggest challenge in mindfulness is to be consistent with the practice.

It can be difficult to find time to meditate or do yoga every day when we have so many other demands on our time. But if we make the effort to be mindful, even for a few minutes each day, it can make a big difference in our overall well-being.

We have all kinds of misconceptions about what it takes to practice in terms of time and effort. We may think we are too busy or stressed to pause and be present. Or maybe we think it is difficult and again, are too occupied for something like mindfulness. These are just mental blocks.

The truth is that it doesn’t have to take a lot of time, and it doesn’t have to be difficult. Mindfulness can be practiced anywhere, anytime. Make a dedication to spend at least 1 minute in the morning and in the evening to acknowledge how you feel in the moment.

You can also add a statement of gratitude or positive affirmation. Possible examples are: “I am grateful for my experiences.” or “I am mentally resilient.”

That’s all it takes! That is practicing mindfulness and positivity in 2 minutes or less.

Primate sitting mindfully

Get Started with Mindfulness and Positive Thinking

The best way to start is by setting aside some time each day for your practice. If you are able to get overcome the consistency challenge previously mentioned, try this exercise. It can be as short as 5 minutes.

Just find a comfortable place to sit or lie down, and focus on your breath. Don’t try to control your breath, just let it flow naturally. Watch each breath come and go on its own – allowing yourself to be present. If your mind wanders, just gently bring it back to your breath. For more in depth information on mindful breathing, try our free course on the Power of Intention, or check out our Youtube channel.

You may also want to try some mindfulness exercises or meditation practices specifically designed to help you relax and reduce stress. There are exercises with every chapter in our book Transformational Mindfulness: The handbook to self mastery. The book contains everything you need to get started with practicing mindfulness and has an activity that corresponds each aspect of emotional intelligence.

Mindful Minutes – 5 Minute Practice to Master Your Mind and Reach Your Goals

In this episode of mindful minutes we jump in with a powerful shamanic heartbeat and set our intentions on a subconscious level. Mindfulness minutes is your time to reset your mind and set your intentions for the day. This short mindfulness practice improves our emotional intelligence and ability to focus on our intentions. This is one of the greatest tools we have to unlock our potential.

Mindful Minutes – Powerful Visualization Practice to Center Your Mind

In today’s mindful minutes we jump right in and complete the practice with a color visualization to center the mind and strengthen our ability to picture our goals.

Get the Transformational Mindfulness book here: https://jah.life/product/transformati…

Or on Amazon: https://a.co/d/d8gYa8T

This is What it Takes to Be Self Motivated – Even Through Depression

Self motivation is one of the 5 key components of emotional intelligence (EQ). It is the ability to work towards an immaterial goal, usually with no definite end. It also helps with depression and other mental health challenges. When we are self motivated, we get many benefits with it, such as increased confidence which affects all aspects of our lives. Developing emotional intelligence is a great way to build mental resilience.

How do we motivate ourselves?

We motivate ourselves by being mindful and disciplined. A mindfulness practice helps us to stay in the present moment and enjoy the process of whatever we are doing. It also helps us to recognize our needs and recognize our passions – what is truly fulfilling to us. When we focus on the things that we want out of life, it’s easier to be naturally motivated.

Remember to focus on the things you do want out of life and enjoy the process.

Discipline is also motivating when it comes from a place of self-love. For example maintaining a healthy diet or exercising regularly is a way to show ourselves self-love and these are both processes that are continuously ongoing. They don’t have a finite end. If you want to be healthy then we have to continue to exercise and eat healthy; we can’t just say “I’ve ran enough miles, I think I’m healthy” and be done with it forever. By being disciplined in our actions, we can be immersed in them and truly enjoy the process, rather than focused on the goal(s) or circumstances.

Self regulation, another component of emotional intelligence is also related to self-motivation. We have to regulate ourselves in order to be disciplined and present. We must be able to control our impulses and ultimately focus our attention on what is really fulfilling to us.

No action, no change

Practice, practice, practice!

Ultimately we must practice to train new habits. Practicing discipline or enjoying the process are habits to be practiced just like any other. If we want a strong mind, we have to train it. It may be difficult at first, but it gets easier with practice. Remember to focus on the things you do want out of life and enjoy the process. Think of everything as a learning experience. Also consider a continuous or immaterial goal. If that seems too abstract, think of something that you can work on that doesn’t have an end – it is ongoing.

Mindful Minutes – Breathing with Intention

In this episode of mindful minutes we do a mindful breathing exercise from the Transformational Mindfulness book. We learn the proper way to breathe and the benefits of healthy breathing habits. Get the book at our store here: https://jah.life

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Mental Health Awareness and Screening for Depression

I’m writing this post because in the last week we had depression screening day and mental health awareness day. October is mental health awareness month. However, throughout the year it feels like every day is some kind of focused awareness event, and quite honestly, I can’t keep up. Perhaps it’s just that technology is making all these events easier to document and track or maybe its my involvement in the community expanding my awareness. But the fact remains, it can feel overwhelming sometimes – jumping from one topic to the next – leaving me to wonder if it’s really effective or if we are just constantly going from one to the next, too busy keeping up to absorb the meaning of the day. These days can be good for awareness, but not so much for individuals.

Often times we see the quote “Mental health is health”, which is true, but also health is health. Everything is connected. We need to break out of the silo mentality when it comes to mind body health. Gut health is mental health. Physical health is mental health. Eat healthy or go for a run and you will be in a better state of mind than otherwise. It takes balance to be healthy. We can’t to go to the gym, have a terrible diet, and then expect optimal performance – mental or physical.

Ups and downs are a natural part of life and they serve a purpose. No emotion is inherently good or bad.

Mental resilience, or a strong mind is important to have. For me it is a choice to identify with a disease vs. having a strong mind. Do I get depressed? Sure, I’m more susceptible than most people. Life is not perfect, but that’s a part of it. Sometimes I think it is all pointless. Things don’t always go according to plan. We experience pain. Relationships drift apart. We feel lost. Possessions are temporary. People die. People should be screened if they experience any of this and don’t feel a little depressed. I’m going to do you a favor and say you don’t need to go anywhere. Take a pause and check in with yourself. This is the best screening possible. You know if you feel happy or not – if you feel fulfilled or not, if you feel sad, or stressed, or overwhelmed. And if you’re not sure, then that means it’s time to take a pause and check in. Ultimately it’s up to us to be accountable for our health.

So what do we do? First off, lets not get ourselves more down about feeling down. It is common for us to intensify undesirable emotions because we are so focused on them. We get so focused on our depression or anger that it makes us more depressed or angry! Ups and downs are a natural part of life and they serve a purpose. No emotion is inherently good or bad. Once we accept, that, we can use our emotions to our advantage. For example, feel down/depressed allows for greater introspection – to look within and re-evaluate our needs/actions.

  1. Take inventory
    • Take note of one word describing how you feel right now.
    • (Optional) Do a stress inventory. Stress is the top contributing factor for most chronic disease, immunity, mental health imbalances, and overall well-being. Sometimes we don’t recognize how much stress we are experiencing. This can help to put what we are experiencing in life into perspective.
  2. Practice mindfulness! Gratitude and positivity are two easy exercises. Remember that the mind is a muscle. The more we practice positive thinking, the easier it becomes. When we practice mindfulness it also increases our emotional intelligence and stress management skills.
    • Note down 3 things you are grateful for.
    • Practice re-framing negative thoughts into positive ones. Gratitude and humor are 2 easy ways to do this.
  3. Exercise – This is talked about all the time so I won’t go into too much detail here. Something as little as going for a walk can make a huge difference in how you feel. Do what feels good – yoga, calisthenics, cardio, weights – it all helps to get more blood flowing which means more oxygen and nutrients for the brain and body.
  4. Eat Healthy – Diet is huge but not for the reasons you might think. Yes, you want healthy toxin-free building blocks to support a healthy brain and body. But more importantly the gut produces most of our “happy molecules”, the hormones and neurotransmitters that help us to regulate our emotions and feel good. The gut really is the 2nd brain (or the 1st brain according to some people!)
  5. Find your passion – If you feel like you are not reaching your full potential or unfulfilled in any capacity, on a day to day basis then it means you are not putting energy towards things that make you happy. Find a hobby, join a club, build relationships – do what you need to do to feel fulfilled.

Self-Care Sunday: Taking Time To Nurture Yourself

Have you taken the time to nurture yourself this week? Let’s be honest, in the hustle and bustle of life we tend to leave ourselves behind from time to time. It’s easy to put work, kids, deadlines and family needs before our own. Eventually this leads to burnt out, leaving us tired and empty.

That’s why it’s essential that we tend to our own needs and mental health. Otherwise, we will be pouring ourselves out of an empty vessel. Hence, the title. 

Let’s do a little check-in. Below are some questions to start with: 

  • What is the first thing you do when you wake up?
  • Do you have a morning routine? A ritual?
  • Practical steps that can set up your day for the best possible outcome? 

Here are few simple things I do first thing in the morning to make sure I am setting myself up to win:

  • State a positive affirmation (while still in bed)
  • Light stretch
  • Brush my teeth
  • Take a shower
  • Meditate
  • Light yoga (while the coffee is brewing) 
  • Journal ( it doesn’t have to make sense) 

Yes, seriously. I do all of these things within the first two hours upon waking, either before heading to work or getting my day started with my family. 

You’d be surprised at how these common sense and simple things are overlooked and undervalued. 

Choose one, two or all of them and try it on. Simply spend a few minutes on each and see how you feel. 

Take inventory before you go to bed. What worked? What didn’t work? And what can you do differently tomorrow?

Don’t overthink it. It takes daily practice, consistency and a little willingness.  

Trust the process.

Summer Updates!

Summer is just about here, and with it, a plethora of updates!

First off, June is Men’s Health Month. As a reminder, health & wellness is something that is ongoing for everyone. Many aspects are like exercise or diet – you have to keep up the practice every day. It’s not something we can practice and be done with (Its not like you get fit from going to the gym a few times and then you never have to go again).  We’ll discuss more about men’s health and mental health needs. We also look forward to World Yoga day on June 21st!

Later in the Summer, Jahmaal’s Transformational Mindfulness book will be released! If you haven’t had a chance, visit akash.jah.guide (which will soon be moving to its own page: akash.exchange) to learn more about the cryptocurrency token to support health, wellness, and commodities like food. These are two exciting projects we are excited about as they represent healthy progress in the paradigm shift.

Stay cool out there!