Mind power. You have it. I have it. Although there are situations beyond our control, we have control over how we interpret and narrate the challenges and celebrations we encounter. Owning and becoming adept at using our super power takes practice and intention. It rarely happens overnight. Emotions will come and go like the tide, but we get to decide what will remain washed up on the shore of our minds.

To use your mind power, you first have to believe that you have it.

Gratitude is a growing trend because it re-wires our minds and gives us a deeper connection to our choices and the thousands of gifts we receive each day.

To use your mind power, you must see thoughts as real objects and be willing to re-arrange the furniture of your mind for greater creativity, freedom and power. This can become a morning ritual to center your thoughts, slow down and begin the day with gratitude. It can be creating mental triggers in the daily rhythms of your life and around your home. Slowing down, breathing deeply, and hitting reset on our thoughts allows new habits and thought patterns to shape the landscape of our lives.

As your mind power develops, you will be better equipped to face your doubt, self-sabotaging tendencies and the pull of negativity.

As a writer, when you face doubt, your mind power will give you the strength to write afraid and show up despite your emotions, “This is just what I do.” Hiding and evading your work is no longer an option.When you face doubt, your mind will return to moments of clarity and confidence and assure you that these moments are on the horizon.

The most subtle and poisonous forms of self-sabotage is procrastination. It is another way of crawling away from opportunity and hiding under a rock. You emerge under the excuse, “I forgot” or “I wasn’t sure of where to start.” In reality, you have become your own worst enemy.

Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today.

  • Benjamin Franklin

Write down this quote. Make it your mantra. This does not mean that your to do list should become a list of hundreds of items, but if something takes less than 5 minutes to complete: do it NOW.

This will free up your brain space and time for your important projects (bonus tip: do those first thing in the morning).

The second way to outsmart procrastination is to pay attention to the “small nudges of the soul”, as I like to call them. When you feel a prick inside to email someone, send a hand written card, or tell a stranger how lovely their sweater is. Don’t wait. Do it. The greater attention you pay, and the faster action you take, the louder your soul nudges become. They are your key to a meaningful and joy-filled life.

One of the greatest challenges to our mind power is negativity from within and negativity from others: it is part of the territory of being human. When encountering negative emotions and negativity, first give them space and accept their existence. The last thing we need is to be filled with shame over “should not be feeling this way” or “should not be hearing this negativity.” It is what it is and the faster we accept that it is, the faster we can move forward.

The key to moving past negativity and hard emotions is to resist assigning moral value to them. We are storytellers and it is easy to spin a story of eternal neglect and rejection over a comment or feeling inside. The truth is that this moment stands alone and has NOTHING to do with your worth or value. The moment loses its power when you can see it for what it is and realize that this moment does not tell the whole story.

You are stunning, vibrant and bold.

Don’t be afraid to believe it and live it out.

Become your own greatest ally and applaud the gifts and strength within yourself and others.

When you shine, everyone wins.

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