Creating a Mind-Shift: Releasing Self-Doubt

"The world you desired can be won. It exists, it is real, it is possible, it is yours."

Ayn Rand

When life is frantic, people are angry, traffic is hectic, and the world seems to be getting crazier, how do you respond to this?
When you are faced with a hectic day, how can you tap into the tranquility that you so desperately need if you cannot find it?
When thoughts and past conversations keep replaying in your mind, how can you find peace?

Downbeat and pessimistic thinking is an acquired habit with its own internal mantra, so in order to stop thinking in terms of restrictions, failures, and obstacles you have to create a mind-shift and start thinking in terms of possibilities.

Looking Inwards
Meditation is a wonderful tool in helping you to look at what you believe about yourself and the world around you. By looking inwards, you discern and review what you may hold as unshakable truths and change your opinions one by one.

We all have this enquiring mind yet many of us don’t use it.

Developing awareness in all situations, including your own feelings and reactions, enables you to take control of what you think and therefore do. It’s up to you to determine what kind of reaction, and ultimately reality, you are going to create.

You Know It’s There

If you are climbing a hill, you can’t see the other side but you know it is there.
Likewise, if you are walking on a woodland trail, it is often difficult to see the end of the path, yet you know it is there.
Even on a road with no obstacles to obscure your view, there can be a bend in the way that prevents you from seeing the end of your journey, and yet once again you know it is there.

While we can’t be sure about what the terrain that lies ahead for any of us is like, we can each be certain that the most wonderful opportunities are waiting for us to get to them.

What you want to achieve you can, by resetting your attitude and developing habits that reinforce what you want to achieve in your life.

Prepare yourself to live the life that you want to achieve from this point on. Be determined and sure in your certainty that while you can’t see your exact destination, you know it IS there.

Intuition and Meditation
Once you train your mind and body to relax and receive answers and blessings during meditation, you will find it easier to return to a peaceful state by remembering what tranquility feels like, and thereby using the breath to be fully present and conscientious.

When you establish a regular practice, you discover an additional benefit of meditation; Intuition.

Sitting or lying down, depending on your physical abilities, close your eyes and focus on creating a rhythmic flow of breath.

Stay with the flow of the breath as it becomes slow, steady, and even.
This may take several minutes.
With each inhalation, breathe in the richness of life.
As you exhale, release the breath in a slow and steady stream.
Feel tension and stress leave the body on the breath.
Slow the breath down even further with each inhale and exhale.
Consciously release all anxiety, allowing the facial muscles and the limbs to relax.
Feel peace fill the inner space where tension once resided.

Maintain inward focus on an object or the breath.

If you are new to meditation:
You may like to focus on a candle. The shape and type of candle is your choice. Now focus on the candle flame.
See the light, explore it.

As you continue to focus on the light, your surroundings dissipate
With each inhalation, draw the light from the base of your spine to the crown of your head
With each exhalation, see the light pour from the crown of the head to surround you
Feel yourself enter into the light
Become surrounded by the light
Be as one, with the light.

If you are experienced at meditation:
With each inhalation, see a light at the base of your spine and draw the light in a column from the base of your spine to the crown of your head
As you exhale, see the light pour from the crown of the head to surround you.

After 5 rounds, focus on the breath
Slowly focus on the space between each breath
The space between each breath will lengthen
Enter into the space between each breath.

This is a peaceful place and the more you concentrate on the space, the wider it becomes and the greater your peace. Experience the peace of this relaxing environment.

In both cases, stay in meditation until you feel that it is time to complete your session.

Knowledge appears in the form of enhanced intuition.
You will have awareness of the source of Love, Purpose, and the certainty that all will be well.

When you have completed your meditation, slowly bring awareness back to your body.
Allow the eyes to open.
Keep the breath calm and steady, the body relaxed.
Feel recharged, invigorated, and contented.

Know that you can return to this peaceful safe place simply by following the breath’s journey.
Peace and knowledge resides deep within you.

With practice, you will restore balance and harmony simply by returning to a calm and peaceful flow of breath.
Embrace your ability and make wisdom and peace a daily reality.

Releasing The Habit of Self-Doubt
It’s a gradual process as you uncover and release the habitual thoughts that keep intruding when you need them least. But take comfort in knowing that the incidences of negative self-judgment and views will be less frequent, the gap between each undesired thought will increase, and you will find yourself living in a very beautiful cycle of peace and tranquility.

Two thoughts can't occupy the space!  As you focus only on that which is positive, the mind likes the happy feeling and wants to stay in that place.  When you catch yourself experiencing self-doubt, which is negative thinking, either replace it with a positive affirmation, or follow the breath to your place of wisdom and peace.

Examples of positive affirmations are:
I choose my thoughts
I have abundant energy to complete all my tasks
I am filled with vitality in body, mind, and spirit
All aspects of my being are filled with love
A wonderful life exists for me

As self-doubt is stripped away, your hopes and aspirations arise as you know with certainty that you are loved, and that an exhilarating life filled with purpose does indeed lie ahead for you.

You know it’s there.

Peace.