Increasing your optimism. There are No limits!

Concentration, Optimism, Success

The brain has an open loop system where we are able to pick up subtle clues that are emitted from one another. We can also anticipate the actions of other people and react accordingly and this amazing ability fires back and forth in split seconds between each person. For example, hormones are activated in 40 milliseconds while the sympathetic nervous system is activated in a mere 8 milliseconds.

There is also a cycle of "sacrifice and renewal" which occurs daily within the neurons and this cycle is affected either positively or negatively by the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS).

It is estimated that 85,000 neurons are lost every day and if the SNS is activated more frequently and for prolonged periods, it actually promotes cognitive loss. This includes reducing the health of the immune system, increasing nervousness and fears, and stimulating stress.

The PNS has the opposite effect; promoting renewal and health including a better memory for details, increased positive emotions, lowering blood pressure, and arousing compassion.

Increasing optimism
Activities such as meditation, yoga and prayer have all been shown to promote renewal of neurons while also increasing hope, compassion and optimism.

Meditation affects your perception, your perspective on life, and by promoting a positive mental state enables you to be free from negativity that creates upset. It allows each one of us to move beyond the comprehension of what is occurring in the mind and body and to actually begin to feel the flow of positive emotions.

Mindfulness moments increase and effectively give the mind space to focus on what is positive and meaningful to you.

You begin to recognize what is dominate in your life and choose to develop new habits more in line with what you desire. This allows you to transcend the meditative experience and bring the benefits of meditation into your everyday activities.

So what will you do with the new-found attitude?

Let creativity flow
Wonderful things can happen when you channel your true passions into disciplined action and move beyond recurring thoughts and habits and replace them with positive ones through affirmations and a regular meditation practice and to actually begin to feel the flow of positive emotions. Don't compare yourself to others; simply do your best and encourage this in others,

Becoming active rather than reactive to situations fosters positive emotions, framing goals with hope for the future while also being able to see that negative events can “wake” you up to possibilities. This allows you to transcend the meditative experience and bring the benefits of meditation into your everyday activities.

There are NO limits
Be creative and inventive. Let your ideas flow and find what inspires you. Your horizon is as vast as you allow it to be and as tall and exciting as you make it.

Other people do not have your vision or your desire to succeed. There are no limits to your potential.
Your physical outer world is a reflection of your inner world and your energy is always radiating, flowing, and touching others. True change occurs from within and your positive inner dialogue helps elevate others around you even when you are not saying anything TO them; just thinking positive thoughts.

Affirmations

All that I perceive about myself is positive.

I face challenges with certainty that I will find solutions and overcome all obstacles

I am able to help and encourage people around me

I am successful in all that I set out to do

My life is filled with wonder.

 
In the 2008 University of Wisconsin study, “Regulation of the neural circuitry of emotion by compassion meditation: effects of meditative expertise” the researchers found that compassion meditation increased the practitioners capacity for empathy, which has both clinical and social importance.

Earlier studies showed that two people can share the same emotional responses or elicit the same activity in their brain when one actually experiences pain or pleasure, and the other person is either a visual witness, or hears the experience taking place.
This illustrated that humans have a foundation for empathy.

In the study mentioned above, two groups were studied: one who were experienced meditators and the other who were learning the technique.
Measuring brain activity to sounds such as a woman in distress or a baby crying elicited emotional responses in the groups such as a negative, neutral, or positive.

Brain imaging showed that meditating on compassion elicited reactions in the brain in both groups; however the experienced meditators exhibited a greater reaction, especially when someone was experiencing difficulty or distress.

Meditation increases compassion by helping you to focus on affirming thoughts, rather than problems and attune yourself to the needs of others.

Meditation
Meditation has been used for thousands of years for self-reflection, self-awareness, healing, and enlightenment. Today’s technology enables us to see the physiological and chemical changes that occur throughout the whole body.
People who meditate regularly are clinically shown to have fewer overall symptoms of stress, fewer cardiopulmonary and gastrointestinal symptoms, less emotional irritability, and cognitive disorganization.
As the study mentioned above also shows, compassion increases, not only to others, but also to yourself.

Meditation draws your attention away from a particular problem or illness to a place of overall knowledge and feelings of inner calmness and peace. It helps you to concentrate less on individual set-backs or issues and provides you with a tool that promotes inward focus, enabling the mind and the body to experience a profound state of restfulness. In turn, the brain becomes balanced, while the mind and body move beyond thinking, to simply being.

Affirmation
You have the wonderful ability to think positively and compassionately. It is a conscious choice to ensure that your thoughts and subsequent action are doing their best for yourself and for others. Whether you call it positive thinking or an affirmation, as long as you believe that it is working then it will have the power to make a difference.
Thoughts have their own unique energy
Promote clear and positive images by seeing yourself as confident and compassionate in all that you think, say, and do. Use whichever words best meet your own needs and purpose each day.
Here are a few to begin with:

I choose to be kind
I choose to give love
I choose to be happy
May you and I be safe
May you and I be loved
May you and I be happy

What Thoughts Are You Carrying?

The immune system is not an independent self-directed system; rather it has an actual connection with the conscious mind and the effect of thoughts upon the body.
The brain produces chemicals called neuropeptides which affect the immune cell receptors in specific ways according to your emotional state.

The interaction between your mind and your subsequent behavior affects the immune system of your body, resulting in either health or illness.
People who expect the worst and see everything as half-empty may already be half-way to an early grave. With illnesses ranging from colds and flu to heart attacks and cancer, pessimists do live a shorter and unhealthier life.

Do mind-body techniques such as yoga, meditation or repetitive prayer affect the way the body deals with the activation or repression of genes which can result in cellular damage and consequently disease?
A study by MGH MBI and the Genomics Center at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center shows that following an 8 week period of meditation, participants’ genes were positively affected demonstrating that thoughts can and do affect the body at a cellular level.

Food and drink contain energy that can work with or against your body.
However, health does not only come from what you consume or apply topically. It stems from the internal and meditation is one of the easiest methods to promote healthy thoughts.
What habits do you keep repeating?
What feelings and fears keep intruding?
A diet of positive thoughts detoxifies the mind and improves your quality of life.
You are what you think.

Affirmation
Negative thoughts draw more negative energy to you; however it is possible to create new and better pathways within your brain with far-reaching consequences. Carry an affirmative thought with you every day to remind you to stay optimistic.

I choose to be grateful I choose to be kind

I choose to give love

I choose to feel joy

I choose to see the good within

I choose to be happy

Finding Your Self: This Is Who I Really Am

Sometimes what we perceive is a mirror reflection of who we are.

Do you like what you see?

As always, thank you to everyone around the world who follows my writing and thank you again for forwarding the blog link to friends.

Happiness and friendship is never diminished because it is shared.

Margaret

Finding Your Self
In the early 1980’s, Dr Richard Schwartz, Ph.D. worked as a family therapist. During his sessions with clients, he began to notice that some clients, those with eating disorders, would have internal dialogues with a pessimistic part of themselves that was either urging them to eat or purge the food from their body. As he explored this further with one client called “Diane”, he discovered that he was not talking to what he perceived as Diane, but to a part of her that was constantly engaged in an on-going war with a pessimistic voice that was constantly telling her that she was hopeless. When he asked her to directly inquire why the pessimist was always saying this, it said that it was protecting her from taking risks and getting hurt. Diane felt that this voice made her life a continuous struggle.

As he explored further, he discovered that there was also an angry voice inside Diane that pushed her to achieve while the pessimist voice told her she was hopeless. He invited her to ask the angry voice to “step-back” and to tell him how she now felt toward the negative voice. He reports that Diane immediately responded gently, in a more relaxed manner and compassionate state, appreciating the negative voice for caring about her, for trying to protect her, and for having to work so hard to make itself heard.

From that point on it was easy for Diane to handle the pessimist and to deal with her situation.

Dr Schwartz conducted on-going research into the inner voices with many of his clients. Upon reaching the calm, compassionate state they all gave, in their own words, the same response;
I am not like those other voices,
This is who I really am,
That’s my Self.

For the next twenty years, he has refined his research into teaching clients to reach their Selves. Likewise, he teaches therapists to also release baggage and perceived agendas and to get in touch with their real Self through his Center for Self Leadership (CSL) which has trained over 10,000 people in this approach since 2000.

Self-Awareness
We have all heard the inner voices that Dr Schwarz identified; the ones that discourage, ridicule, or worse. There are several clinical methods that can be used to declutter the mind from the constant static and to heighten awareness of the Self.

Just as research into the Self is now accepted and funded in America, meditation has also been researched with even deeper research examining the effect of meditation within the DNA of cells. Today’s technology enables us to see the physiological and chemical changes that occur throughout the whole body.

Self-Reflection
In many cultures, the Self was already known and spiritual and philosophical ideas arose through the practice of being in contact with the Self.

Meditation has been used for thousands of years for self-reflection, self-awareness, healing, enlightenment and connecting with the Self. It draws your attention away from a particular object or illness to an overall knowledge and feeling of inner calmness and peace. The mind concentrates less on individual problems or issues and settles instead on promoting an inward focus, enabling the mind and the body to experience a profound state of restfulness. In turn, the brain becomes balanced, while the mind and body move beyond thinking, to simply being.

Yet many people live their life following the same routines and habits, sometime without remembering why, and don’t know why or how to begin making simple changes that will bring positive transformation to their professional and personal lives.

Meditation
Meditation allows a heightened state of awareness to evolve and with this newfound clarity comes an understanding of needs, purpose, and the ability to implement change with confidence. Thoughts lessen as the mind develops inner vision and learns how to develop single-pointed focus. Like most things in life, meditation takes practice but it can easily be learned bringing with it the rewards of purpose and self awareness.

This increased level of awareness helps practitioners make subtle changes in diet, activity, and other lifestyle choices while improving interactions through enhanced empathy, understanding, and greater perception of life situations.

Affirmation

Affirmations are powerful statements about what you want to create in your life.
Balance your actions with awareness of thoughts and clarity of vision.
Noticing how and when you respond to situations gives you the ability to choose your thoughts and subsequent actions.
Envisage a clear and positive outline for your future by retaining only that which is positive and beneficial to you.

With each inhalation I breathe in ….. (what you need)

With each exhalation I release …..(what you don’t need)

I pay attention to why I think what I do

I pay attention to why I do what I do

I pay attention to how I affect the world around me

I am filled with love and happiness

Is Your Attitude Contagious?

 When the lake of the mind is still...... Ahh, Bliss!

As always, thank you to everyone around the world who follows my writing and thank you again for forwarding the blog link to friends.

Happiness and friendship is never diminished because it is shared.

Margaret

It’s now an accepted fact that stress not only affects how you feel, it impacts you physically. What’s less known is the cumulative consequence of long-term stress.

Many studies clearly show the link between stress, challenging work-related issues, and disheartening living conditions as heightening the risk for heart disease which are compounded when other aspects like smoking are factored in.

A 2005 study by The American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine looked at 892 men with no-known cardiovascular disease and who felt they had no support or control of their working life. The findings showed that the men had increased markers of inflammation such as C-reactive protein and fibrinogen, which are linked to heart disease.

Staying In The Flow
Stress also creates an increase in the production of cortisol which in turn leads to further inflammation, raising blood pressure and inflammation.

Staying in the moment, and recognizing what you can change while accepting what you can’t, helps you to stay in the flow of life and use your energy wisely.

Meditation balances the chemical arousal while enabling you to reduce stress levels. You learn how to reframe what is happening instead of internalizing it and use the breathing and meditation techniques to relax and regain control.

Natural Rhythm
The findings of this 2005 study are relevant to both men and women regardless of age too. When you feel chronic pressure, as opposed to short-term acute pressure, it compounds the stress that already exists, and increases your likelihood of developing high blood pressure, irregular breathing patterns, cardiac problems, and other health risks.

Change is everywhere and there is a natural rhythm to the world. As we enter a new season, we are reminded yet again of the ever-changing flow of life that surrounds us. We know that seasonal variations cannot be stopped and are a wonderful part of life to be embraced, rather than struggled against.

Breathing Techniques
There are previous postings on my blog page which give guided meditations as well as simple breathing techniques that you can integrate into your daily activities.  Simply browse the list on the right hand side of the blog page (not the email page, if you receive the posting in your in-box).

Balance your life energy by replacing erratic breathing and random thought patterns with a calm and steady flow of energy that permeates throughout every cell of your body. This elevates your consciousness not only of the world around you, but of your own needs, and those of other people. Accepting change enables you to transition effortlessly with the twists and turns that occur on your life’s journey.

Is Your Attitude Contagious?
Optimism is a state of mind that can be developed and its many benefits include helping you to realize your goals and ambitions. It creates an upward cycle that is both contagious and powerful because it affects not only yourself, but those you come in contact with. Other people feel your positive and confident energy and this energizes them too.
The opposite can also be true.  Most of us know the phrase, "misery loves company."  These are the individuals who always find something wrong, whether it's the weather, what they had for lunch, or what someone is wearing.  They are often gossips too.  Hang around these people too long and it's draining.

Personally, I do not permit negativity to bury it's way into my life.  It saps time, energy, and other resources.

Remember though, it is a different situation when you recognize that someone is ill, sad, or grieving and in need of comfort, support, or even the gift of a smile; and you give freely. This is an example of using your energy wisely.

When life is frantic, people are angry, traffic is hectic, and the world seems to be getting crazier,

how do you respond to this?

While most of us are well aware that “remaining calm” or “love is the answer” are appropriate choices, putting them into practice is another matter entirely when you find it challenging to monitor your thoughts, keep them in check, or even reign in actions that you really don’t want to pursue.

"A chaotic life is often a reflection of a restless mind."

What Is Important?
Meditation restores peace to both the body and the mind and puts you back in control of what you think, say, and do. You are still aware of external stimuli but no longer affected by them.
You become able to filter the tug and pull of what's going on around you, making it easier to see all that is happening around you with greater detail and able to process the information with clarity. No longer pulled in different directions, you can discern what is important and retain connection to the source of peace that resides within you, free from the constraints of habits, desires, and boundaries.

A peaceful mind is the foundation for expanded awareness and a happy and stable life. Downbeat and pessimistic thinking is an acquired habit with its own internal mantra, and you can release yourself from thinking in terms of limitations, disappointments, and problems by first and foremost seeing all that is good in your life and being thankful for it.

Sow What You Want To Harvest
Affirmations help you to cultivate a fertile area in your heart where you weed out deep-rooted thought-patterns and sow seeds of love, ultimately reaping the rewards of peace and happiness.
Applying them every day helps you promote a better habitual way of thinking by inspiring you to grow only that which you want to flourish in your life.

Affirmation

The moment that I have right now is everything.

I visualize my desires and dreams and connect with them at all times

I find my bliss and keep it with me

Every thought takes me closer to my life purpose

I am filled with joy and enthusiasm

I love myself and others

I choose to do things that foster love

Creating the future that you want, now!

Paths take many directions and forms

What do you believe about yourself, your relationships, and the world around you?
Where does the information come from that enables you to form these beliefs?

All of your past experiences, and your perception of your experiences, create physiological changes in the brain in response to new information that is received. This occurs on a continual basis via images, words, sounds, smells and a myriad of other information that the brain constantly absorbs, including data received from your own thoughts and emotions.

Creating the right thoughts
In one Japanese study, children allergic to a poison ivy-like plant had a leaf of the poisonous plant rubbed onto one arm and a non-poisonous leaf resembling the toxic plant rubbed on the other forearm. The arm rubbed with the poison ivy-like leaf developed a rash while the other arm had no response.
However, the leaves were purposefully swapped resulting in the non-toxic plant producing a rash and the majority of children experiencing no effects from the actual poison ivy-like plant.

Researchers have also studied the link between unconscious thought and an individual’s environment which ultimately influenced their subjective view of themselves and their surroundings. This can also positively affect clinical depression by replacing a patient’s unhelpful and negative thinking patterns with ones that promote feelings of well-being, impacting the body right down to the cellular level.

Creating the right changes
Meditation creates neurological changes that help you during your daily activities. The changes are then reinforced each time you meditate, and each time you follow the new behavior.

During meditation, with the mind still and centered on the breath or your choice of focus, the brain works at keeping the breath slow, calm, and steady. As the breath slows, the mind becomes steady and less prone to random thoughts.

With practice and dedication, your chosen path become straight and clear.

Creating the right path
Over time, thinking positively becomes your normal way of thinking. You are able to catch yourself as each negative thought occurs, and change it quickly to a positive one. Eventually you only think good thoughts.

Constantly dragging the past or concerns about the future around with you keeps the body in a negative energy state. Applying the right thoughts, emotions, and behavior comes after creating space within the mind for new patterns to emerge. Aversions and preferences fade away until you remove the patterns of the past to create space for a new present to occur.


Affirmation
When you are exposed to a specific event, it is how your mind reacts that determines the response, rather than the actual event itself. When you are aware of the power of your intention and how it shapes yourself and the world around you, you recognize how uncontrolled emotions can keep you tied down in the very place you are struggling to get away from.

The past has no hold over me

I am in control of my thoughts and emotions

I make conscious decisions to follow one path

My life is brimming with bright choices and overflowing with joy and happiness

As always, thank you for checking out the blog, the hundreds of affirmations, and for passing the blog along to friends.

What Happens When...

I have taken a different approach to today's posting and I am sharing a story with you, rather than my own insights into living your best life.

I hope that you enjoy the message in the following story as much as I did.
As always, thank you to everyone around the world who follows my writing and thank you again for forwarding the blog link to friends.
Happiness and friendship is never diminished because it is shared.
Margaret

A teacher asked his disciples:
‘Why do we shout in anger? Why do people shout at each other when they are upset?’

The disciples thought for a while, and one of them said ‘Because we lose our calm, we shout for that.’

‘But, why shout when the other person is just next to you? Isn’t it possible to speak to him or her with a soft voice? Why do you shout at a person when you’re angry?’

The disciples gave him some other answers but none satisfied the teacher.

Finally he explained:
‘When two people are angry at each other, their hearts distance a lot. To cover that distance they must shout to be able to hear each other. The angrier they are, the stronger they will have to shout to hear each other through that great distance.’

Then the teacher asked: ‘What happens when two people fall in love? They don’t shout at each other but talk softly, why? Because their hearts are very close. The distance between them is very small…’

And he finally said:
‘When they love each other even more, what happens? They do not speak, only whisper and they get even closer to each other in their love.
Finally they even need not whisper, they only look at each other and that’s all. That is how close two people are when they love each other.’