Thoughts

   Growing up my mother asked me to do things that I thought were hard, I'd exclaim with frustration,"I can't do it." My mother would always reply, "Can't can't do anything." 
I never thought that made any sense but with age and wisdom the truth finally shines through. When we believe that tasks are impossible to do our mind limits our ability to accomplish them. Our own thoughts prevent us from succeeding. What we think manifests itself in our lives, "We become what we think we are." 
   One valuable tool that I have learned that has improved my life is to think positively. I've always been the "half empty" kind-of-gal and I've had to retrain myself to see things "half-full." By doing this my life have become richer. One important steps to helping me redirect my thinking was by taking on an attitude of gratitude. I first carried a gratitude rock in my pocket and every time that I touched or moved the rock I had to say something I was grateful for. This helped me think of all my many blessings. (I don't believe I was ever ungrateful, its just that I focused more on the bad things in my life instead of the good. This helped with that.) When a negative thought creeps in my mind I try to replace them with something positive instead. (This is a on going task but I do so much better) I also had to make a conscious effort to not complain. Complaining about the things I don't like has always been easy for me (its what kept me in the pessimist category all these years) I now try to think of the things I do like and focus more on them. This skill has brought me so much more happiness as well as better health. 
     In the book, Extraordinary Healing written by Art Brownstein he states, All mental activity, whether conscious or unconscious, has a powerful influence on your healing system and can enhance or interfere with its performance. For example, when your mind is in a positive state, immersed in thoughts of love and affection, caring and compassion, enthusiasm, health, happiness, joy and peace, beneficial chemicals known as neurotransmitters or neuropeptides that are secreted by your brain can actually infuse your body with positive energy, strengthening your healing system and improving your health. Alternatively, when your mind is in a negative state, with thoughts of pessimism, cynicism, jealousy, anger, hatred, fear, revenge, self-criticism, blame, shame, guilt, and despair, you are sending negative messages to your body via equally powerful neuro-chemcials that can weaken your healing system and interfere with its ability to do its job effectively. In other words of Robert Eliot, M.D., “The brain writes prescriptions for the body." 
      When you understand the power of your mind, and its enormous ability to work either for you or against you, you will no longer wast valuable time or energy blaming outside forces, including “fate,”  “bad genes,” “evil microbes,” a polluted environment, or other people for your illnesses, diseases, or lack of good health. Outside forces can certainly play a role in disease processes, but, in the final analysis, your health is bases more on the personal choices you make for yourself, moment by moment, each day of your life, and your ability to optimize the incredible power of your mind to aid your healing system. You are the one who is ultimately responsible for your health, and so it is imperative that you understand this principle. More than any other power or force in this world, your own mind can serve as your healing system’s most qualified and capable partner."
     As I have learned my responsibility in my life and my health I have made (still making) the changes that I need to improve. One of the ways to help stay positive is by practicing FOUR BASIC POSITIVE BELIEFS outlined by Brownstein. 

1. I am lovable just as I am.
2. I deserve to be happy, healthy, and fulfilled in my life.
3. My body has a healing system, and it knows how to heal itself.
4. My body wants to be healthy.

     Accepting and loving ourself is essential to health and wellness, bringing that added peace and happiness into our lives. A friend once advised me (when I complained about something in my life), "If you don't like it --then do something about it!" What wisdom. 
Make a plan to change your life for the better. Spell out what will help and commit to make that change for good!!