mind over matter

Managing the mind is a task for the daring and living. If we’ve resigned to the path of least resistance, or we’re tapped out and not too worried about living our most engaged and beautiful lives, then it doesn’t really concern us to manage our minds.

But if we are awake and wanting to keep transforming and evolving, if we believe in our own potential and the call within our hearts to rise up and meet it, if we are willing to be bold and brave, then at times we will have to manage our minds.

We have to nurture the self-awareness to notice when our minds aren’t serving us and be willing to challenge them. We can run interference on the thoughts that aren’t useful. We can practice replacements and new things we want to grow. We can stretch our own mental and emotional capacities and our abilities for grit, resilience, and internal strength.

We aren’t static.

This will require sometimes pushing ourselves past what we think we are capable of — so we can find out we are capable of so much more than we ever realized. (New levels unlocked!)

This will require reaching towards our imagined “limits” more often than is comfortable for us. Repetition will breed familiarity and a tolerance for discomfort.

It will require holding steady and true and kind and patient. It’s a challenge to meet all life has to offer, with our chins held high and our heart full of love, without crumbling but also not armoring up, while still being good to ourselves.

But we can do it.

If we manage our minds. If we quell the howling winds of fear and self-doubt and insecurity. If we curb the anxiety, worrying, and obsessing. If we calm the chaos and drama and tune back into the present moment of what is real and true and good, over and over again. If we choose the mental paths we want to take, with courage, quiet strength, and deliberation.

We can build something beautiful. It starts with our minds.