"The mind moves the body and the body follows the mind. Logically then,
negative thought patterns harm not only the mind but also the body. "
H. E. Davey
Our mind believes everything we say. It traps whispers of self-loathing and freeze frames any negative image we hold of our lovely self. If I am constantly saying, "I am so clumsy," my body eagerly strives to fulfill my intentions. I will trip, bump, and fall as the mind reacts to my thoughts.
In the grocery store, I attempted to help a struggling woman. She told me, "I have a bad heart!" Seizing the moment for kindness, I teased her saying, "Oh I bet you are a wonderful woman with a very good heart!" She reacted as though she were offended. "No! I HAVE A VERY BAD HEART!"
And you know, I just bet she did. It was her label and it had become her focus. I wondered how long she had been telling her heart just how bad it was, leaving no options for improvement.
If we have an obvious weakness, we have the choice to focus on our strength. NLP (Neuro-linguistic Programing) is a respected practice of reframing our statements, making them more positive and honest. If someone were to ask us if we played pickle ball and we were totally uncoordinated, we could respond by saying most of our energy goes into gardening. This way we avoid shaming ourselves, restrain from placing energy on negatives and reminds us of what we are good at.
No comments:
Post a Comment