Most people are doing the best they can. If they knew better they would probably be doing better, right? Awareness is key because anything outside of your awareness is generally considered outside of your control. Understanding how your own mind works is naturally going to benefit you, but knowing the intricate parts of your brains anatomy really isn’t necessary. We are fortunate enough to live in a time where the study of neurology has progressed massively and information is easily available at the touch of a button… thank you Google… The rules of the mind is a great place to start and I’ve picked two of the many rules to begin with.
 
Every single thought you think has a chemical reaction in the body.
 
Some examples of this are blushing, hyperventilating or simply crying, in fact the chemical structure in tears of sadness are different to that of tears of joy.  
 
A whopping 95% of our thoughts are the same thoughts on repeat, mostly due to the fact that we have the same routines day in day out and hang out with the same people. If someone is repeating thoughts of low quality each and every day this can drastically impact ones overall health and well being. Some examples could simply be: "I’m fed up", "I don’t like the way I look", "Everything is a struggle", "I’m too old".  So simply start to notice some of the thoughts that are running through your mind on automatic pilot every day and realise they are absolutely impacting your health, even though you might not see the effects straight away.  Begin to change the stories that you naturally repeat to yourself for something you would like to feel, see and believe, even if it feels weird or unnatural at first. A thought or action repeated enough will become a habit and eventually a belief, because anything practised enough becomes part of the subconscious mind. Creating new habits through repetition is a bit like building up any muscle. The good news is that the habit can be broken. If everything is energy, it is conducive to think of your thoughts and words as actual things. The Science of ‘The Spoken Word’ comes into play here. By using the words I AM before something you are declaring that energy as part of you. If you want to be, do, or own an experience, positive trait or prognosis then go ahead and tell yourself or simply try speaking to yourself like you would a loved one or best friend! A statement like, "I AM stupid",  "I AM not confident enough", "I can’t cope", for example, will negatively impact anyones mental and physical health. I reiterate to my clients that the most important words you will ever hear are the ones you whisper to yourself, so try: "I AM always learning", "I AM enough", "I can do it", instead. There is so much information out there on manifestation, energy and how it works for those of you keen to know more. There is also a great track “Lies, by Lee Brice” that is worth a listen.  
 
The subconscious has no concept of time.
 
When you are thinking about something, it is NOW and REAL to the subconscious mind. Of course this is great when remembering or visualising a happy occasion because your body naturally releases feel good chemicals like dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin. But if you are recalling a less than positive experience or worrying about the future, chemicals like cortisol will surge through your veins, breaking down all the good chemicals too. This is often the case with people that suffer from anxiety and depression. The subconscious has absolutely no idea that you are thinking about something that happened in the past or worrying about what could happen in the future, it believes whatever you are thinking about, is actually happening right NOW. Unfortunately a lot of thoughts over time have already become part of the subconscious mind through repetitive thinking and are now invisible to the conscious mind. Have some compassion for yourself though, because we are all hard-wired for safety and it is the sole purpose of the subconscious to look for danger in every situation, hence why we imagine a worst case scenario. It’s important to note here that you are totally reprogrammable with a bit of investment, time and energy… humans really do have a tremendous capacity to adapt and change.
 
The mind wants to maintain the state you are currently in, understanding this should help with the frustration of breaking any emotional cycle. If you find it hard to keep your focus on a positive thought, try distracting yourself with something up lifting. The mind and body are constantly working on a feedback loop so one of the most powerful things you can do is to move to feel better and break any mind state. Get out in nature, go see a trusted friend, dance, pull your shoulders back, stand tall, hold a power pose. Breathing slowly and deeply sends all the right signals to your brain that you are actually ok in this moment. A nap is a great reset tool too.
 
It’s vital to understand that what you put your focus on and therefore your energy, will naturally expand. I would encourage anyone to journal daily about all the things they are grateful for, it can massively impact you're wellbeing, and yes that means that you really do have influence over your life, life isn’t by chance.
 
Mindfulness, meditation and mantras, are a rapidly growing market and powerful practices. There are plenty of free guided meditations available to help you relax and focus your mind, find some you really like or create your own.  What would you like change, tell yourself or believe in? It’s important with any mantra to find one that feels achievable to you, "I feel a million dollars" probably isn’t anywhere near the truth for most people, so something like, "I AM worth it", "I trust myself", will move you in the right direction and your personal mantras will become stronger over time.  Active meditations are becoming popular, for walking or using at the gym for instance. Repetition is the main key to creating any new habit.
 
One final tip, Dr Bruce Lipton is the founder of Epigenetics, (Epi: meaning above genetics ) and states your environment has a bigger impact than genetics. This is huge news, so surround yourself with positive people, places, music, podcasts, laughter, anything that will uplift you, help you to feel good and maintain a mind of positivity. The 'Biology of Belief' by Dr Bruce Lipton is a great book to start any journey of awareness.
 
We all know that eating, drinking, sleeping and exercise effect the body chemically and it is consistently repairing, rejuvenating, moving oxygen and nutrients around, healing, balancing, replacing cells and fighting off pathogens.  However what we think, feel and believe has the biggest impact over all of the above.
 
We are a walking, talking chemical factory, literally one big science experiment and we have the mind, the consciousness, the choices, the freedom and the tools to influence our body, and ultimately become a master of it, if we desire.
 
For more information, help or advice my website is http://www.crownboutiquetherapy.com/ or you can contact me on: 07359 004762 or info@crownboutiquetherapy.com