The Power of our Thoughts
It all begins in our brain. We are conscious beings with the freedom to think and feel as we wish. If you want to live a life that is fulfilling and enables you to have more energy and vitality, it begins here. The conscious decision to change is the starting point of a healthier life. I certainly don’t want to suggest that change is easy. Changing our thoughts and beliefs is a huge challenge, and modifying our daily routines, which usually provide a sense of predictability and comfort, takes considerable effort. Cognition involves not only the things that go on inside our heads, but also how these thoughts and mental processes influence our actions.
Living Based on your Values and Beliefs
What are the things in life that really matter to you, bring you joy and make life precious? These are questions that each of us must answer on our own. Unfortunately, some of these are influenced by our culture and society in general. It is often said that in the final hours of life, we recognize that the things that truly matter have been neglected or glossed over as we proceeded with our careers and acquired material possessions. While having aspirations and wanting the very best for those we love and care about can be significant motivators and contribute to a satisfying life, they can also be distractions. In leading a life that society deems valuable, we can neglect things that reflect our true values.
Being successful and having a career that is fulfilling and productive is important, but at what cost? If in the pursuit of material success we neglect our health or relationships that matter, we fall short of a truly fulfilling life. If the pattern continues for decades, we might find ourselves in our “golden years” depleted of energy and loving relationships. The key is balance and it all begins with awareness, a very important part of our cognitions.
Increasing your Awareness
An unfortunate reality of life is our inability to live in the moment. Philosophers through the ages and many contemporary philosophers, theologians and psychologists, espouse the importance of being in the moment, but what does it really mean? To some, it means an awareness of your senses, thoughts and feelings in the now, without distractions. To theologians, it might be a total awareness of God and His presence in yourself and the world.
Whatever the definition, the basic benefit of being in the moment is the opportunity to experience your existence without extraneous interferences. It’s an experience or opportunity to be in touch with all that you are and all that is meaningful to you. This doesn’t necessarily require a meditative state or transcendental experience. It can be as simple as looking into the eyes of someone you love and experiencing the connection you share, or hugging a friend and feeling the life that flows through you. Listening to soothing music or watching a glorious sunset are other examples. The point is that we have an unlimited number of opportunities to experience the moment, when we put our distractions aside and enjoy our existence.
For lifestyle change, in order to achieve the quality of life we desire, awareness of our current state is essential. There are many ways to create this awareness, including awareness of our health status, our genetic predispositions, our daily routines and the things that motivate us through our values and the things that bring us joy. I’ll explore these in my upcoming articles