Some people define success as simply being wealthy but I define success as being well-rounded– we not only have to worry about money but many factors including our wellbeing, relationships, and especially our minds.
By practising mindfulness, elevating our awareness, and constantly seeking wisdom and knowledge, we elevate ourselves to the higher realms of understanding, perception, and intellect.
This is the only way to navigate the complexities of being human whilst living a rich life radiating love, empathy, and hope.
Our brains are wired for survival, and the mechanism of ‘forgetting’ is to prevent us from being overburdened by too much information and stimuli– yet it causes us to overlook the true beauty of being human.
Often when one is stressed out or overwhelmed, their automatic response is to ‘forget’ aka focus their attention on a task to distract themselves so they don’t have to deal with the real conflict.
Of course, it is easier to run away from the tiger than fight it.
We no longer have tigers to fight but we still have many, but different challenges in life to face.
Unfortunately, our primal minds have not caught up in evolution.
So instead of solving problems, our minds tend to shut down, avoid… run away. When it comes to escaping the difficulties of life, we turn to overwork, drugs, and alcohol, projecting our anger or impatience onto our partner or children, or simply avoiding an uncomfortable situation.
This results in all problems being dragged on, causing resentment that slowly infiltrates the light of all happiness, hope, and love — slowly dimming it until you can see no more.
The Problem: Being present.
No one is truly present anymore.
Instead, we are constantly mentally time-traveling, ruminating about the past, worried about the future, or worse, shutting ourselves down to avoid the real issues.
When we are not paying attention or focused on a task, we turn to the default mode network in our brain– our neutral ‘resting’ state which is linked to mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia. When we activate our default mode network, our minds direct our attention inwards, reflecting and analyzing what’s happening in our lives, our thoughts, feelings, sensations, worries, and fears.
Fortunately, we can fix this by learning how to quiet the mind with techniques such as meditating.
Life is a Game; Level Up
We live in an energetic universe where everything you divulge, will eventually receive in return.
Philosophers have suggested that the human condition is meant to suffer. Because our brains are wired to keep us alive, it’s constantly scanning the environment for danger hence why no matter how hard we try, our brains gravitate toward the negative.
This is called the negativity bias.
We are modified by our experiences, both satisfactory and unsatisfactory. However, we can take advantage of the brain’s neuroplasticity to reframe and rewire negative experiences.
When we operate at lower levels of consciousness, we become bored, unfulfilled, lazy, forgetful, and distract ourselves from our problems.
We get into the same unfulfilling relationships because we are repeating the same pattern over and over.
We run away from life because we don’t know how to fully experience it.
Perhaps it is your brain protecting you from life’s intricacies, nuance, polarity, and all the endless complexities that come with it, and which will consume you if you don’t have tools to help you stay grounded.
Consciousness: Mastering Your Own Mind
“I think, therefore I am.” — Rene Descartes
What does consciousness mean?
Philosopher, Rene Descartes, introduced the concept of mind-body dualism, the idea that our mind and bodies are separate entities but they interact with each other.
The very act of “thinking” demonstrates one’s awareness of existence. Recognizing that means you are ‘above’ your physical being. Your consciousness is separate from your body, allowing you to have a birds-ey view of yourself.
- Being aware of and understanding your behaviours, patterns, memories, emotions, and thought processes.
- Understanding your environment and how your existence affects everything around you.
- Be intentional in everything you do.
- Staying focused on what is important to you.
- Maintaining a positive yet rational outlook in life (sans toxic positivity).
How to Become High-Conscious
- Practice mindfulness daily. Only 12 minutes per day is all you need according to Peak Minds. This is achieved through breathwork, meditation, being present, body scans, etc.
- Meditate. A mindfulness practice. Some of the brightest and most forward-thinking leaders in the world all have one thing in common: they understand the importance and benefits of mediation, how it mentally and physically changes your brain, and how it expands your perception of your external and internal world. If you don’t recharge your batteries, you are going to miss out on the important things in life.
- Listen to your thoughts. And do so without judgment because you are not your thoughts. As mentioned above, your brain is simply wired for survival so it is constantly scanning your environment for danger, hence why you will never get rid of negative thoughts. And that’s why you have your High Consciousness — the intelligence that is aware of these negative thoughts.
- Be aware of your patterns. Understanding your behaviours — why you are the way you are, why you do the things you do — will not only help you let go of negative patterns you’ve repeated throughout your life but also enrich your relationships.
- Raise your vibe. Healthy foods, daily exercise, quality sleep, and as much sunlight during the day as you can. High energy attracts high energy.
- Never Stop Learning. You cannot trust your own mind because almost 90% of your actions, thoughts, and feelings are from your subconscious. Continuously search for truth and wisdom by seeking different perspectives and reading books. The problem is that some people wait for wisdom to come to them but we need to be in constant search of it.
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I write about discipline, consistency, showing up, hard work, no short-cuts, productivity, cultivating good habits, mindsets, abundance, wellness, spirituality, relationships, and creating time freedom.
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Stay curious. Plant seeds. 🌱
