Hello,
When deciding which personal/professional habits to improve or create the following three should make it onto your list.
They are foundational and fundamental! They are fully within your control and can be activated within moments.
They are also the most challenging to develop as solid habits and mindsets.
They are:
- Breathe Right!
- Think Right!
- Feel Right!
How do you breathe right? Right breathe is breathe that takes in and distributes the oxygen needed to operate at your highest and best for the task at hand. It involves the diaphragm and at first a conscious attempt and intention to breathe right.
Check out this exercise from Dr. Weil:
The Stimulating Breath (also called the Bellows Breath)
The Stimulating Breath is adapted from a yogic breathing technique. Its aim is to raise vital energy and increase alertness.
Inhale and exhale rapidly through your nose, keeping your mouth closed but relaxed. Your breaths in and out should be equal in duration, but as short as possible. This is a noisy breathing exercise.
Try for three in-and-out breath cycles per second. This produces a quick movement of the diaphragm, suggesting a bellows. Breathe normally after each cycle.
Do not do for more than 15 seconds on your first try. Each time you practice the Stimulating Breath, you can increase your time by five seconds or so, until you reach a full minute.
If done properly, you may feel invigorated, comparable to the heightened awareness you feel after a good workout. You should feel the effort at the back of the neck, the diaphragm, the chest and the abdomen. Try this breathing exercise the next time you need an energy boost and feel yourself reaching for a cup of coffee.
Thinking right is any thinking that adds to your joy, your peace and your life. That would mean no negativity allowed. Even if we must have opposing views or differences of opinion, we need not get ugly. Love can be a part of every disagreement and has the power to end all conflicts. So think thoughts of optimism, generosity of spirit and positive intentions. Always.
You can begin now by taking stock (becoming AWARE is essential to master your mindset) of your thoughts for the next five minutes and see where changes would have to be made if optimism was your goal.
Sometimes it’s just a tweak that is needed and sometimes we need to flush a recurring negative thought away. Before deciding to discard a thought pattern however, it is wise to see where it is coming from (the root of it all) as there may be some core issues to resolve.
Often it is just habitual thinking that creates a pattern and we just need to interrupt the cycle of negativity. Remember negative thoughts are literally toxic. Have them and you will reap the consequences in bad health and higher levels of toxicity.
Change them to positive inspiring thoughts of love and peace and joy and you will also reap those wonderful consequences. We do reap what we sow.
Having a habit of feeling right is directly linked to thinking right.
What are right feelings? Those that inspire and encourage the creation of joy and peace and love in your soul and in your life.
Open your heart to all things lovely; focus your attention on all things wonderful and watch your emotions follow suit.
How often have you heard or said to yourself, “I just don’t feel like…”? It is a common malady of us humans to be guided almost exclusively by our emotions and in-the-moment feelings. But this is dangerous.
We are spiritual beings having a physical experience, so putting those feelings into perspective is necessary. Sometimes, in spite of what is felt we may KNOW that something is a better choice. Listening to that inner voice, your spiritual voice – the deep knowing of what is right that might not actually feel comfortable or good – is essential if being a spiritually mature and loving person is your goal.
If we permit our self to be led by the spirit of love (for me, the Holy Spirit) the powerful habits of breathing, thinking and feeling right will become easier and easier each day. It’s a commitment and intention that must be renewed daily – and sometimes more often that that – if we have any hope of staying on the right path.
Ultimately, YOU are in charge of your choices. What you think and feel and how you breathe are life-transforming choices you make each moment.
Make them wisely and with love.
Wishing you an abundance of love, peace and joy,
♥~