So Stressed Out
Worry is the toxic waste of the mind. Just as our body ingests unhealthy substances, so does our psyche.
Our nation is engaging in detoxification programs designed to eliminate the build-up of poisons that adhere to our gut, colon, and liver. But what about garbage we store in our thoughts? I am referring to the poison and pesticides of mental stress that go in but have no orifice through which to exit.
Most of us accumulate varying degrees of obsessive worry, irrational fears and self-doubt on a daily basis. Just as we need to ingest daily doses of nutrient rich food it is equally imperative for us to consume nutritious thoughts and wholesome self-talk.
Meditation in any form is a great way to eliminate the minutia of mind clutter and combat the stress of psychological overload. Scientists and neuroscientists the world over concur that a mere20 minutes a day can reduce stress, increase circulation, lower your blood pressure, enhance your concentration and bring more blood to your prefrontal cortex. Not only that, but the stress hormone, Cortisol, can be greatly reduced by simply controlling your breathing which is key to mindful meditation.
In other words, as long as we are bidding a fond adieu to cellular metabolic waste, we might as well empty the trash upstairs too. Most of us give our closets a yearly purging. Gotta get rid of last season’s fashion. Well, guess what? Gotta get rid of last season’s negative, self-limiting thoughts too. I mean they are so 2018.
