By Lerone Graham
We’re in the second quarter of the year.
If you, like many people, plan your marathon of annual goals and growth by setting benchmarks, this transition provides an excellent opportunity for you to shift your focus and take inventory of where you are right now.
In this regard, there are some sound spiritual principles that you can use as compass as you move forward. By considering the tenets expressed below, you’ll be able to retain your grounding, while making 2018 a year of expression, experience and manifesting your dreams.
Make Gratitude Your Default
Too often, we miss the blessings right in front of our nose, because we’re tied to the ego and desire of things we don’t have.
When you make gratitude your default, you shift your focus to giving and expressing. In doing this, you appreciate what you have, which allows you to more gracefully fill your cup with what you hope to receive.
As soon as you open your eyes each morning, think or say aloud two simple words — “thank you.â€
You’re alive and able to play this game one more day, and for one more moment. You have your basic needs met. You have friends and family that you love.
Thinking these thoughts swells your heart with an influx of love, which makes it easier for you to start your day with confidence, rather than anxiety. Expressing gratitude opens your chakras, from a spiritual standpoint, and from a health standpoint, gives you sounder sleep, promotes brain health, and lowers your cortisol levels.
Become Accustomed To Observing Your Thoughts
We all trip ourselves up at times by getting carried away with our thoughts.
Your mind runs on a non-stop loop, which can become maddening if you don’t step outside of it and put it in its place. The best way you can do this is through meditative practices.
When you meditate, you’ll have an easier time dealing with negative thoughts, which allow you to feel them in your body without judgment, and then let them go. You can also replace your negative thoughts with positive affirmations, which retrain your brain and keep you operating with your higher purpose, rather than your ego.
Even if you’re not a big meditator, jogging, hiking, cleaning, and other regular tasks, when done with intention, can work wonders for your spirit and psychology.
Recognize And Embrace The Connection Between Your Body And Mind
Both science and spirituality back the fact that our brains and bodies are intrinsically linked.
When you embrace this link by accessing your bodily intelligence, you’ll expand your mind, and vice versa. This is why yoga is such a timeless practice.
Embracing yoga will allow you to think more clearly and enjoy a sense of spiritual wholeness and calm. By thinking of yourself as a whole being, rather than a person at the mercy of your thoughts or bodily functions, you’ll walk in your power and experience your full capability as a human.
Study Some Spiritual Texts That Can Serve As A Guide
There are countless texts that you can study when you want to learn more about who you are.
For instance, Eckhart Tolle’s “The Power of Now†is a favorite, as are David Deida’s “Way of the Superior Manâ€, Laozi’s “Tao Te Chingâ€, and the bible.
It’s all about what you put into your study, so make sure that you seek deeper understandings and apply your newfound knowledge to the best of your ability.
Using these four tips will promote grounding and understanding, as you seek greatness and higher purpose this year.