Fear has a life cycle of its own.  Fear fades away with increased attention.  Shine the light on fear and its power will gradually diminish.

Fear is ‘False Evidence Appearing Real’, an acronym that suggests limited perspectives.  Assess the level of real danger and focus on risk, not the amount of fear.  Practice love and compassion for yourself as you find the courage to take decisive action.  

In a calm and supportive environment, identify situations that you typically avoid.  Put these situations in order of difficulty and begin tackling easier challenges first.  Journal strategies, experiments and results for building confidence and healthier perspectives.  In addition, enlist the support of a friend, relative or professional to assist you in the process.  As you take on challenges one by one, celebrate your successes and remember that setbacks are a normal part of the process.  Remain committed to your goal and one day, this fear will become a thing of the past.

For example, if you have a fear of dogs, identify specific challenges you have including your beliefs about dogs and your capacity to cope.  Actively research your assumptions and discuss your findings  with others.  Be open to hearing other perspectives and ways of building confidence around dogs.  You may decide to learn more about the different personalities of certain breeds and even befriend specific ones.  Knowledge and awareness are liberating allies in the face of fear.  Trust that you can and will overcome any fear you put your mind to.  Freedom to live life more fully is your reward!

Anxiety can be debilitating.  Anxiety is like a pain from a past injury that resurfaces in particular situations.  All of a sudden, your mind is distracted with worrisome thoughts and you not able to focus or think clearly.  A growing sense of fear may overcome you as your heart beats faster and thoughts spin out of control.  Overwhelming feelings such as these are very uncomfortable.  Learn how to manage overwhelming reactions to avoid unnecessary discomfort and minimize the effects of anxiety.

Mindfulness is the key to resolving anxieties.  Mindful attention brings awareness to triggers so that you can prepare yourself in advance.  For example, if you are anxious about a meeting, do everything in your power to maintain a calm and level mind throughout.  Envision this goal and nurture it until the moment arrives.  Practice controlled breath work to soothe a racing heart.  Employ your favourite relaxation techniques to mindfully manage your thoughts and sensations.  With reduced anxiety and a more spacious mind, you will free yourself to experience more peace and joy in life!

When it comes to training for mental fitness, it is not the same as the type of training that you are familiar with in physical activities.  Mental fitness does not involve rigid routines or boot camp ethics but rather a more compassionate approach with awareness and discipline for achieving desired outcomes.  Training starts with you and your commitment to enhanced quality of life.

Mind Master Training is all about developing good habits for optimal wellness.  Mind Master is your guide and cheerleader that assists you in reaching your desired goals.  We work together to collaborate realistic solutions and a personalized step-by-step plan for success.  Increased confidence, renewed perspectives and enhanced vitality awaits you.  Take your first step towards optimal living today and connect with Mind Master to begin a personalized training plan created just for you!

Mind Master’s latest flyer reveals a rainbow of emotions.  Turn worry to peace through mindfulness.  Worry comes and worry goes.  Worry is a normal part of change.  Its purpose is to bring awareness of possible harm and that is very useful in and of itself.  But when worry takes over, it can rob you of experiencing more joy in life.  Put worry into perspective and take decisive action as soon as possible.

The most important question you need to ask yourself when overwhelmed with worry is what to do with it.  Reach out to reliable sources for information that you can count on to help you make an informed decision.  Research government websites, confide with a trusted confidante, or connect with a professional to help you put your concerns into perspective.  Once you have a more accurate assessment of the level of risk, commit to taking positive action and allowing yourself to return to a place of peace in a timely manner.  A good night’s sleep is your reward!

Mind Master is excited to announce its newest program: S.M.A.R.T. Café!  This  program is designed for individuals who wish to experience shared learning in rich, small group discussions that are professionally led.  S.M.A.R.T. is an acronym that stands for Stimulating discussions embracing a Mindful approach,  Authentic connections and Realistic solutions for a truly Transformative experience!  Maximum group size is eight with a minimum of four participants per session.  Register early to avoid disappointment.  Bring a few friends or gather your team to secure a chosen date and experience a more intimate session!

Pre-registration is required.  Click on the S.M.A.R.T. Café link above to register.  These sessions are specially priced at $25+GST/person for each session and $65+GST for a package of 3 sessions. Packages are non-transferrable and valid for up to 6 months from date of purchase at any of the locations available.  Note these prices are time limited and include your choice of refreshment, up to $5 value, from the host cafe.

There are currently 3 general topics available to choose from:

S.O.S. Soothe Overwhelming Stress: takes place on Monday evenings, from 6:30 – 7:30 pm at the beautiful “Living Wall” table in JJBean Coffee House, #7 – 400 Capilano Road, Port Moody (located in Suter Brook Village, corner of Ioco Road and Guildford Way).

WOW! Wisdom of Optimal Wellness: takes place on Wednesday mornings, from 10:00 – 11:00 am in the private meeting room of a historic home turned café – Originals Mexican Café, 2231 Clarke Street, Port Moody (Tri-City review)

HaHa! Humour and Happiness actualized: takes place on Thursday evenings, from 6:30 – 7:30 pm at the beautiful “Living Wall” table in JJBean Coffee House, #7 – 400 Capilano Road, Port Moody (located in Suter Brook Village, corner of Ioco Road and Guildford Way).

Custom sessions for your special group or team may also be available upon request.  (A nominal fee applies).

Join S.M.A.R.T. Café and perk up your life today!

Potential involves both what you know and what you don’t know.  A humble attitude of wonder and curiosity is necessary if you want to grow beyond your current place in life.  Cast aside assumptions and embrace a beginner’s mind as you enter a new frontier of discovery!

Beware of limiting thoughts and beliefs that may hinder your progress.  Replace negativity and self-doubt with compassion, joy and inspiration.  Immerse yourself in stimulating environments that bring out the best in you!  This may involve people, books and settings that energize and motivate you.

For example, if you aspire to become an artist, you might visit art galleries, attend art classes or read books about artists you admire.  As you build your knowledge and hone your skills, your personal flair for the art form will naturally reveal itself.  You will witness your potential unfolding right before your eyes.  This is true whether you seek growth in personal or professional realms.  Embrace a humble attitude with unknowns and see them as necessary and integral to optimal living.

Luck is perceived as a chance occurrence.  When it comes to reaching your potential in life, you can increase your level of luck by embracing the following 3 approaches:

#1 Being Positive –  This involves seeing the possibilities in every situation you encounter.

#2 Believing in Yourself – This is an undying commitment to evolve yourself towards your full potential.

#3 Being Generous – This involves giving your time and talents without any expectations for returns.

Giving for the sake of giving brings its own rewards.  Generosity offers meaning, value, and purpose in life.  When you make others lucky through your generous actions, you also become a benefactor.  It is the most natural cycle of cause and effect humans experience in life.  Give generously and believe in yourself with all the optimism you can muster.  Inevitably, more luck will come your way as you enter the “community of goodness”, where good begets more good . . . good luck, that is!

Rituals are an important part of wellness.  They are the routine acts you perform regularly throughout your day or week.  When chosen well, rituals form great habits that benefit both mind and body while offering long-term benefits.

For instance, if you developed a ritual of exercising every morning before you start your day, you will likely feel more energized to carry out your days’ activities and have greater clarity.  Not only will you be more effective in solving problems, you will also be more productive and feel more satisfied with your accomplishments.   Whether you develop a ritual for sleeping well at night, achieving mental clarity, or eating more healthy foods, embrace great rituals for optimal living every day!

What do you love doing?  What activity have you found yourself totally absorbed with, in a happy and contented way?  Whatever it is, make more time to do it and more space in your life to grow your passion.  This is the key to developing untold joys!

For instance, if you love gardening, make time to study the finer details and practice the art. Visit garden centres, read books and get inspiration from beautiful photographs.  The art of gardening comes at many levels.  From proper soil preparation to plant choices and layout.  You might choose to design a vegetable garden, flower garden,  rock garden, or drought tolerant garden with permaculture plants.  You might want to attract butterflies or add a pond for fish, decorate with whimsical gnomes, playful fairies, or cozy rock homes.  Whatever you do, you will find that every step takes you deeper into your passion.  The options are endless and only limited to your imagination.  Happy trails as you cultivate your deepest passions on the road to more joyful living!

The word flow infers movement.  In the natural world, flow brings images of waterways while the realm of human experiences brings two distinctly different definitions.  The ‘flow of life’ pertains to life events as they happen, contrasting ‘in the flow’, which refers to one’s experience when skill level is matched by a challenge of equal or greater difficulty.

Being in the flow means you are immersed in the activity with total concentration.  During this time, you may lose concept of yourself and the passing of time.  Action takes over and hours seem to pass by like minutes.  The task feels effortless even though the challenge may be difficult.  You are inspired to succeed and adjust moment by moment as the project unfolds.

For example, if you were creating a personalized gift for a friend, you might start out with one idea and as the project unfolded, more ideas surfaced building one on top of another until you have an amazing product that is far beyond your original idea.  As if by magic, serendipity appeared providing all the necessary pieces, words, and resources you required to complete your special gift!  Potentiality awaits you when you are in the flow.  Embrace an open mind of wonder and curiosity as you witness the unfolding of your own greatness!