There are times when it is important to leave the present moment.  You may choose to spend time dreaming, visualizing or planning your future.  You may also want to revisit the past to heal old wounds.  Be aware of  spending too much time away from the present moment though since it is all too easy to get lost in obsessive thinking and details.  Set a time limit and mindfully bring yourself back to the present moment.  You will delightfully discover that amount of time you spend dreaming and reflecting can be just as nourishing as living fully in the moment!

Take a leap to the right hemisphere of your brain and engage your imagination to include a world of possibilities.  Stretch your patterns of thinking to include win-win outcomes including highest good for all, yourself included.  It is quite easy to develop this habit when practicing mindfulness.  Simply shift old habits of linear thinking and rationalizing in the moment.

For instance, if your back aches from regular physical exercise, you may automatically conclude this is a normal experience of aging.  Employing your imagination, you do not accept this sweeping conclusion and consider alternate ways of dealing with the situation.  Perhaps you come to realize that a shift in body posture and techniques are all that is needed to rid physical discomfort.  Magically, the mental discomfort dissolves as well!

The myriad of thoughts that inhabit the human mind can boggle the human mind!  Where do all of these thoughts come from?  Generally, they are triggered by events and it is how you interpret these events that makes all the difference.  To give you a couple of examples, if you see a dozen ants marching through your home, you may instantly think war or you may stop yourself and consider alternative solutions.  If you stub your toe while walking barefoot, you may automatically fall into self-incriminating thoughts or mindfully choose kindness and compassion for yourself in the moment.  Let go of battle and allow yourself to flow gracefully through life.  Direct ants and automatic criticisms directly out the back door!

What’s on your mind today?  Are your thoughts positive, negative or neutral?  Do they take you to a place of peace and calmness, or worry and stress?

Bring awareness to the quality of your thoughts this week.  If they do not serve you well, let them go.  For instance, worries about the future can be debilitating and even paralyzing.  Ground yourself in the truth of the moment and release negative energy with each outbreath.  Mindfully shift your thought patterns towards healthier, supportive thoughts that honor the best in you and the scope of human experiences.

The final tip for cultivating vitality involves inner knowing.  This is related to your crown chakra which is located at the top of your head and is the portal to your subconscious mind.  This place of deep knowing can be accessed through meditation, when you quiet your active thinking mind to hear the voice of wisdom within.

Deep inside each of us is a knowing that we are all connected.  We are not separate from others but are an integral part of the whole system of life.  Embracing this notion means acknowledging commonalities with all living things.  When we realize our wellness is intricately tied to our environment, we can mindfully create exactly what we need to ensure vitality remains a constant part of our life.  This may involve mindful food choices, mindful exercise, or mindful pursuits that bring reward and fulfillment to your life.  Take a moment to step outside and admire the abundance of nature thriving around you.  Breathe deeply, soak in the warmth of the sun and revel in truth of our interconnected natures.

Last weeks tip for vitality involved releasing habits of over thinking and story telling.  To take this one step further, detach yourself from the stories you create to make sense of your life.  See yourself as much more than your thoughts and stories.  See yourself as an energetic being who is constantly evolving.

Align yourself with the wisdom of your body.  The human body has a natural ability to regenerate itself.  Why not adopt this perspective for yourself?  Believe that you are the naturally vibrant person you want to be.  Imagine this is true right now.  How would it feel?  What would you be doing? The choice is yours!

Do you spend a lot of time in your head thinking, planning, worrying or trying to understand the past or future?  If so, it is vital that you shift away from this habit to embrace greater balance in life.  Let go of over thinking and creating stories to make sense of life experiences for you.  These stories allude to an illusion of reality that can be as addictive and captivating as a great saga in a very long movie.  Instead, bring yourself to the present moment and allow yourself to truly see, smell, taste, hear, and feel the moment in all its intensity.  Vitality lives here when you become one with the present moment!

Move your body.  Your body is comprised of more than 50% water.  Movement creates flow, like the flow you observe in creeks, streams and rivulets.  When you move through exercise, dance, or play, your blood circulation increases while toxins are released through sweat.  Magically, your mind becomes more clear as the sediment is joyfully washed away.  Movement is refreshing and rejuvenating for the body.  Movement is mother nature’s natural remedy for loving your body and experiencing enhanced vitality every day!

Embrace compassion and love.  When you find yourself feeling off-balance, tap into your highest self and immediately take action to nurture yourself.  Begin with deep breathing followed by soothing music or even singing a favorite song.  Sing like no one is listening.  Sing your heart out!  Honour all of your experiences, light and dark.  It is perfectly normal to lose balance from time to time.  The important thing is to catch yourself when it happens and respond wisely. Eeeh eeeeehh eeeeeeeeehhh!!!

Let go of judgement.  Anytime you get caught up comparing yourself to others or comparing other people, stop.  It is easy to go into storytelling about which person is better, smarter, or faster but the cost of doing this is great since it leads to conflicting energies.  For example, the term better alludes to others being inadequate, worse or even bad.  Remind yourself the value of being unique and how you deeply appreciate feeling validated when you are true to yourself.