This post is also available in: Español (Spanish)
I know, I know… you’re probably thinking that I’m going to talk about meditation again. Even though I really hope you’re practicing it by now, because after all it is the best gift you can give yourself, I’m not going to talk about meditation today. Well, maybe I’ll mention it if for some weird reason my story today requires me to do it.
Our minds are so incredibly powerful that scientists have not been able to fully analyze them to understand how they actually work. We know a lot, but I think we are still far from knowing it all regarding the capacities and functionality of the human mind. All I know is that our minds have almost unlimited power, and we need to take advantage of their potential. Of course, it’s not easy to access and completely develop that strong power, but it is totally worth it.
I talked about mind control and shared a little bit of my experience with it a few weeks ago, but as I mentioned that day, to work on controlling our minds we must first define what, specifically, we want to control. The process is easier when you have a goal and you focus on one thing at a time. I need to repeat here that mind control does not mean your mind will stop going at full speed; it means you will become aware of where it’s going so you can redirect it if you need to.
For instance, let’s say that you’re already working on that awareness muscle. (Perhaps you’re practicing meditation? Great!) What happens when you’re trying to get control and accomplish a goal, but you catch your mind going everywhere except in the direction you need it to go? Well, you need to redirect your thinking and bring it back to focus on your goal. Be patient. You’ll have to redirect yourself a million times. This process is normal, so try not to get frustrated.
Today, I would love to share with you all a little technique that I’ve been using when I find myself becoming frustrated because I feel like I’m not moving forward toward reaching a goal. As usual, I’ll begin with a personal experience.
Before I started my current training program, I used to do random workouts without any direction. Since I didn’t know any better, I added two days of cardio to my “routine” by running… and I don’t like running. I hate it, but I did it anyway because it helped me to burn more calories. (Sorry, Coach. That was before you).
When I started running, I set a small goal for myself. I told myself, “OK, today I’m going to run for five minutes, nonstop.” The next day I would try to make it six minutes, and so on. When I got to day three, I told myself, “OK, today is seven minutes, but I really don’t feel like it. I’m exhausted. Blah, blah, blah.” So I started walking, thinking I would never be able to complete the seven minutes. When it came time to run, I went into it unhappy about my negative thinking. So there I was, on the treadmill, looking at the minutes, and it was only minute three. I was totally spent (well that was what my mind wanted me to think). I turned my head, and I saw the mileage count which was at 0.1 miles.
I immediately went into competitive mode with myself, thinking, “What if I complete the mile?” So I focused on the mileage count until I reached the mile. Smiling and proud, I turned my head back to the minute count. I ran for nine minutes, nonstop. I don’t want you to pay attention to the numbers here, because as I said, I am not a runner at all.
All I want is to show you that shifting your goal’s target is a good exercise to give you a boost when you’re getting frustrated. You don’t need to change the goal, but you can find a different way to focus your attention. I’ve been using the shifting technique for some time now, and I find it really beneficial. Sometimes we don’t notice how much energy we waste when we focus our attention on one particular thing, and we actually kind of block the natural flow of it.
I use the shifting technique for my business, my fitness, and even for my eating goals. Moving your focus to something different opens up your perspective, and you might even find new ways of moving forward to reach your goals. Because I find this little technique so fascinating, I share it with everyone around me. For instance, my mom is following an exercise plan, and I suggested to her that instead of getting frustrated every day with the number on the scale, she pay attention to how her body improves with specific exercises every week. I’ve noticed that she’s no longer frustrated, and she loves her workout time.
One of Sharon Salzberg’s guided meditations suggests that you imagine you’re holding a very fragile object—like a sculpture made of glass—on your hand. If you grab it too tightly, it will shatter and break, but if you forget it’s there, your hand will fall open and it will break. You need to create a balance. If you focus too much on one particular goal, you might block it completely. But if you forget about it, it won’t happen either. Shifting your attention to a different aspect of your goals might do the trick. The key to success is to learn that beautiful balance, where everything flows. I hope you give the shifting technique a try and let me know how it works for you.
Love,
Irene
