Susan Dawson-Cook, M.S.
The New Year is a time when people make resolutions to change old habits and build new, more constructive ones. Breaking patterned thoughts is the first step to changing patterned behavior.
All of us tend to live within the confines of patterned thoughts, known in yoga as samskaras. Neurologists concur that patterned thoughts form deep channels in the brain that take conscious effort to reconstruct. These thoughts established in youth, for better or worse, form the foundation of our identity. They could be as positive as “I’m a real science whiz” to as negative as “I’m fat and ugly.” More commonly, people see a balance of good and bad in themselves, but may be unable to keep repetitive negative thoughts from robbing them of some happiness. For example, a chronic illness can make someone see herself as a sick instead of a healthy person. Eventually, health worries may become an obsession.
If you are dissatisfied with the image you have of yourself in your mind, commit to rewriting your life’s scripts. If you want to lose weight, shedding the old image of yourself is every bit as essential as regular exercise and a healthy diet. Even if you dropped 50 pounds, you might still look in the mirror and see the teenager that was once the brunt of classmate jokes.
Thoughts tend to run rampant in the mind. Taming and channeling them to be more positive can do wonders for health and peace of mind.
Meditation and mantras can help reinforce positive thoughts and images. Start each morning and end each day with at least five minutes of meditation. Sit or recline in a comfortable position and close your eyes. Take some deep breaths and create an image in your mind of a changed you. Perhaps you see a slimmer you on the tennis court launching a killer serve. Maybe you visualize a healthy you enjoying an outing with friends instead of sitting at home feeling sick and reading online health forums. Maybe see yourself facing a difficult situation and calling a friend to chat or take a walk instead of eating cookies. Emotions felt during meditation or dreams can be as real to the brain as actual experiences.
Throughout the day, carry a mantra or a slogan in your head that reverses the negative thought pattern. If you hate to exercise, say to yourself “exercise makes me stronger.” If you start criticizing your body image, focus on one attribute that you are grateful for such as I have beautiful, smooth skin. Even mantras as simple as I’m smart, I’m beautiful, I’m healthy, I’m happy and I’m safe can go a long way in lifting mood and ingraining more positive thought patterns.
Success at making positive changes starts in your mind. Thoughts that are kind and supportive to you, rather than critical, will help you transform thinking patterns and the way you live and experience life.