Good Morning Dear Friends, 

Many people live with a battle. A battle inside their heads. I know I have… it’s like two warring sides. One is chewing over something bothersome, stressful and negative, and the other is so joyful, happy and grateful for all that life brings. It can be crazy-making. Our brains are wired towards the negative as part of our evolution, simply to keep us safe. But we can change this. We just have to continually notice, acknowledge, and shift. Many would agree that our thoughts come and go so quickly that it’s seems impossible to notice them, but with awareness, mindfulness and an attitude of self-compassion, we can redirect our negative thoughts to more positive ones

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Two Wolves is a Cherokee legend that illustrates the most important battle of our lives – the one between our good and bad thoughts. Here is how the story goes:

An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life. “A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the boy.

“It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil – he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.” He continued, “The other is good – he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you – and inside every other person, too.”

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?”

The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”

 

Our thoughts can be our own worst enemy. That is, if we let them. Think about how you may be “feeding” your negative thoughts by allowing them to rule your mind. Next time you have a negative thought, catch it and ask yourself, “What is this thought doing for me?” You will find that the answer is that all they are doing is disempowering you. You can immediately feel more empowered by focusing on something good in your life and cultivating an attitude of gratitude. Don’t ignore the negative, but do acknowledge if it’s sapping your energy and affecting your mood.

We can create greater peace, confidence and a more positive outlook by learning how to manage our thoughts. After all, this battle can be won because we have the power of choice!

Which wolf are you feeding?  Remember, you always have a choice…

Try it now: Sit for a moment and close your eyes if you like. Notice the tone of your mind today. Is it racing? calm? unsettled? Now notice thoughts as they arise and disappear like clouds in the sky. Is there a theme to which thoughts seem more sticky? End with a big, true, positive, compassionate thought for the day.

If you do suffer with anxiety and have difficulty with negative thinking, you might be interested in my 6 week class ‘Mindfulness for Anxiety’ beginning Friday September 14th, 2018 at Namaste Yoga. It will be a good introduction to mindfulness and open to everyone. No special experience needed. If you are breathing, you can do this!  More details to come shortly… 

Don’t forget if you like daily mindfulness reminders you can always find them right here on my Just One Breath facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/peacebeginshere/

With love,

Madeleine