Open Your Mind

So...

I am trying to be more open minded about how to help myself by doing good things more routinely. I tend to do that with things like yoga, motivational instruction books and other beneficial self-care things like taking an epsom salt bath, which is supposed to be really good for you, or taking vitamins, or even eating fruits and vegetables each day. I mean, I want to do it, I try it and enjoy it, but then I put the book away without implementing any of the suggested tools and methods, or I bookmark the yoga video and don't go back to it for another six months. 

So what I would like to do is continue to bring more awareness to this stuttering of mine that is mental, but also manifests in the physical way of stopping and not beginning again the things that are good for me and help me grow. My mental growth was stunted by years of drinking and prioritizing an unhealthy relationship over my own well being and future goals. I need to acknowledge that, appreciate it, and try to figure out how to keep moving forward and not stop again like I have done.

So I have been consciously trying to bring things into my life (books, videos, ideas, foods) that are nutrients for my mind and body. Here's a book I set down and stopped reading months ago, but I picked it up today and read some very profound words. This is from Where There Is Light: Insight and Inspiration to Meeting Life's Challenges by Paramahansa Yogananda (Author of Autobiography of a Yogi):
                                                         

"You can instill any trend in your consciousness. In the ultimate sense, all things are made of pure consciousness. You must change the thought process. We can start practicing any time and in any place. If we are lacking in will power, let us concentrate upon that. Inertia, or lack of undivided effort and attention is what is standing in your way. Everyone should learn to analyze him/herself dispassionately. Diagnose your failures and sort out your good and bad tendencies. Keep a journal of your introspection and destroy the bad habits that create pain and suffering. Avoid things that will ultimately hurt you, you will not miss anything but sorrow. Choose those things that will award you freedom and happiness." 

So that is paraphrased in part from pages 88-92 of chapter 8: 'Bringing Out the Best Within You', which is where I opened the book this morning and started reading, and going 'Ah-ha! I really needed to hear this right now!' Because I am being so consistent with my writing (here and now) and wanting desperately to not give it up as soon as I go back to work, like I did last year, I am seeking inspiration and motivation to not only continue writing, but also the things like exercise and yoga that are contributing to my back pain slowly improving. I didn't only stop writing when I started working at the school last year, I almost totally stopped exercising, except for some incidental walking about.

So it's too late to do some of the things I said I wanted to before school starts, but it's not too late to keep my self-wellness promises of keeping up personal writing and yoga time and eat better food.
I'm going to make working on time management and communication with 'authority figures' some of my upcoming goals. Because I am not good at those things and find them rather scary. Peace & Love