So, What's On Your Mind?
The mind is a powerful and mysterious part of the human body. It is extremely complex and I personally believe that experts have only begun to understand how the brain works. The most impressive concept about the brain is that the brain dictates life merely by maintaining a mindset about life. Individuals have evolved over their life time and their experiences have conditioned them to maintain specific ideas, perceptions, or beliefs about their life. These ideas, perceptions, or beliefs dictate their behaviors, interactions, and even their ability to heal themselves or make themselves sick.
Lissa Rankin MD describes the power of the mind regarding the body's natural healing mechanisms in her book "Mind Over Medicine." The same is true for the brain's ability to create or resist happiness in our lives The mindset that a person adopts regarding how much control the person does or does not have over happiness will most likely determine the course of his or her life. Please don't misunderstand. A person who suffers from depression or anxiety can not merely decide to be happy or to be calm. However, if a person perceives that they have absolutely no control over this illness and believes himself or herself to be incurable; then it is likely that the symptoms of the depression or anxiety will be extreme. And these people are destined to a lifetime of suffering. But if a person recognizes that behaviors, attitudes, support, self care, relationships and many other factors influence the ability to be happy or remain calm, and the person realizes that he or she does have control over these factors; then it is likely the person will make choices that will assist with decreasing the symptoms of the depression or anxiety. It is likely the person will be happier and experience more peace in life. Therefore, mindset is everything. Mindset can make us happy or sad. Mindset can help us to make positive changes in our lives, or mindset can keep us miserable.
What is the best part about your mindset ? Your mindset is a choice. You decide what mindset you would like to maintain. Therefore, you decide how much happiness and peace you want to experience in your life.
(Dr. Barnes is a licensed professional counselor and the owner of Tranquility Counseling Services, LLC.)
