The Power of Your Mind: Becoming Happier and in more Control in your Life! – by Gregg Turner MH, CHT, CNLP, PhD,
The Power of Your Mind Series
Today: Is Anxiety and Stress related to your “degree” from MSU?
Yes, MSU! It stands for Making Stuff Up!
When you examine stress and anxiety in your life, and we all experience different degrees of it, one of the factors is where your mind goes.
We all have thoughts that we dwell on in our minds. Sometimes these are thoughts of the stuff that isn’t working the way you want it to. Other times they are the thoughts and ideas of what can go wrong. Yet others they are ideas and thoughts about the worst possible outcome.
Think for a moment on the thoughts that you are having on replay in your mind. And get a feel about them right now. Even now, can you remember or imagine a situation that caused you anxiety? As you remember that situation you likely can start to experience some of the feelings and physiological responses, associated with the event and your interpretation of that event.
The interpretations are really a judgement and opinion, based on your learning, experiences, conditioning, and life influences.
It is fascinating that in the simplicity of the concept and idea of the bother of thoughts and the feelings, sights and sounds they generate. A certain tone, phrase or delivery of words can influence us all. Reactivating certain memories and can lead to conditioned responses.
Here’s a simple exercise to help you gain some repose from your busy mind:
Just think or imagine hearing a favourite song, a song that you 
really like, a song from a special and happy event in your life. Take a deep breath. Then another and then one more for good measure. Now close your eyes and think of that song or background sounds right now.
As you do so, you will likely start to experience a similar feeling that was evoked, triggered or we could say “learnt” or “conditioned”. Check it out for your self. It only takes a minute.
The same thing happens when you are focusing on something that causes you to react in an adverse or negative way. And you will know because it does not feel good or causes “frustration”, “hurt”, “anger”, “stress” or “anxiety” (or combinations).
The cool thing is that we can shift and change based on self understanding or looking at, hearing, feeling and experiencing things from a different perspective. This is a stepping out of the “negative” reaction situation in your mind.
Your breath work is very helpful for you. It helps you to focus. It helps you to calm. It helps you to start to relax tense muscles. All of this and more means that it also helps you to improve the circulation to the brain, which means that your thinking and processing information and emotions in a healthier and more effective way, for you.
Creating some time, even if it is a short amount of time, everyday to reflect on how you want to feel and the different ways that can be possible to move in that direction. Possibility thinking helps you to get your creative optimistic juices flowing and helps you to understand that there are options to see and hear in ways that do serve you.
Remember – it takes practise and the development of new internal “habits” to make this shift. As Bob Proctor once said changing your mind is “simple but it’s not easy.”
Just like going to the gym or learning a new skill, (even though this is your natural and innate place to be..), it may take you a little time. The choice though is between the life you want to live and the sadness, stress, or misery that you cling to.
Your decision and practise to become as skilled and joyful as possible is an important step too! It is a journey that never ends.
With Support for Your Success and Most Excellent Wishes,
Gregg