“…a hot tub for the mind”

I read these exact words a moment ago, and immediately felt an explosion of joy, fresh jujubees and heart candy confetti in my mind.

What do you feel or see when you think of a hot tub for your mind? 

I saw myself:

• Feeding my mind gourmet chocolates and then offering it hot jasmine tea in those pretty japanese Sake-style porcelain cups
• Playing softly with my mind’s hair ’til it drifts into peaceful and loving sleep
• Gently massaging my amygdala to the sound of a babbling brook,  accompanied by musical bird calls

Sometimes, I get caught up in trying to “control” my thoughts, which makes positive thinking an arduous task.

But instead, I can make it FUN and nurturing, by asking myself: “how can I give my mind a nice bath right now?”

Yes! I love discovering ways of by-passing self judgement and negative thinking spirals!

When you start nagging yourself for not doing / being enough, Remember:

Imagine deeply satisfying ways of nurturing your mind – very much the same way you like to spoil someone you love – and let the fun, fun, fun begin!

I often like to write and talk about gratitude and the power of acknowledging goodness all around us. 

After all, if most of us are striving for personal balance in our lives, what better way to achieve this than to counterbalance all the negativity we are bombarded with on a daily basis: on the news; radio; outbreak scares, and an implicit belief that it’s pompous to toot your horn. 

Side note: I love the idea behind a cool book title about “toot’n’ yer horn without blowing it” (actual book title: Brag!: The Art of Tooting Your Own Horn without Blowing It).

Ok, back to the point I was making. 

I’ve posted this video after receiving the link from Danielle LaPorte, because it inspired me to think about how easily we tend to criticise, to fear and to look for flaws in life; yet, many of us find it difficult to give ourselves a wholehearted tap on the back or to look in the mirror and genuinely say: “I am wonderful. I am so talented. I love who I am…”

But rather than explore the deeply rooted “why’s” of that, I prefer to encourage you to just do it, regardless of your resistance and past trauma – say it right now: “I am wonderful”… Say it with meaning…Imagine what it looks and feels like, to feel wonderful about yourself. 

Dare to imagine and tap into your greatness, with this simple act, which reminds us that by allowing ourselves to be wonderful, we give everyone around us permission to do the same. 

Amen!