What do you think? Is thinking your best friend or greatest enemy? Oftentimes, we are not very aware of our thoughts and we don’t give much attention to them. They are somewhat on an unconscious level. When we are unconscious of the content of our thoughts, they are more likely to control us. Observing them objectively develops self-awareness and strengthens your ability to take charge.

Being mindful of our thinking enables us to make positive choices for personal wellbeing. The first step is to be aware of our thoughts and that there is a choice to stop and change a negative thought to a positive thought.

The more we become identified with our thoughts, especially our negative thoughts, the more we lose our center and our intuitive mind – that wise, spacious presence that allows for surprising discovery.

Mindfulness helps quiet the mind and awaken the intuitive mind. Meditation is not the only mindfulness practice. Walking, doing the dishes, painting, petting your dog or cat are other possibilities for mindfulness.

Wellness means attuning ourselves to the life-giving or death-dealing energy of our thoughts. Wellness requires conscious selectivity in choosing those thoughts. If we feed our mind encouragement, beautiful images, and positive input, we will enjoy a high-level of wellness.

Are you aware of how your feelings affect your bodily processes? Can some feelings be hard to manage or accept? Managing feelings can lead to improved wellbeing.

Feeling is the 6th dimension in our Wellness Inventory program. Feelings are core to our human experience. Feelings act as our internal guidance system. It is important to be able to be open to a full range of emotions. Being able to experience joy is essential as is the ability to appropriately express anger in ways that resolve issues. Taking the time during the day to ask yourself how you are feeling is beneficial. It is equally beneficial to be able to graciously accept positive feedback from others. The importance of positive emotions has been shown to improve health and longevity. If we focus on what we want and what is going well our feeling state can improve. Practicing appreciation and gratitude can have a positive impact on our wellbeing. The well-known psychologist and pioneer in the study of self-compassion, Kristin Neff, says it is common to beat ourselves up for faults big and small. But she says that self-criticism comes at a price. It makes us anxious, dissatisfied with our life and even depressed.