Where Your Mind Goes …

An inspiring quote shared during a yoga class isn’t a novel concept. Often, the sentiment lands in my brain for a good 30 seconds and then it leaves forever … or until the next yoga class. But one day last summer, an instructor said something that has stuck with me, even eight months later: The quote:

At the time of that class, my mind was a broken record constantly thinking about a work project that was causing me anxiety and stress. This work situation wasn’t a puzzle that needed to be solved by my brainpower – this was a case where my mind was spinning in a non-productive way. In fact, I had been thinking about that project throughout the yoga class.  The teacher’s statement broke through my thoughts. I realized I want my energy to primarily be directed to my daughter, my husband, my family, my friends, and helping others. By letting this project take over my mind, I wasn’t using my energy in the way I wanted. Now, I’m not saying work is not important or worth one’s energy, but work, nor any topic that consumes your mind, is not healthy when it sucks ALL your mental capacity and thus doesn’t allow you to direct your energy where you really want it to go.

Since that class, I often try to think of the “Where your mind goes, your energy flows” mantra. When I think of it, I usually find myself making a decision to shift my mental thoughts to something different than what I was currently thinking about. The mantra helps me reprioritize my thoughts and thus my energy.

Good uses of the mantra:

1. When you find yourself thinking about a situation you can’t control
2. When you’re thinking about something not worthy of your energy; when there are more important things in your life
3. When you’re thinking about something negative or destructive (e.g., negative body thoughts)

Shifting one’s thoughts takes lots of practice. I forever will be practicing.

Where do you want your mind and energy to go?

-Amy