7 strategies to harness the power of your mind

If you know how to harness the power of your mind, you will be the master of your beliefs, actions and emotions and you will direct your energy towards your own goals.

Written and verified by the psychologist Elena Sanz.

As we all know, the mind is wonderful. The influence of our beliefs is almost unlimited, they shape our reality and therefore, our attitude and our emotional states. The psyche can be our greatest enemy or the perfect ally: we just have to learn to use it to our advantage. Therefore, in this article we present seven simple strategies to take advantage of the power of your mind.

We are often not aware of the ability we have to direct our own lives only by learning to master our mental states. When you feel that circumstances are overwhelming you, your mind can be the lighthouse that brings you back to earth or the five-meter wave that ends up sinking you. And only you have the power to decide which situation you choose. Therefore, start making intelligent use of your power.

1. Exercise your mind

Just as you mobilize your physical resources to keep your body in shape, you must mobilize your mental resources to promote your mental state. Try to nourish your mind daily with information that you find interesting and awakens your critical thinking. Exercise your cognitive resources by facing challenges that motivate you or simply try to get out of your routine.

An exercise as simple as changing the route you take to get to work helps your mind wake up and get going. Likewise, trying to use your left hand more (right if you are left-handed) is an incentive for a mind accustomed to always doing the same thing.

Read Also: Stoicism: a classic current from which we can learn

2. Be flexible

There are some people who are cognitively more rigid than others, however, we can all make an effort to become more flexible. In any situation, try to avoid dichotomies and sharp judgments and observe all points of view. Get used to broadening your vision, questioning your own approaches and getting closer to those of others.

Examining other perspectives is always enriching. But it also predisposes our mind to find new outlets and ways of doing things. A flexible mind always finds opportunity instead of problem.

3. Be your own emotional center

One of the biggest thieves of mental energy is depending on other people’s opinions. Trying to please everyone is unrealistic and totally unnecessary. Understand that you should only please yourself and that only you should be the owner of your emotional states. When your happiness or sadness depends on the actions or comments of other people, you lose all control.

4. Avoid complaints to harness the power of your mind

Without even being aware, we spend a large part of our day complaining about various issues. The weather, the economy, the behavior of others, how tired we are… This seemingly harmless behavior has a great impact on the state of our mind. It conditions us to have a negative and defeatist attitude because we are continually reminding ourselves of what is not working in our lives.

5. Be grateful

Coupled with the previous point, the power of replacing complaint with gratitude is shocking. Getting used to being grateful helps us be aware of the blessings that are already present in our lives. And it puts us in the position to receive more of the same. A grateful mind is a positive mind, capable of enjoying what you have and pursuing what you want. Able, in short, to detect and take advantage of opportunities to feel even better.

6. Be resilient

Resilience is the ability to emerge stronger from adverse situations. And it is one of the most valuable skills that human beings can develop, since it helps them focus on teaching and not on pain. Every negative situation provides us with learning and helps us grow personally. Instead of staying stuck in pain, try to draw a valuable lesson and continue forward stronger and wiser than before.

Read Also: Spiritual alchemy: transforming pain into evolution

7. Set goals and direct the power of your mind towards them

Nothing sharpens the mind like having a goal. Reflect on what you want to achieve and make a plan with small short-term goals. Hosting a purpose will activate all your cognitive resources and help you improve your self-esteem and self-efficacy. If you know where you want to go, it will be easier for you to focus your energy in that direction.