5 Tips to Being Strong!

No doubt this is a stressful time with COVID-19 pandemic. However, there are many ways to navigate during this crisis so that you can bounce back, survive and carry on. Here are a few ideas from the sixth book "Strong, Perfect, Whole - Becoming Who You Want to Be."

1. Let Go! Whenever you are attached to something-- whether a material object, person or in this case the fear of COVID-19, you are giving it permission to represent the concept of being strong. The first step to being strong is to let go of your belief about the strength these objects hold. The reality is that attachment is an obstacle to obtaining your desires including the desire to be strong in mind, body, and spirit.
In yoga, one of the ten living principles, or fifth Yama, is Aparigrapha. Aparigrapha translates as "non-attachment." It teaches us to accept the present situation as it is. Making a point of bending with the blows life may throw us (in this case COVID-19), makes room for new things to bloom.

2. Positivity. We all have thoughts that lie deep in our conscious and subconscious mind. Those we pay attention to are the ones that sprout. We are all capable of feeling strong if we practice appropriate attention to the thoughts that nourish us. It is simply good food for the mind. A simple approach is to remember that everything has an opposite. In other words, if you are feeling fearful, it is easier for the mind to focus on the fearful thoughts. These are seeds you do not want to nourish. The opposite nature of fear is feeling safe and secure. Therefore, if you  practice mindfulness of feeling safe and secure everyday, then those are the seeds that will take root. You have to choose to be positive. 

3. Mindful Strength. Mindfulness helps us to embrace our weaknesses, and in doing so, it allows us to get in touch with our strengths. With each breath, we can appreciate our body and connect to the blessings that have been bestowed upon us. We begin to realize that there are many things available to us in this very moment, and just knowing this can make us feel strong, vibrant, and joyful.

4. Focus. There is enormous power in a focused mind. It gives us the capacity to diminish negative thoughts instantaneously so we can break through anything. Existing in the here and now requires great focus and concentration, but once we have it we explode with energy. 

5. Insight. Practicing mindfulness will point to areas of tension in your body. Sometimes it is a struggle to release this tension. This is when insight becomes a necessary tool in the process. It allows us to see what is there and what we might need to liberate ourselves from. Jealousy, resentment, or anger can act as barriers to strength in mind, body, and spirit. Having the insight to spend more time on your strengths and less time on your weaknesses releases the fountain of youth. When you are entrenched in your strengths it is an energy booster, a bolster to your world. Spending more time with activities and practices that make you strong unleashes the best in you. It is the single greatest thing you can do for YOU.

Om Shanti!
Mary Jane Kasliner - www.fengshuiyoganj.com