Mind Wellness part 2. If you can identify the negative thoughts that you play over and over in your head, try to design an affirmation that is opposite of those thoughts.

 

   
Tips for Creating Your Own Affirmations
· Make them in the present tense, as though they are occurring right now.
· Keep them positive (try to avoid using "no," "not," "never," "don't," "won't," etc.)
· If you can identify the negative thoughts that you play over and over in your head, try to design an affirmation that is opposite of those thoughts.
· Pay attention to how your mind and body react to certain affirmations. They will cue you in to which ones resonate the most with you at a particular time
· If an affirmation seems to have lost its hold on you, create or look for a new one.
Tuning in to Your Five Senses
Have you ever heard a song on the radio and thought, "Wow, that really takes me back!" Or have you caught a whiff of a scent that reminds you of someone you once knew? Whether we are conscious of it at the time, our senses store information and can bring back memories long-forgotten. Even more amazing, the memory is usually so very clear the instant our senses awaken to it.
Tuning into touch, taste, smell, sound, and sight can unlock answers in ourselves. Say you taste something that reminds you of Grandma's homemade apple pie. Suddenly you are overcome with a feeling of warmth, safety, security, and joy. Instead of just cherishing the memory, why not look further and ask,"What can I do to create those feelings every day in my life now?" Is it a matter of surrounding yourself with more people who love you unconditionally? Is it that you want to learn how to make that pie yourself, so your own children can someday associate apple pie with all those good feelings? Is it time to let go of a long feud with your older sister so you can once again enjoy the fun and friendship you had as children?
Your senses can absolutely help you bring positive things into your life. They can also help you guard against dangerous situations. Women's intuition is not just for women. Think of it, instead, as your "gut instinct." When we are in tune with our senses, when a situation arises that just does not feel right, listen to that. Even if you cannot put your finger on what it is, it is okay to give yourself permission to trust your body.

Unlocking Creativity

Creativity is not an ability that only artists, musicians, inventors, and writers have. Each and every one of us has the potential to be creative. It enhances every area of life, from home, work, school, and health. Unlocking creativity is also not as difficult as it sounds. It simply takes the courage to do something different from what you usually do.
Taking an example from early childhood, we are taught to color between the lines. This is an important skill for knowing boundaries and limits. However, if your mindset becomes such that everything must be done within set boundaries and limits, you will have trouble finding your creative side.
In fact, going back to childhood is a great place to start with unlocking creativity. Think back to activities that inspired you as a child: playing with action figures, pretending to have tea parties, filling a blank page with any colors your heart desired, or spending hours cutting pictures out of magazines. It was a time before you knew there were limits to what you could do, but are there?
In a practical sense, yes, there are limits. If you ever tied on a cape and tried to fly off the garage roof, you probably learned that gravity was more powerful than your desire. Even so, you were not afraid to try. What are you afraid to try in your life now? Is it a realistic fear? Why? Is it realistic because no one has ever done it before or simply because you have never done it before? Are there steps you can take to do what you are afraid of? What would be the payoffs for trying something you are afraid of?