Hi Friend,

Last week, we explored the dance of gratitude as our ally against soul anxiety. This week, let's turn our focus to our minds, pondering calming thoughts and "how to be in peace with my thoughts."

Calming thoughts are like gentle waves that soothe the shores of your mind. They are thoughts that bring a sense of serenity, relaxation, and peace. In the hustle and high vibes of December, cultivating more pockets for these thoughts might be the best gift we can give to ourself and to everyone around us.

Consider for a moment: How frequently do you intentionally let calming thoughts wash over you?

Life is busy and it's about to get even more hectic as the festivities heighten, so we need a simple strategy to prepare for calm moments amidst the chaos.

Let's do this:

#1 What's your go-to calm thought vision?

Like floating on your back in the calm ocean or pool. As you take a deep, slow breath, imagine lying back in the water, your feet raising, the shallowness of the sand or pool tiles supporting you as you feel held; relaxed, calm and light - floating in the water.

Choose your calm thought vision. Trust it. Stick with it.

#2 What's your go-to calm thought phrase?

Mine is "Light, release my illusions to love." It's like my safety brake - no matter how fired up, upset or overwhelmed I feel - I say (and often repeat many times when i'm really stressed) "Light, release my illusions to love" and then, all of a sudden, within seconds and minutes - something has shifted and then everything has shifted; sometimes without me even realizing until much later.

You could choose something like

"I allow calming thoughts in"

or

"Now I feel calm and relaxed. Now I think calming and relaxing thoughts."

Decide your calm thought phrase. Trust it. Stick with it.

#3 Connect your calm thoughts to an action or habit

For example, every time you brush your teeth, you will say your calm thought phrase and imagine your calm thought vision. This cue could be applied to every time you enter a specific room, set a reminder on your phone, see a certain colour or when you take a sip of water.

Decide your calm thought cue. Trust it. Stick with it.

If you start to put this 3 step strategy into play, here's the payoff you could expect:

Enhanced Happiness: Calm thoughts will pave the path for more enriching and enjoyable experiences this holiday season.

Improved Decision-Making: When your mind is calm, decision-making is clear, confident and focused.

Deeper Connections: Calmness in your thoughts allows you to be more present in your interactions, fostering deeper connections with others.

Stress Resilience: Calm thoughts act as your shield against stress and cultivating calm thoughts will help you maintain your personal and social boundaries - in a clear, calm and collected way.

I for one, found 2023 to be a challenging year and I'm really looking forward to saying goodbye to it. BUT one thing is for sure, I'm going out with grace and gratitude for the grit! So I will definitely be applying this strategy until the end of the year!

Each intentional pocket of peace is a small, profound act of self-love. Remember, you have the power to think calming thoughts (you have your go-to 3 step strategy), and in doing so, you can create calm and serene experiences from the inside out.