Master Your Mind to Improve Your Body
The power of the mind over the body is a timeless topic of discussion. Many people are convinced that anything you firmly set your mind to is possible. For others, this sounds like something out of a science fiction novel.
They believe that concepts such as “you should master your mind” are for people who love “new age” ideas or the like.
But it’s precisely this diversity of opinions that legitimizes these notions. After all, everyone is free (in theory) to believe in whatever they choose. As such, agreeing or disagreeing with the premise of this article will depend on the set of preconceived ideas and beliefs you subscribe to.
To believe or not to believe: that is the problem
What should we believe? This is perhaps a more appropriate question. The way a person acts is strongly directed by their belief structure. This aspect of your mind molds the way you see your surroundings. It also affects the concept of yourself.
This same group of ideas leads you to either accept or reject the idea that you should master your mind to master your body. They also define your ideas of success and failure. After all, as generalized as these concepts may seem, you will ultimately perceive them subjectively. One person’s greatest achievement can be perceived as pointless by another person.
Master your mind for mental and physical health
Dropping some extra pounds, having a body that other people envy, and eating without gaining weight. These are three of the many wishes that frequently appear on lists of desires with regard to peoples’ physical state. They are three aspirations that never materialize for a large number of people who hope for them.
In order to justify these “failures,” the most common arguments tend to be related to circumstances apparently out of the dreamer’s control. The first argument that occurs is that it’s difficult to find the time to exercise. Modern life is, after all, very complicated.
Likewise, they may argue that it’s impossible to maintain a balanced diet with the constant bombardment of products that are unhealthy, but delicious. Since these are available in every store, it’s hard to avoid them.
It’s also common to hear phrases such as, “you have to do your part.” What does this mean? A quick way to explain it is by saying that you really have to believe that you can achieve your goals.
The mind has to be completely convinced that the goals you propose are perfectly achievable. If you can’t convince it of that, reaching your goal will be an uphill battle and maybe even impossible.
Placebo vs. nocebo
To delve deeper into this issue, many specialists study the placebo effect. They also look at research regarding its negative counterpart – the nocebo. Until recently, any treatment in one of these categories (especially the first), was generally seen as negative. People considered them to be nothing more than useless tricks or scams.
These days, many still consider the placebo to be a trick. Nevertheless, the prejudices that it once carried with it have been left aside. There are many people whose conditions improve only because they believed they were receiving adequate treatment.
The answer is obvious. It’s the great power of the mind. Those who served as “guinea pigs” were convinced that they were getting the medicines they needed to improve their health. On that basis, the body acted appropriately.
The mind and your physical state
You can apply the same principles of the placebo effect when evaluating the success or failure of exercise. This is especially important for people who have such goals as lowering the number they see on their scale.
In order for any physical activity to be successful, you have to be completely convinced that your efforts will yield the benefits you seek. In other words, you have to master your mind. This way, the hours of jogging in the park or working out in the gym shouldn’t feel like suffering.
It’s the same thing with the foods you eat. A diet that you perceive as equivalent to starving yourself or eating unpleasant foods is destined to fail. Everything that you consider to be an insurmountable sacrifice leads to stress. This could end up sabotaging any goal.
It’s not the law of attraction
It’s neither magic nor science fiction, but rather a lot of visualization and meditation. Concentration is another necessary aspect to master your mind so it can get to work on concrete objectives. Always do this rationally and realistically and avoid falling into false optimism.