That's it. You've had it. Weeks of stress have compounded, and you are at your wits' end. No amount of caffeine shots, Nutella, wine, Netflix binges, or other guilty pleasures can possibly help you regain your balance.
Sound familiar? Let me be the first to say, wholly and unequivocally, YES. I raise my hand in salute to you, the hundreds of millions who bravely launch themselves into the fray of work, family, health, academic, and other personal responsibilities each day. If you find yourself at the breaking point, too, please let me reassure you that you are not alone.
Let's think about the way that most people currently operate in the developed world. Endless deadlines, quick fixes, and pressures to "succeed" by obtaining a certain image are paramount.
Does this sound healthy, relaxing, efficient, or sustainable to you? No, of course not! By operating in a state of constant forward thinking, we fail to allow ourselves to rest. Our brains are forced into overdrive and our bodies follow suit, creating stress, unnecessary challenges, and possibly even illness.
But what if daily life could be different? What if you could constantly operate in a state of mindful flow, allowing your mind and body the rest they deserve? Well, I have a little secret. (Lean in and trust me. I will tell you!)
I affectionately call my little secret mindful manifestation. Mindful manifestation is the theory that we can improve our wellness and induce a state of "flow" through a mindful, efficient, and organized approach to life. In other words, by implementing easy and efficient mechanisms to (1) identify personal stressors and (2) prioritize activities to reduce these stressors, we can manifest a healthy and happy life.
While stress reduction and productivity theories abound, I find that the mindful manifestations approach is much more sustainable and comprehensive than most. Many sources encourage us to "work like a boss" through the implementation of complex, time-consuming and stress-inducing scheduling techniques. Others encourage self care, but forget to implement a plan for managing the inevitable responsibilities of daily life. This leaves us in a perpetual state of extremes, lurching between "relaxation" and "productivity" mode. I find these approaches to be wholly unsustainable, destructive and unproductive. Why can't we lead a mindful life while also actively addressing and preparing for responsibilities?
As an alternative, I would recommend the Mindful Manifestations approach. By using the right tools to create a mindful and efficient plan ahead of time, we give the "thinking mind" a break and can ebb into a state of productive, relaxing and efficient flow. We can rest assured as we sleep, knowing that we are taking proactive steps to mindfully reduce stressors and efficiently manage responsibilities.
I can personally attest to the effectiveness of the mindful manifestations approach. As a law student who manages a chronic illness, I have spent nearly a decade studying how to efficiently manage my health, carry a heavy workload, and maintain a fulfilling personal life. After reflecting upon the past eight years, I realized that I was most successful when I enacted the mindful manifestation approach to life management. At the time, of course, I did not consciously realize that I was implementing the "mindful manifestation" (MM) method. However, I consistently implemented specific habits and practices that held true to the MM philosophy. More recently, I curated these habits and practices into a single approach, and the mindful manifestation approach was born!
Here, in the Mindful Musings space, I will share the methods, tips, and tricks that I learned on my journey to Mindfully Manifesting my best self. Of course, this journey has been filled with bumps in the road, so I will occasionally share personal anecdotes to "keep things real" and contribute a sense of unfiltered reality to your journey.
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Happy mindful manifesting!
Yours,
Elicia Kristine xx