Your overall mental state is determined by your mental diet. In the same way that the state of your body is determined mainly by the food you eat, the state of your inner world is a function of the mental food you consume—what you think. In the context of thought power, we can say that the term ‘thinking,’ does not only refer to what we are accustomed to as thinking about this or that. All your mental activities—your beliefs, imaginings, assumptions, and the feelings they evoke, are the thinking activities of your mind. And together, they determine your mental frequency and direct your thought power in their respective directions.

Everything in your inner world begins with a thought. You may think your beliefs and feelings are independent of your thoughts, but they all started as a single thought. A belief is a thought you repeated persistently, be it consciously or not, until it was passed down to your subconscious mind and became part of the core beliefs of your personal belief system. Even a single thought-reaction to an outside event can be so impressionable that it creates a permanent belief. Thereafter, your beliefs confirm and justify the way you think. The same applies to your feelings. Your thoughts about a specific event, be it an actual event or an imagined one, give rise to corresponding feelings. And those feelings then affirm your thoughts about the event and the one sustains the other.

Having the right mental diet can help cultivate self-awareness and may help improve our capacity for self-compassion while reducing stress, depression, anxiety, and other negative emotional states associated with self-judgment. Mindfulness can apply to your communication, relationships, eating patterns, or simply observing your own reactions and behaviors. Here are some ways  to be  more mindful…

• Nonjudgemental: Be aware of our judgments towards ourselves, food, others, and our environment.
• Patience: This is a process; it takes time to be aware moment by moment.
• Trust: This is your journey, and it won’t be the same as anyone else’s; noticing and appreciating our experience helps us build trust with ourselves.
• Go with the Flow: Tune into what’s happening in the present without judgment.
• Acceptance: It’s one thing to develop awareness, it’s another to be accepting of what comes up during the process; practice the mantra ‘it is what it is.”
• Letting Go: Release past expectations and resentments around our choices, let go of attachments and try to be present in the here and now without judgments based on things in the past.

Cody Rininger is certified by the National Academy of Medicine as a Professional Fitness Instructor. He is also certified in Cardiorespiratory Fitness, Heart Variance, Nutrition, Neuromuscular Flexibility, Supplements and Mental/Behavior Performance. He incorporates techniques for concentration, focus, motivation, and even ways to cope with anxiety. He has been featured in National Fitness Magazines and has spoken on several national Podcasts. Prior to personal training, Cody received his Master’s in Instruction, so has first-hand experience with differentiating personalized instruction, planning, and goal setting. Cody brings his 2B Imperium training methods, knowledge, and experience to give clients the best overall experience, whether they have been exercising for years, or are beginning their fitness journey. He was named 2022 Siouxland Trainer of the Year and is Nominated for the 2023 Award. Cody trains out of the Four Seasons in Sioux City and North Sioux City.