Are you feeding your mind properly?

Almost every adult in the United States knows that you need to feed your body right in order to maintain good health. And most of these adults have access to nutritious foods on a regular (if not daily) basis. And yet our country is dealing with a host of preventable health issues such as obesity and diabetes to name just a couple. And don’t even get me started on smoking and the damage that is doing to the bodies of the smokers and to those who spend time around them.

But this post is not about what you are feeding your body.

It is about what you are feeding your mind.

Have you spent any time reflecting on the “daily diet” you provide your mind?

Just as the body responds positively or negatively to the foods you consume and the fitness habits you may or may not have, the mind responds to the information you feed into it.

Your mood, attitude and outlook on life are all influenced at a high level by the amount and type of information your mind takes in and processes.

If you are feeding it only negative information (think 24/7 news) and reality TV shows (set-up to produce conflict) how can you possibly expect your attitude and outlook to be positive.

You need to make sure (and this takes work) to feed your mind positive information.

Fortunately in this digital world you have as much access to positive information as you do negative. The difference is the negative is forced out to you in order to gain ratings and/or readership. You have to search for the positive. I am not trying to pick on TV or magazines – I understand the competitive nature of their respective businesses. It’s just that I see very few positive and uplifting messages through these media outlets.

If you would limit your TV and news time to 1 hour a day, and your social media time to just 1 hour a day and instead listen to positive and informative podcasts or TED talks, and/or read inspirational, instructional, or skills development books you would experience a profound shift in your outlook on life, your attitude and your overall energy level.

Emotions manifest themselves in your body. Negative emotions can tighten muscles (think stomach aches or other cramps) and can stress your whole body (think lack of energy and headaches). A mind fed a poor and negative diet simply lets negative emotions run rampant. It has no reason to do otherwise – most of the information it is receiving is negative.

Feed your mind a positive diet and it has information to draw upon and can push your emotions towards a happier state. You have more energy with less aches and pains.

Your mind is powerful. But that power is affected by information.

It is your responsibility to feed it for optimal performance.

I am challenging you right now to make a commitment to yourself to limit the time you spend on TV news and social media; An hour or less each per day.

And I challenge you to find alternate “food” sources for your mind; Podcasts, Ted Talks, and the local library for example. What have you always wanted to know more about? Which of the five success elements do you want to focus on first?

Take two weeks and really focus on “feeding your mind” right; Positive, uplifting and skill/thoughts developmental information (in video, audio or written form).

I already know that once you change your brain-food habits, you’ll never go back. Your zest for life will increase and you will find that you are moving faster and faster towards whatever success levels you have for yourself.  Positive feeds positive. Success feeds success.

Just try it.

You’ll be glad you did.