How Minimalism Can Help to Clean and Strengthen the Mind

Strengthening the mind is largely viewed as an internal practice. Yet the outer environment also plays a large role in a healthy mindset. Minimalism is a relatively new phenomenon that can help to increase psychological strength in various ways. 

 

Benefits of Minimalism

 

It is easy to understand the personality of an individual by simply seeing the state of their bedroom or workspace. In many instances, these places will be disorderly with significant clutter. This is an obvious sign that the mind of the person is cluttered and messy, not organized and clear. By making a habit of cleaning our rooms and workspaces, we will have a stronger psychology and more space to make decisions. One of the easiest techniques is to simply make our beds every morning or to make a habit of keeping a tidy workspace. 

 

Minimalism can also increase revenue to a great degree. It involves cutting out what is unnecessary and focusing only on what works. This has massive implications for business and personal success. Too often, we allow thoughts, ideas, people, and materials into our space that just do not belong. By tidying the places where we most frequently visit, we get into the mindset of organization and cleanliness. We then start to tidy up other aspects of our lives. 

 

Minimalism for the Mind

 

Aside from material items, what people really need is information minimalism. All successful people reduce the information that they take in and only assimilate relevant data. People who are not so focused can spend all day online or on social media. Even the tips and tricks that they believe to be helpful on blog posts is wasted energy in most instances. Information that is not actively applied is wasted. Most of the material that people read is not actualized. 

 

To offset this, it could be a good idea to go on a data diet or reduce the time spend using modern technology. Alternatively, information channels should be streamlined or a break could be taken from social media. People need to spend more time away from technology so their minds can assimilate all the data and act on the pieces of information that are most relevant. 

 

Unsubscribe from all irrelevant emails that are cluttering up your various inboxes and undertake a digital cleanup. Online minimalism is now as important as keeping a tidy physical space. 

 

The 3 Best Techniques to Master Your Own Psychology

Understanding your own psychology is something that can be difficult to do, but is something that is foundational to wellbeing and happiness. While it is in many ways a lifetime process, there are some well-trodden paths to help you to understand yourself better. 

 

#1 - Meditation

 

Meditation is the best way to observe what you are thinking and at the same time transform how you think. In meditation, the practitioner gains the ability to separate himself or herself from personal thought processes. When the observer does not identify with these thoughts, they lack energy and dissipate over time. Then the practitioner can focus on positive thoughts as desired and watch them materialize in the outside world. While it takes a long time to attain levels of mastery over personal psychology, meditation alone has many benefits. The act of simply sitting and breathing for 20 minutes a day can do much to alleviate built up stress levels. 

 

#2 - Practice Habit Formation

 

Habits are what makes for a good quality of life. Our experiences are really just a collection of habits, and this includes mental habits of thought. Take a habit and make sure that you stick with it for at least 3 weeks, the verified minimum time it takes to establish a habit. Ultimately, you want to establish a habit of identifying negative thought patterns as they emerge. In this way, you stop their momentum before they become too powerful. A habit can be something as easy as making your bed every morning or something difficult like visualizing your goal for 20 minutes every day. It is best to pick something simple and stick with it initially. You can build on these habits and the results compound over time. Another habit could be writing a 1000-word blog post every day for 60 days. 

 

#3 - Concentration

 

While meditation can largely be defined as the art of non-focus, there are also many concentration techniques available that can serve to sharpen the mind. One practice consists of gazing at the tip of your nose for 5 minutes. This is a short and intense technique that works well for those with the discipline to stick with it. This focus can then be carried over to other areas of study. You will be able to apply your focus to different tasks. The skill of concentration is more important than ever before. Social media and other technological advances really serve to distract us, and the population is largely disassociated with little ability to focus on basic tasks. 

The 3 Proven Ways to Increase Discipline and Focus Over Time

Discipline and focus are traits that are in very short supply in modern society. This is because there are so many alternative data streams, it is easy to lose focus and concentrate on what really needs to get done. But there are still proven ways to increase focus and discipline over time which have been around for a long time due to their effectiveness. 

 

#1 - Meditation

 

Meditation has been proven to increase concentration and focus over time, according to a large number of studies. It also has a wide number of associated medical benefits, such as an alleviation of depression and the lowering of blood pressure. It is one of the most direct ways to increase focus and discipline. Meditation is a life long practice and not a quick fix, which is a stark contrast to many of the current shorts cuts that we can observe today. There are other direct forms of meditation which emphasize focusing on an object for long periods of time. In Tibetan spiritual systems, the practitioners were given yantras or symbols to concentrate on. 

 

#2 - Rest and Relaxation

 

Everybody knows that rest and relaxation are essential. It is also proven that willpower is a fixed resource that is at its highest point in the morning and lowest point in the evening. But many people really fail to optimize their rest, which is also a way to optimize their discipline and focus. An example of this would be focusing on a good night’s sleep - this could entail maintaining a clean room free of technology and clutter, diffusing some essential oil in the bedroom, and eating some sleep-inducing food a few hours before bed. It is also good to restore willpower during the day at frequent intervals and to learn to completely switch off from work at the weekends. 

 

#3 - Diet and Exercise

 

Diet and exercise are integral to how much focus and willpower that we have. When people eat a healthy and balanced diet with appropriate exercise, they will have more focus and willpower with regard to what they want to achieve. The biggest challenge in this regard is caffeine. It helps to get the work completed but is a bad move in the long-run which leads to a lesser quality of life. If you must have a coffee, the make sure it is high quality with little sugar and taken in the morning as opposed to the evening. Otherwise, it will disrupt sleep. 

 

The 5 Best Books On Mastering the Mind

An understanding of personal psychology is essential for success no matter what kind of industry you are involved in. You need to know how your own mind works as well as how to interact with other people. Thankfully, there are a number of good books on mastering the mind that can be of invaluable assistance. 

 

#1 - The Social Animal

 

The Social Animal be one of the most influential books on social psychology ever written. This 2011 classic by David Brooks explores the intersection between psychology, biology, and sociology to reveal hidden insights into human behavior. Brooks explains the human aversion to emotional expression and also highlights the isolation issue prevalent in 21st century America. 

 

#2 - Influence: Science and Practice

 

Robert Cialdini is one of the well-recognized authors within the marketing and psychology space. And this book in considered one of his best works. He explains in very easy-to-understand terms the results of complex scientific studies and also demonstrates how people can develop a resistance to typical persuasion techniques. The book is a classic and a must read for anybody in sales and marketing. 

 

#3 - Thinking Fast and Slow

 

Thinking Fast and Slow is a remarkably popular book by Daniel Kahneman, who also holds a Nobel prize in economics. It is an in-depth book on human behavior released in 2011. Thinking Fast and Slow explores topics such as cognitive biases, behavioral theory, and loss aversion. Not only does this book explore complex topics in detail, but it is well written and engaging. 

 

#4 - The Art of Choosing

 

The Art of Choosing is especially relevant to those who are interested in marketing, as it outlines how people make decisions. These decisions are seldom rational, though they obviously appear logical to the person making the decision. The book by Sheena Iyengar delves into why humans make particular choices. 

Understanding why we make certain decisions is fundamental to understanding ourselves. Before chasing desires, it can be fruitful to understand why we want them in the first place. 

 

#5 - Stumbling on Happiness

 

This book by Daniel Gilbert is a bestseller that is not really a self-development book in the classical sense but an analysis on how to master the mind. The basic principle is that “you are not to fool yourself - and you must understand that you are the easiest person to fool”. Stumbling on Happiness also highlights how our brains are hardwired to trick us into believing things that are just not true. A positive psychology book that is very uplifting. 

 

The 7 Proven Benefits of a Positive Psychology

The positive psychology movement has endured its fair share of criticism, especially from those who believe in shadow work and the integration of negative emotions. Yet there is much research on the many benefits of positive psychology. 

 

#1 - Stronger Personal Relationships

 

People who are happier have deeper ties with their family and friends. Positive psychology also has a number of benefits in the workplace and can help to increase productivity and return on investment, as well as increasing employee satisfaction levels. Companies such as Google place a massive emphasis on employee happiness. 

 

#2 - Benefits the Wider Environment

 

Having a positive outlook actually rubs off on others who you come into contact with. In other words, it's contagious. Those who spend time with happy people are more likely to be happier in the future as opposed to spending time with those of a negative orientation. 

 

#3 - Happier in General

 

People involved in positive psychology are less likely to have depression or mental illness. While having a positive mindset does not stop bad things from happening, it helps to get over them. People stuck in negative thought patterns let negative events haunt them for years. 

 

#4 - Healthier

 

People who engage in positive psychology practices tend to have lower blood pressure. They have lower stress levels and people who are optimistic about their circumstances are more likely to recover from illness such as cancer at a faster rate. Studies have shown a direct link between positive psychology and the immune system. 

 

#5 - More Successful

 

While success does make people happier, having a positive psychology is also a factor in attaining success. It is not really possible, or at least much more difficult, to be extremely successful while having a negative outlook on life. 

 

#6 - Snowball Effect

 

Those who engage in positive thinking are more likely to be happier in the future. Happy thoughts lead to more happy thoughts as the momentum takes off. Those who fail to correct their behavior will continue to engage in self-destruction patterns. 

 

#7 - Confidence and Vitality

 

People who engage in positive thinking have more self esteem and are more confident in their day-to-day activities. They also have more energy ad exuberance. This makes sense, as they will be more optimistic about the future and they also care more about what they do in the moment. People of a negative mindset are more likely to look at their jobs as a means to an end and see life in general as pointless. 

Understanding The Link Between Healthy Emotions and a Strong Psychology

The mind-body relationship is becoming clearer thanks to the advent of modern science. Likewise, the link between our thoughts and our emotions are also becoming better known. Research has demonstrated an obvious correlation between good emotions and a strong psychology. 

 

The Circle

 

Our thoughts and our emotions both form a circle reinforcing the other. Negative thoughts will generate emotions of a similar nature and these emotions will then result in more negative thoughts. This forms a vicious pattern that is most clearly observed in patients suffering from PTSD and other traumas. It is very difficult for these people to break free, and the events keep recurring in their minds. 

 

Over time, such patients heal to an extent. The main way to heal is gradually, as these patients can focus their energies on things that they enjoy so that the memories fail to repeat themselves and lose some of their previous force. Calming therapeutic modalities work over time to gently alleviate these traumas. However, modern society is anything but therapeutic. 

 

On the other hand, healthy emotions are linked with successful and a powerful psychology. People who are happier have more success and better interpersonal relationships. They have better concentration, memory, and social skills. It is far easier to be successful when you have a positive emotional framework as a foundation than to be struggling internally. 

 

How to Manage The Relationship

 

Everybody is in a situation where they need to better manage their thoughts and emotions. It takes some time, but there are proven ways to reinforce the strengths of our thoughts and emotions. These include:

 

1.         Meditation

2.         Mindfulness

3.         Deep Communication

4.         Creative Work

 

Meditation and mindfulness are practices where we simply observe what is happening in our minds. This is very beneficial in a world that is so externally orientated. We can observe how we feel and how these thoughts stimulate certain emotions. Over time, we can catch the negative thoughts before they gain too much momentum and ruin the whole day. 

 

Deep communication is another technique where we work with a therapist or practitioner to document and analyze our own patterns for further insights. 

 

Creative work is about self-expression. An intense dedication to creative work is an excellent way to remove any negative tendencies. What can happen is that we are so focused on artistic inventions that we are not focusing any of our energies on the things that make us weak. This works far more quickly than meditation and mindfulness if we can find something that we are truly passionate about. 

 

3 Easy Ways To Master Self-Discipline

Self-discipline is not a walk in the park for many people. In fact, it’s quite hard to muster and most will fail in their first few attempts. Now, you don’t need to live the life of a monk in order to master self-discipline (they do seem to be awfully good at discipline!) but if you want to succeed, you’d need plenty of patience and perseverance. Oh, and you need lots of time, too! After all, mastering self-discipline doesn’t happen overnight. 

 

Be 100% Committed To Your Goal

 

Plan and visualize your goal right down to the tiniest details. This step alone takes a lot of self-discipline because you’re basically going to create a roadmap for your success. And to see your goal to fruition, you’d have to be a hundred percent committed. 

 

To see your goal through to the end, you’d have to exercise self-control in many situations and your discipline will see to it that you finish your course according to plan.

 

Don’t Be The Biggest Obstacle To Your Success

 

You might not know it but you are probably the biggest roadblock to your success. Your fears and your insecurities might be holding you back from reaching your goals. 

 

Do you fear success? Are you afraid of failing? If you answered yes to either question, then you are sabotaging yourself. 

 

If you want to achieve something and be somebody in life, then you’re not going to allow your inner self to undermine your efforts. You have to go after your dreams and work hard every single day. 

 

If you want to be a concert pianist, you’re going to practice for hours on end each and every day. You’ll have the discipline to practice every morning, after school or work, and before you go to bed. If you start thinking you’re never going to be good enough, then you will never be good enough.

 

Say No Like You Mean It

 

Sometimes we say no to temptation the first or second time it’s offered to us. But on the third or fourth attempt, your defense starts to crumble and you slowly give in to the tempting and probably mouth-watering offer. 

 

If you’re truly disciplined, you’ll learn to say no like you actually mean it. Say no in such a way that the person doing the tempting and distracting will actually understand what you mean. Because if they sense your no is actually a maybe, they’ll persist and continue to knock on your door until you have no choice but to give in.