Do you have head chatter that isn't serving you? Here's what you can do.

Lately, I have been experiencing fear of regret. It comes in the form of unhelpful mind chatter.

Why? Because I have set my goals and intentions, laid out the course for my day, and sometimes it goes as planned, and sometimes not. Couple that with the occasional thoughts of whether I have set the appropriate goals and intentions, and well…am I really on the right course at all?  

The most important lesson I have learned is to recognize the chatter in my head and when it is not serving me.  Instead, I bring it out of my head and move it down to my center, or what I know.  This is a place that is peaceful and like a guidance system for what is important to me. 

I remind myself that this is where I set my goals from in the first place. In this case, I decided to use what I call A Message to Myself.  For me, this happens after meditation (or taking some deep breaths and concentrating on the center of my body) and with my journal.  I write a message to myself to remind me about what is deeply important in this moment, what my real purpose is, despite my thoughts that can sometimes tell me otherwise.

As an example, here is what I wrote and have been rereading for myself this week.

I will live life like the adventure it is. I will plan, but my plan will be an idea and not set in stone. Life does not have a concrete plan that goes exactly on course. Instead, it is an idea of a plan from a calming place, that then follows the bend in the road and sometimes goes off the road when necessary or needed.

I will plan my route but then stop to feel the richness in the earth, feel the wind on my face, and recognize the beauty of the land. I will stop to be in the moment and grateful for every opportunity I have at that moment. I won't long for the opportunities that I'm not having, for these are not meant to be had, if I am paying attention in that moment.

I will free myself from the thoughts of what I should do, and instead live in the blessing of what I can do. For these are the miracles of life that I have been granted to experience, use, and prosper from.

I will give myself permission to be free. I will give myself permission to set aside the negativity that ties me down or keeps me from enjoying that which I have the beauty to enjoy… in the moment.

Have you ever written a message to yourself to counter any thoughts that may be not serving you? For me, it brings clarity, peace of mind, and helps to cultivate what counts.