Welcome to the final installment of this Energy Management series.
In part 1 we started off talking about perspectives which tend to influence our energy state. We also spoke of a technique, known as “reframing”, which allows us to shift the state to a more desirable one simply by telling a different story about the situation.
In part 2 we dove a little deeper, getting into the meta-skill of mindfulness, which is best understood as the “muscle of attention”. By developing mindfulness we learn to better cultivate attention (our mental currency) and optimally “flex that muscle”. Focusing on complete diaphragmatic breathing is one very easy way to begin practicing mindfulness.
Now we wrap up this series with part 3, in which I take us further into the underlying mechanisms behind energy management, by discussing meditation in further depth as well as touching on the idea of acceptance, for better handling undesirable states.
I consider mindfulness and meditation as two separate, yet very inter-connected mental meta-skills. Mindfulness is living in the present moment without judgment. Meditation is a skill/practice which allows us to be more mindful. Once again, the focal point or anchor, for working on and achieving this, is the breath. I go into meditation in greater detail in this video here.
You can practice diaphragmatic or deep belly breaths any time, any place, which gives you so many opportunities to develop mindfulness. In building that attention muscle through a simple 3-5 minute session of complete breathing practice, you (1) attain a more relaxed and peaceful immediate state as the outcome and (2) gain better ability to detect the feelings which may lead to certain undesirable states. From there it is easier to handle through reframing techniques and/or meditative breathing.
The very last piece worth mentioning, when it comes to becoming the master of your mental and emotional state, is ACCEPTANCE. This is acceptance of whatever state you are in. This ties back to a tenet of mindfulness practice and development.
In the case of undesirable mental/emotional states, when we actively fight or resist something, we create a barrier which only further exacerbates the issue. Think of the saying “what you resist, persists”. On the other hand, if we actively accept the situation, we may harmonize and “flow with it”. This is the optimal setting for making any changes to more desirable states.
Let’s get after it on the mastery journey. Also, please continue to ask and send me your questions. Much more content in development, and I love getting the feedback, which helps me continue to build quality, targeted videos and articles.
Grab a copy of my new book “ART Of The Fight: Mental Performance For Martial Artists” available now in paperback on Amazon.