Survive or thrive

We arrived on this planet equipped with the hardwiring in our brain that we needed to survive in our environment. That is one of our gifts from the Universe. It is our nature to constantly scan our surroundings for any threat to our well-being. We are physically designed to respond to anything that we perceive as negative with either fight or flight or paralyzing fright. This level of vigilance was established eons ago when we were subject to constant danger from around us. Our brain continues to process our environment in this manner. To avoid the toll that this type of activity can take on us, we can adopt healthy ways of dealing with the stress that accompanies this natural function. Techniques such as meditation, visualization, controlled breathing, and relaxation can balance the survival mechanism and bring about conditions that allow us to thrive. Think about learning to use one or more of these techniques and notice the positive effects it has on the mind and body. What are you doing today to thrive?