The Secret, The Power of Intention, Think and Grow Rich, and a myriad of other top-selling spiritually-minded self-help books send off a vibe that life is easy. Well, they don’t say it directly, however, as an audience we hear all the promises for potential and miss a good number of the steps necessary to get to that state. Let me explain.

Earlier in my life, I recognized the hardships, endured, and grew strong. Leading into adulthood, this strength brought me through more challenging times of change that were lived more like an adventure. Somewhere in the mix, after about a decade, a series of painful life incidents saw a carefully crafted life and lifestyle begin to whittle away. This time, I did not recognize the hardships, I did not endure successfully, and I did not grow strong. Quite the opposite felt to be happening.

Fast-forward through nearly a decade of soul-searching, spiritual-seeking, attending religious gatherings, reading self-help voraciously, and desperately trying to make sense of these circumstances, situations, and reactions that I encountered. My perspective, my viewpoint, was clouded by the emotional fog that I was now creating. This is losing your mind.

You see, the mind is your most powerful weapon, and your awareness must harness that mind’s power. Otherwise, your emotions run amok with your mind, and your mind runs amok with your emotions. A vicious cycle begins. Once you notice it, focus it again to the task: challenges, problems, opportunities, and how to overcome.

If you’ve been struggling, don’t expect what ought to be natural will be easy. You will have to work for this. I am.

more on life, emotions, and harnessing the mind coming soon