Your Mind Shapes Your Reality: How to Be the Author of Your World

“We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make the world.”

—?Buddha

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You’ve probably heard the idea that your mind is powerful. But have you ever considered how powerful it truly is??

The truth is, your mind isn’t just a passive commentator on reality — it actively defines it. The way you think, the beliefs you hold, the assumptions you carry, how you’re feeling in any given moment — they all create the world you live in.

This isn’t just a cutesy spiritual idea.?

Your mind influences every waking moment of your life. It’s continuously shaping the reality you experience –?and the problem is that you might not even realise the extent that it does. Thoughts, as it has been said, become things, so you have to be careful what inner voices you’re listening to.?

The good news is, through awareness and mindfulness, you have the power to change that reality, simply by changing your mind. But first, you need to understand how your mind defines your world. Let's dive in.

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The Subjective Nature of Reality

There’s a common assumption that reality is fixed and objective. We tend to think that what we see is the absolute truth. But the reality you experience is shaped by much more than what’s happening outside of you. It’s defined by your inner world — your past experiences, beliefs, cultural conditioning, emotions, energy levels, even your expectations.

One of my favourite quotes is by writer Ana?s Nin, who so beautifully put it,?“We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.”

Think about that for a moment. You don’t just observe the world — you filter it through your own personal lens. The way you respond to a stressful work situation, or a disagreement with your partner, has more to do with your mindset than the actual situation. Your emotions, assumptions, and even the stories you tell yourself create the reality you experience.

There are so many interpersonal and relationship misunderstandings simply because we expect others to see the world as we do — and yet how can they? They have had a completely different upbringing from you, as well as a completely different day leading up to the moment you find yourselves together.

Empathy can help you understand their world and thus adjust your communication to suit; but it also helps you understand that they might not be prepared or even able to see yours. What you do with that is up to you, but like everything, understanding helps enormously.?

To be more understanding and empathetic? I think it’s as simple as being mindful that?you have?filters — that there is no one reality, that people live in their own universes —?and to be willing to be curious and find out what's beyond.

Curiosity … it’s the answer to so many things. Least of all how you might change your world via how you perceive it.

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The Power of Mindfulness: Shifting from Reaction to Response

It’s good news! If there is one objective reality, you only have one external world to play in — one where you, if you’re honest, aren’t fully in control. Given you have a subjective reality to contend with is great stuff, because while you might not be able to change anyone else, you can certainly change yourself — and that turns out is enough, more than enough to make a life.

Here’s where mindfulness and awareness practices come in. The more you can become conscious of your thoughts and reactions, the more control you’ll have over the kind of world you live in. Instead of reacting blindly, you’ll be able to make a conscious choice about how you want to respond.

Practices like Ascension or meditation help you develop this skill. They give you space to observe your thoughts and emotions without being swept away by them. When you notice yourself reacting to a situation — whether it’s stress at work or frustration with a family member — you can pause, be mindful, realise what’s happening, and choose a different response.

This awareness is the key to changing your reality. If your current reality feels stressful, overwhelming, or unfulfilling, it’s often because of the mental narratives you’re running. But you can rewrite those narratives. You can define your world differently.

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Your Mind and Your Body Are Linked

Mindfulness and awareness don’t just shift your mental state — they can physically impact your body as well. The work of Ellen Langer, a psychologist known for her studies on mindfulness, shows just how much your thoughts influence your physical health.?

She had this study where elderly men were placed in an environment that recreated the world of 20 years earlier. The results were mind-blowing. Not only did their mindset change, but they also showed physical improvements — they became more energetic, had better posture, and even improved their vision. They rewound their physical, mental and emotional clocks to what was considered an impossible degree —?and all through the power of their perception.

This study demonstrates the mind-body connection. Your body responds to the way you think. If you believe you’re stressed, tired, or ageing rapidly, your body follows suit. But if you change your mindset — if you consciously decide to focus on vitality, health, and energy — your body will respond accordingly.

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What You Focus on Grows

One of the most empowering aspects of this idea is that?what you focus on grows.?

If you spend your time complaining, gossiping, or focusing on what’s wrong in your life, you’ll notice more negativity. Your mind will seek out evidence that supports the reality you’re creating. On the other hand, if you focus on gratitude, appreciation, and what’s working well, you’ll start to see more positive aspects of your life. You “spiral” —?evidence leads to more evidence. You literally create more of heaven or more of hell via what you consistently pay attention to.

And when you’re conscious of this impact, you can choose at any stage to disconnect from the downward spiral and where that might take you and embark on an upward spiral.

Granted, the more time and energy you’ve spent on a particular direction makes a spiral more “slippery”; it’s easier to slip into old habits. But you?can?change your mind. Slowly but surely, starting right now, you can make a difference.?

It’s just like planting seeds in a garden. If you plant seeds of resentment, frustration, or fear, that’s what will grow. But if you plant seeds of kindness, gratitude, and hope, you’ll cultivate a much different garden — a garden filled with joy and possibility.

It’s true: even a little of the “glass half-full” is lighter, energised and full of potential. It feels good to feel good (or just a fraction better). So be aware of the power of your choice and how it defines and shapes your reality —?and change it up, as you see fit.

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Practical Steps to Change Your Mind and Define Your World Differently

How do you start to shift your thinking about reality in a way that feels more aligned with your true self? Here are some practical steps you can take:

1. Practice Mindfulness:?

Start by noticing your thoughts without judgement. This can be done through meditation or simply by taking a few moments each day to observe your mental chatter. Are you telling yourself stories that keep you stuck in a negative mindset? Awareness is key. Once you see those stories, you can begin to change them up; and the lack of self-criticism makes it all a lot smoother.

2. Approve and Appreciate:?

Replace negative, limiting thoughts with positive approval and appreciation for what is going right, for what you are managing to do. It’s so easy to focus on what you’re doing wrong and what you haven’t done, so see if you can be a better friend to yourself. You’re on a journey, and the power of appreciating a bigger picture of your progress through life is all in the perspective. Words are powerful. There’s a huge difference between, “I can’t” and “I can’t yet”.

3. Praise Others:?

Take the time and space to appreciate and praise the people in your life too. Whether that’s your partner, your family, your colleagues, the shopkeeper … every one appreciates being appreciated. We ask for so little in life, and the recognition from someone else appreciating us is a big deal. These seeds that you sow change you as well —?it feels good to give, to connect, to choose to see others in a more balanced light than perhaps you’re habitually used to. Want more empathy and understanding? Start with praise to connect. And look —?karma is real. What you give is what you get.?

4. Focus on Gratitude:?

Each day, take a few moments to list three things you’re grateful for. This simple practice shifts your focus from what’s lacking to what’s abundant in your life. Remember, what you focus on grows. Take nothing for granted. You have so much and yet probably don’t notice it. Learn to base?your life in what you have, not what you don’t.?

5. Challenge Assumptions:?

If you catch yourself assuming the worst in a situation, pause and ask, “Is this thought really true? Could there be another perspective?” This helps you break free from automatic reactions. This internal “step back” will only come if you’re truly curious about what and how you’re thinking. It’ll require you to slow down too and create space between the triggers in your world and your reactions —?always a good thing. So take it steady, do one thing at a time.

6. Surround Yourself with the Good:?

The people, media, and conversations you engage with influence your mental state. Choose, as much as you can, to surround yourself with individuals and content that uplift and inspire you, rather than pulling you into negativity. Your social media feed feeds you. Cultivate that which is worthwhile and nutritious. Be careful of an excessive diet of “Why?” (in the negative sense); tune into more “Wow” instead.

There are so many more practical steps to perceive your world entirely differently.

But —?all require you to be interested in being a better version of you; to see where you’re being negative and limiting and make some change. Change isn’t easy, but it is worthwhile.

Gradual, steady change is fine, it really is the only way —?but this gradual change snowballs when you make sure you take regular time to work on you. Self-care is one thing, self-development is another. I get you’re busy and have a million things to do — and it’s really tempting to stay on the race track — but realise you’re worth investing in. It’s a regular pitstop/tune up/realignment that means you can give so much more, you can be so much more, for yourself AND all the people in your world.

Something like the Ishayas’ Ascension — the practice that I recommend —?does indeed take time away from getting stuff done. But it fundamentally and speedily changes your habits and beliefs and expectations so you can “do” so much better. It’s sharpening your axe so everything you do is easier, more effective, and more enjoyable.?

So — start with the little tweaks here and there if you wish, but at some stage, why not dive into a consistent practice that will align you with your true self, with the person you know you can be, all the time?

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Becoming the Author of Your Own World

As you start to become more mindful of your thoughts and reactions, you’ll realise that you are not a passive observer of reality — you are the author of it. You have the power to define your world, shape your experiences, and choose how you want to live. And doing so means you will have a huge impact on everyone around you.

One of my favourite spiritual teachers, Anthony de Mello, wisely warned,?“Thought can organise the world so well that you are no longer able to see it.”

Don’t let your mind run on autopilot, defining your world through limiting beliefs and reactive patterns. Instead, take an active role in creating a life that aligns with your true self. By becoming conscious of your thoughts and making intentional choices, you can shift your reality in profound ways.

Your mind is your most powerful tool — use it to build the world you want to live in.

Go well

Arjuna

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PS.

If you’d like a practice that fundamentally rewrites your perception of yourself and your world,?

As well as making you beautifully mindful, present and filled with presence?—??

I’m running an Ishayas’ Ascension course very soon.

We run 25-27 October (7pm start), and it’d be great to have you if you’d like to come.

If you want more details, just let me know and I’ll get those through to you.

Remember too – it’s free to repeat forever. A reminder could be just the thing for you right now.

Talk soon!?