“Stand guard at the doorway of your mind, letting in only what you wish to manifest.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Have you ever noticed how certain things you read, watch, or listen to can instantly change how you feel?

Maybe you scroll through the news or social media and suddenly your heart feels heavier, your chest tightens, and your mood drops — even though nothing in your life actually changed in that moment.

That’s because your nervous system reacts to the information you take in.

Your body can’t tell the difference between something that’s really happening and something you’re simply thinking about or witnessing.

Every image, headline, sound, and story you absorb sends a message to your body that says either “I’m safe” or “I’m not.”

And when your body perceives danger — even imagined danger — your stress response flips on.

Your breath shortens. Your heart rate increases. Your muscles tighten.

But the truth is, you have more control than you think.

You get to choose your inputs.

Stress Isn’t Caused by What’s Happening — It’s Caused by What You’re Thinking About It

Most of the stress we experience doesn’t actually come from the events themselves — it comes from the story we tell ourselves about those events.

Two people can go through the exact same situation and have totally different reactions.
One might stay calm and open; the other might spiral into fear and frustration.

The difference isn’t the circumstance — it’s the thought pattern.

Your thoughts are powerful.

They affect your body, your mood, your energy, and even your immune system.

When your thoughts are filled with worry, criticism, or fear, your nervous system stays on high alert.

But when you focus on appreciation, peace, and possibility, your whole body relaxes.

The Power of Inputs

We all have a “mental diet” — and just like food, some inputs nourish us while others deplete us.

What you feed your mind influences how you feel, how you think, and how you show up in your life.

When you consume positive, uplifting, and encouraging content, your body relaxes, your vibration rises, and your outlook expands.

When you consume negativity, drama, or fear-based messages, your body produces stress hormones and your energy contracts.

It’s not just what you think — it’s what you feed your thinking with.

Your 30-Day Input Experiment

For the next 30 days, try becoming more intentional about what you allow into your mind.
Before you read, watch, scroll, or listen, pause and ask yourself:

• Will this make me feel better or worse?
• Is this something I want more of in my life?
• Does this move me forward or hold me back?
• Will this calm my body and mind — or activate stress in me?

Each of these questions creates a small but powerful pause — a moment of awareness where you get to choose your focus. And that pause is where your power lives.

The more you feed your mind with peaceful, positive, and empowering inputs, the more you strengthen your body’s sense of safety and stability.

And as your body feels safe, your thoughts naturally become lighter and more optimistic.

It’s a beautiful cycle — one small choice at a time.

Your Challenge This Week

Start paying attention to your “mental diet.”Notice how certain songs, shows, social feeds, or conversations make you feel.
Do they energize you or drain you? Calm you or agitate you?

Then start curating what you allow in. Follow accounts that lift you up. Listen to music that soothes or inspires you. Spend time in quiet instead of constant noise. Read something that fills your spirit instead of your fears.

You’ll be amazed at how quickly your mood — and your body — begins to shift when you guard the doorway of your mind.

Invitation: Join Me for the Flip the Switch 30-Day Journey

If this message resonates with you and you’re ready to take this concept deeper, I’d love to invite you to join me for my new program: Flip the Switch – A 30-Day Journey: Calm Your Nervous System, Shift Your Perspective & Raise Your Mood.

With warmth & appreciation!
Bonnie