Training Your Mind for a Clearer, More Confident Future

Since the pandemic, I’ve been a pretty consistent Peloton user. If you’re not familiar, Peloton is a company that creates home exercise equipment—like bikes, rowers, and treadmills—along with on-demand workout and wellness content that you can access from home.

Recently, on the recommendation of a busy friend, I decided to incorporate Peloton’s 10-minute instructor-led meditation sessions into my weekly routine.

If you’ve ever tried meditating, you know how deceptively difficult it can be. The idea of “thinking about nothing” or redirecting your focus to something positive sounds simple, but in practice, it’s anything but.

I’ll be honest—I’m not great at meditating! Shutting off that part of my brain that constantly jumps to worries, deadlines, and to-do lists is a real challenge.

But over time, I’ve come to realize that the true benefit of meditation isn’t achieving a perfectly clear mind. It’s about strengthening the ability to intentionally control the direction of your thoughts.

And in today’s complicated, fast-paced world, that is an incredibly powerful skill to develop.

Training Your Brain for Success

Just like you can train your body to be stronger, you can train your mind to focus in a way that promotes clarity and good habits. This skill isn’t just helpful for managing daily stress—it can also be a game-changer when it comes to financial and investment decisions.

Here’s what that looks like in practice:

· Instead of worrying about market fluctuations, remind yourself of the steps you’ve taken to build a resilient portfolio designed to weather different economic conditions.

· Instead of consuming fear-driven financial news, focus on the flexibility built into your financial plan and remember that adjustments can always be made when needed.

· Instead of dwelling on past financial mistakes, shift your mindset to acknowledge the progress you’ve made and the bright future ahead.

Controlling the direction of your thoughts isn’t easy, but with practice, it can have a profound impact on your confidence, happiness, and overall well-being.

Wishing you a mindful and successful spring!

Chip Hymiller, AIF, CFP®