Some reports claim that we have 60,000 thoughts a day. That is crazy!
Have you ever tried to examine all of the things that cross your mind on a daily basis? If not, I’d advise you to try and take a mental note of how many thoughts are negative and how many thoughts are positive.
The reason for this is simple: we are deeply rooted in the way we choose to deal with whatever gets thrown our way and the only way to deal (our actions) are dependent on our thoughts.
I remember waking up one morning, full of dread, and thinking to myself “Okay, I’m so done living like this.” And what I meant was: I really need to change. BUT – how do you change just like that when you’re conditioned to being as you are? Instantly, I recognized my thought as a challenge and I decided to challenge myself into figuring out the answer to my challenged question (so many challenges). Basically, I was on a quest to destroy my old self and come out of it feeling like I’d never be that person again. That’s what I wanted, and ultimately, it was pertinent to my discovery of becoming my better, higher sense of self. It’s so easy to make yourself bad all the time and, for me, it got to a point where I said enough is enough and I needed to change.
I was on a mission. And with any successful mission – you have to put in work. So, I started working and what I discovered was interesting, powerful and extremely obvious. I grew consciously aware that my thoughts often related to my moods and overall perception of what I was doing. The majority of my thoughts were negative and, *light bulb*, I realized that my mentality was the source of my unhappiness. I came to an understanding within my brain that I had to basically unlearn the way I used to think about everything and teach myself different patterns in the way I processed my thoughts. I call this flipping a switch.
What’s the quote about doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results is insanity? It was Einstein. But lets apply the same message to your thought process: if you are constantly thinking the same way over and over again and CLEARLY your habits aren’t working for you – YOU ARE BEING CRAZY – YOU HAVE TO CHANGE THE PROCESS! And that’s what I did. I had to revaluate how and why I made myself feel like shit and create a new channel of perception in order avoid sabotaging myself. For example: “I think X way. X way has always made me feel a bad way, therefore I need to transform my thoughts of X way and turn it into a Y (new) way so I create a different outlook on X experience”. Let me transcribe this process in a relatable way (X): “Shit – I have to go to work. I’m not happy at my job – I’m never getting out. What am I even doing with my life?” This is easily copable when you think of it in a different light (Y): “I’m at my job now because I am learning and building. I am grateful for where I’m at and I know I’ll go places as long as I constantly try to make the best of my given situation.” You are where you are because it’s where you’re supposed to be at this moment in time. You have to be okay with knowing that whatever hand is dealt to you – you are capable of strategizing the best way for you to play the game of life (it’s all a game, isn’t it?). If you don’t like something, change the way you think about it and life won’t seem so unbearable after all.
You can do it.
P.S. – Since thoughts are a pretty large topic that will be delved into further over the next few months, consider this part 1 of many a times we will be visiting this topic.
————–
shaelenb.com 