I’m starting with a new client next week and I sent along a couple videos to start the process. I got an email back with some GREAT questions–
“I understand that we all have thoughts but will need you help me understand why/when we should let go of them. Do we only need to quickly release bad thoughts or limiting thoughts? Looking forward to having you help me re-tool my thinking.”
When people begin to see that the only thing we can ever directly experience is our thinking (and not the world itself), many of them quite naturally think that the answer is to control their thinking.
But have you ever tried to do that? To stop the bad thoughts, or convert them to more positive ones?
It gets discouraging pretty fast.
But luckily, it’s entirely unnecessary.
Because thoughts are like clouds.
You would never say, “I need to control those clouds. I don’t want any scary looking clouds to appear. Of course I’d rather not have any clouds and just enjoy the blue sky. But if there are some bunny clouds and some clouds that look like flowers, I guess that would be ok.”
Clouds happen.
Thoughts happen, too.
But like clouds, thoughts change from moment to moment. By the time a single cloud has crossed the sky, it’s gone from being a bunny to a pirate ship to a turtle and everything in between.
You can watch your thoughts do this, too.
So while you can’t control your thoughts, you can see that all they are is thoughts. You have the power to give them power.
Many of us bludgeon ourselves with our thoughts with the mistaken (and innocent) idea that it will help to “motivate” us. But what seems to be more helpful is to simply see the “I’m not enough” thought for what it is–an indication that we are not in the best frame of mind right now.
When we see thoughts for what they are, the repetitive, stubborn ones often seem to quiet a bit.
And something interesting happens. In the silence, new thoughts can arise.
Insights.
We can see things from a fresh perspective. Life gets lighter. And in a moment, we can see a new opportunity. The world looks different.
Without trying to make anything happen at all.
What are you seeing that’s new and fresh for 2022?
And what do YOU have questions about?